2026-27 Upper Deck MVP Hockey arrives as the first mainstream release of the new hockey card season, giving collectors an early look at veterans, recent NHL debuts and a chase structure built around inserts, parallels and redemptions rather than autographs or memorabilia.
MVP has long filled a specific role in the hobby. It is accessible enough for set builders, but it still leaves room for tougher pulls through short prints, serial-numbered parallels and a few long-shot cards that can change the feel of a box. This year follows that formula closely, with hobby boxes promising a steady mix of base short prints, Silver Script parallels, stickers and one additional rare insert or parallel.
Collectors opening hobby boxes can expect 10 base short prints, 10 standard inserts, 5 Silver Script parallels, 4 stickers and 1 extra rare card on average. That mix keeps boxes active without straying from the set’s value-driven identity.
2026-27 Upper Deck MVP Hockey overview
The base set totals 250 cards. Cards 1 through 200 make up the standard base run, while cards 201 through 220 are veteran short prints and cards 221 through 249 are rookie short prints. Card 250 is the checklist card featuring Elvis Merzlikins.
The early release date shapes the rookie lineup. Because NHL licensing rules require a player to have appeared in an official game before being placed on a card, this product focuses on players who debuted late in the 2025-26 season rather than prospects still waiting for their first NHL appearance. That means collectors get a rookie crop anchored by names such as Konsta Helenius, Josh Samanski, Sandis Vilmanis, David Reinbacher and James Hagens.
Upper Deck also uses redemptions to bridge the gap between the current release calendar and the next rookie class. Rookie Redemption cards are split by division and land at difficult odds, while an even tougher 2026 NHL Draft No. 1 Pick SP Redemption gives collectors a chance at one of the earliest possible cards tied to the top selection.
Release date, pack formats and hobby box details
- Release date: August 5, 2026
- Set size: 250 cards
- Hobby packs: 8 cards per pack, 20 packs per box
- Blaster packs: 7 cards per pack, 10 packs per box
- Retail packs: 6 cards per pack, 36 packs per box
- Gravity Feed packs: 7 cards per pack, 36 packs per box
Hobby remains the most complete format for chase collectors. Blasters add exclusive Gold Script opportunities through a three-card bonus pack. Retail and Gravity Feed configurations still offer access to the same base structure and several inserts, but the harder serial-numbered and hobby-centered content remains the main draw for dedicated collectors.
Average hobby box contents
- 10 inserts from Let It Rip, Welcome Freshman!, Gotta Have Hart, Clutch Performers, Paired Up and The Slot
- 4 MVP Stickers
- 5 Silver Script parallels
- 10 base short prints
- 1 additional rare insert or parallel
What blaster boxes add
- 1 Gold Script bonus pack with 3 cards
Base set and parallels
The MVP base design covers stars, established veterans and emerging young players across the league. Notable names in the first 200 cards include Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Connor Bedard, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Matvei Michkov, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke and Michael Misa.
Short prints strengthen the chase with a separate layer of veterans and rookies. The SP checklist includes David Pastrnak, Leon Draisaitl, Rasmus Dahlin, Macklin Celebrini, Mitch Marner, Logan Cooley, Victor Hedman, Sam Reinhart, Juraj Slafkovsky, Tim Stutzle, Connor Hellebuyck and more. Rookie SPs add 29 names, including William Stromgren, Danil Zhilkin, Konsta Helenius, Josh Samanski, Alex Bump, Anton Frondell, Porter Martone, David Reinbacher and James Hagens.
Parallels remain one of the main attractions for MVP collectors. The full base set has the following versions:
- Silver Script
- Gold Script
- Super Script /25
- Black Super Script 1/1
- Printing Plates 1/1 in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black
Silver Script parallels fall at different rates depending on the section of the set. Standard base cards come in at 1:10 packs in hobby and e-Pack, while SPs and rookies land at 1:20. Retail and blaster odds are tougher. Gold Script cards are tied to blaster bonus packs, while numbered Super Script, Black Super Script and plates are hobby and e-Pack exclusives.
Rookie content and redemption chase
The rookie checklist is built around players who already reached NHL ice, which gives the set a slightly different feel from releases that wait for the broader incoming class. For collectors who enjoy early rookie cards, the key names include Konsta Helenius of the Sabres, Josh Samanski of the Oilers, Sandis Vilmanis of the Panthers, David Spacek of the Wild, Lenni Hameenaho of the Devils, Simon Lundmark of the Lightning, Carter Yakemchuk of the Senators, Anton Frondell of the Blackhawks, Cole Hutson of the Capitals, Porter Martone of the Flyers, David Reinbacher of the Canadiens and James Hagens of the Bruins.
Upper Deck extends the rookie chase with four divisional Rookie Redemptions:
- RR-1 Atlantic Division
- RR-2 Metropolitan Division
- RR-3 Central Division
- RR-4 Pacific Division
These fall at 1:400 packs in hobby and e-Pack, and 1:3,000 in retail and blaster. The tougher pull is the 2026 NHL Draft #1 Pick SP Redemption, which lands at 1:1,250 in hobby and e-Pack and 1:12,500 in retail and blaster. A Gold parallel pushes the chase even further at 1:12,500 in hobby and e-Pack.
Colors & Contours returns as the main serial-numbered insert
Colors & Contours remains one of the signature MVP insert lines. It is exclusive to hobby and e-Pack and starts with a /250 base level, then scales into Green /20 and Purple /3 versions. Every card also has one-of-one printing plates.
The 50-card checklist mirrors the SP and rookie chase structure. Veteran cards include David Pastrnak, Leon Draisaitl, Rasmus Dahlin, Macklin Celebrini, Mitch Marner, Logan Cooley, Victor Hedman, Sam Reinhart, Juraj Slafkovsky, Tim Stutzle, Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Zacha, Morgan Frost, Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Valeri Nichushkin, Mavrik Bourque, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Walman and Seth Jones. Rookie entries include William Stromgren, Danil Zhilkin, Sandis Vilmanis, David Spacek, Konsta Helenius, Lenni Hameenaho, Simon Lundmark, Josh Samanski, Kai Uchacz, Mikulas Hovorka, Avery Hayes, Kenny Connors, Angus Booth, Jared Wright, Alex Bump, Theo Lindstein, Mike Benning, Cole Hutson, Tyson Gross, Jorian Donovan, Carter Yakemchuk, Anton Frondell, Adam Sykora, Sacha Boisvert, Drew Fortescue, Porter Martone, Nathan Gaucher, David Reinbacher and James Hagens.
Because the insert checklist mixes established stars with first-year names and keeps the print runs low, Colors & Contours should be one of the stronger long-term collector targets in the product.
Insert lineup and odds
MVP does not rely on hits in the autograph sense, so the insert lineup does much of the heavy lifting. Five common insert families drive most of the box content, and each has a Gold parallel and one-of-one printing plates. Those five standard lines are joined by Paired Up, stickers and rare mascots.
- Let It Rip: 1:10 hobby packs
- The Slot: 1:10 hobby packs
- Clutch Performers: 1:13 hobby packs
- Gotta Have Hart: 1:13 hobby packs
- Welcome, Freshman!: 1:13 hobby packs
- Paired Up: part of the hobby insert mix
- MVP Stickers: 1:5 packs
- Mascot Lenticulars: 1:250 packs
Clutch Performers checklist
Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Chris Kreider, Cale Makar, Carter Verhaeghe, Quinn Hughes, John Tavares, Aleksander Barkov, Mark Stone, Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy and David Pastrnak.
Gotta Have Hart checklist
Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, William Nylander, Macklin Celebrini, Nikita Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl, Cale Makar, Connor Bedard, Jack Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, David Pastrnak, Quinn Hughes, Mikko Rantanen, Leo Carlsson and Kyle Connor.
Let It Rip checklist
Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Mikko Rantanen, Nikita Kucherov, Elias Pettersson, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Kyle Connor, Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Tage Thompson, Jason Robertson, William Nylander, Jack Hughes, Kevin Fiala, Sidney Crosby and Brayden Point.
The Slot checklist
Jared McCann, Macklin Celebrini, Brady Tkachuk, Vincent Trocheck, Bo Horvat, Nico Hischier, Filip Forsberg, Ivan Demidov, Quinton Byfield, Zach Hyman, Alex DeBrincat, Wyatt Johnston, Dmitri Voronkov, Martin Necas, Connor Bedard, Sebastian Aho, Artemi Panarin, Tage Thompson, Morgan Geekie and Leo Carlsson.
Welcome, Freshman! checklist
William Stromgren, Konsta Helenius, Josh Samanski, Sandis Vilmanis, Mikulas Hovorka, Kenny Connors, Jared Wright, Angus Booth, David Spacek, Lenni Hameenaho, Avery Hayes, Simon Lundmark, Kai Uchacz, Danil Zhilkin and Alex Bump.
Paired Up checklist
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson, Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley, Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe, Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes, Matthew Schaefer and Alexander Romanov, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov, Jimmy Snuggerud and Jordan Kyrou.
Mascot Lenticulars checklist
Gritty, Youppi!, SJ Sharkie, Bailey, Wild Wing, Gnash, Iceburgh, Victor E. Green, Chance, Stormy, Harvey The Hound, Mick E Moose, Slapshot, Tommy Hawk and Fin The Whale.
At 1:250 packs, Mascot Lenticulars land roughly once per hobby case, making them one of the true scarcity plays in the release.
MVP Stickers and notable names
The sticker component has been streamlined into one 100-card set rather than multiple smaller themed checklists. It still covers stars, prospects and rookies, which gives player collectors another parallel lane to chase outside the main base set.
Notable sticker subjects include Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, David Pastrnak, Cale Makar, Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Kucherov, Sam Reinhart, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, Matvei Michkov, Michael Misa, Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, Cole Hutson, Carter Yakemchuk and James Hagens through the broader rookie-heavy selection.
Key teams and player collector takeaways
Several clubs stand out for depth and star power. Edmonton is one of the strongest spots in the product thanks to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl appearing across the base SPs, Gotta Have Hart, Let It Rip, Paired Up, stickers and Josh Samanski rookie content. Chicago has a similar multi-layered presence with Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert. Florida offers a broad checklist with Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Sandis Vilmanis, Mikulas Hovorka and Mike Benning.
San Jose collectors get one of the most interesting combinations in the set. Macklin Celebrini is featured as a base SP, Colors & Contours card, Gotta Have Hart entry, The Slot insert, sticker and half of a Paired Up card with Will Smith. Montreal also carries strong hobby interest through Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, David Reinbacher and the Youppi! Mascot Lenticular.
Boston brings David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha and James Hagens into the mix, while Los Angeles has a notable rookie pocket with Kenny Connors, Angus Booth and Jared Wright joining veterans like Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke and Artemi Panarin. Ottawa is another deep team for set chasers, anchored by Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson, Jorian Donovan and Carter Yakemchuk.
Checklist highlights
Base SPs
201 David Pastrnak, 202 Leon Draisaitl, 203 Rasmus Dahlin, 204 Macklin Celebrini, 205 Mitch Marner, 206 Logan Cooley, 207 Victor Hedman, 208 Sam Reinhart, 209 Juraj Slafkovsky, 210 Tim Stutzle, 211 Jackson LaCombe, 212 Pavel Zacha, 213 Morgan Frost, 214 Taylor Hall, 215 Tyler Bertuzzi, 216 Valeri Nichushkin, 217 Mavrik Bourque, 218 Connor Hellebuyck, 219 Jake Walman, 220 Seth Jones.
Base rookies
221 William Stromgren, 222 Danil Zhilkin, 223 Sandis Vilmanis, 224 David Spacek, 225 Konsta Helenius, 226 Lenni Hameenaho, 227 Simon Lundmark, 228 Josh Samanski, 229 Kai Uchacz, 230 Mikulas Hovorka, 231 Avery Hayes, 232 Kenny Connors, 233 Angus Booth, 234 Jared Wright, 235 Alex Bump, 236 Theo Lindstein, 237 Mike Benning, 238 Cole Hutson, 239 Tyson Gross, 240 Jorian Donovan, 241 Carter Yakemchuk, 242 Anton Frondell, 243 Adam Sykora, 244 Sacha Boisvert, 245 Drew Fortescue, 246 Porter Martone, 247 Nathan Gaucher, 248 David Reinbacher, 249 James Hagens.
Selected team set highlights
- Anaheim Ducks: Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, Jackson LaCombe SP, Nathan Gaucher RC, Wild Wing Lenticular
- Boston Bruins: David Pastrnak SP, Pavel Zacha SP, James Hagens RC, Pastrnak in Clutch Performers, Gotta Have Hart and Let It Rip
- Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin SP, Konsta Helenius RC, Tage Thompson in Let It Rip and The Slot
- Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Anton Frondell RC, Sacha Boisvert RC, Tommy Hawk Lenticular
- Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl SP, Jake Walman SP, Josh Samanski RC, McDavid and Draisaitl Paired Up
- Florida Panthers: Sam Reinhart SP, Seth Jones SP, Sandis Vilmanis RC, Mikulas Hovorka RC, Mike Benning RC
- Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky SP, David Reinbacher RC, Youppi! Lenticular
- San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini SP, Michael Misa, Will Smith, Paired Up with Celebrini and Smith, SJ Sharkie Lenticular
Without autographs or relics, 2026-27 Upper Deck MVP Hockey leans on familiar fundamentals: a large base set, a healthy short print chase, recognizable insert brands and a few difficult redemptions. For collectors who enjoy opening an affordable early-season hockey product while still having clear targets to pursue, this year’s MVP checklist delivers a broad mix of stars, rookies and scarce parallels.
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