The new collecting season kicks off with 2025-26 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey, the first installment of the company’s flagship line. As always, it sets the stage for Series 2 and Extended later in the year, but this release is where fans first get their hands on the year’s Young Guns rookies along with returning favorites like UD Canvas, UD Portraits, and plenty of colorful parallels.
The base set carries on tradition with 250 total cards. The final 50 slots are reserved for Young Guns, showcasing late-season call ups from 2024-25. Because the product drops early, collectors won’t find 2025 draft picks or first-night NHL debuts just yet. Young Guns fall one in every two packs, averaging six per hobby box.
Parallels add extra depth. Outburst Silver falls 1:30 packs (1:60 for Young Guns), Clear Cut 1:96 packs (1:144 for Young Guns, hobby only), Deluxe is numbered to 250, UD Exclusives to 100, Outburst Red to 25, High Gloss to 10, and Outburst Gold is a 1/1 chase. Variations are extremely rare at 1:2,000 packs, while Snow Spray Autographs are even tougher at 1:4,000 packs.
The insert roster mixes long-running favorites with new designs. UD Canvas begins its yearly run with the first 120 cards. Veterans appear 1:3 packs, Young Guns at 1:24, with Black and White parallels (1:48 packs for vets, 1:144 for Young Guns) plus Printing Plates. UD Portraits return with a refreshed style at 1:5 packs, joined by Speckle (1:40), Red (/199), and Gold (/25). Dazzlers are back too, with Blue landing one per hobby box, plus tougher Pink (1:144), Gold (1:2,880), and Green (blaster exclusive at 1:4).
Other insert highlights include:
- Population Count: Cards styled like graded slabs with print runs tied to the number on the front (1,000 down to 1).
- Holotypes: Hologram-themed cards at 1:504 packs, exclusive to Series 1.
- Bootleg: A brand-new 18 card insert, 1:1,440 packs, each with unique designs.
- Additional sets like Compositions, Sizzle Reel, Tracking Systems, Bustle, Cup Quest, Goal Oriented, and Compadres fall between 1:5 and 1:10 packs, all with Speckle, Red (/199), Gold (/25), and Printing Plate parallels.
- Hobby: 12 cards per pack, 12 packs per box, 12 boxes per case
- Blaster: 12 cards per pack, 4 packs per box, 20 boxes per case
- Tins: 12 cards per pack, 8 packs per tin, 12 tins per case
- Set size: 250 cards
- Planned release: October 15, 2025 (subject to change)
With its mix of rookies, parallels, and inserts, 2025-26 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey delivers the traditional launchpad for the season and the first big chase for Young Guns collectors.