2025-26 Fleer Ultra Hockey Card Set Review and Checklist

• Base Set Breakdown
• Parallels: A Spectrum of Rarity
• Inserts: Thematic and Collectible Highlights
• Autographs and Memorabilia
• Box and Pack Distribution
• Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Value
• Conclusion

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The 2025-26 Fleer Ultra Hockey Card Set, produced by Upper Deck, represents a bold evolution in NHL trading cards, blending vibrant designs, high-end parallels, and a strong focus on rookies and superstars. Released in early 2026 to coincide with the ongoing NHL season, this set captures the excitement of emerging talents like Macklin Celebrini and Ivan Demidov alongside established icons such as Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid. With a total base set of 200 cards (100 veterans, 50 short prints or SPs, and 50 rookies), Fleer Ultra emphasizes premium inserts, autographs, and memorabilia hits, making it a must-have for collectors chasing rarity and visual appeal.

What sets this edition apart is its rainbow-hued aesthetics, incorporating holographic foils, geometric patterns, and thematic inserts that evoke the speed and intensity of hockey. The set’s checklist highlights a diverse mix of players from all 32 NHL teams, including the newly rebranded Utah Mammoth. While the base cards are accessible, the real draw lies in the parallels and inserts, which offer numbered variations down to 1/1. Based on the official checklist, this review breaks down the set’s components, distribution odds, and overall value, with examples drawn from standout cards like Ovechkin’s signed rainbow parallel and Demidov’s rookie auto.

Base Set Breakdown

The core of Fleer Ultra is its 200-card base set, divided into three tiers for varied collecting experiences:

• Veterans (Cards 1-100): These feature current NHL stars in action poses with team logos and stats. Examples include Tomas Hertl (Vegas Golden Knights, Card #1) and Josh Norris (Buffalo Sabres, Card #2). Insertion rate: Four base cards per pack, making them the foundation of every pull.
• Short Prints (SPs, Cards 101-150): 50 cards focusing on elite players with slightly rarer odds. Highlights include Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche, Card #102) and Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers, Card #104). Odds: 1:1 per hobby pack (h) or epack (e), ensuring one SP per pack on average.
• Rookies (Cards 151-200): 50 cards spotlighting the 2025 draft class and prospects. Standouts like Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers, Card #151) and Ivan Demidov (Montreal Canadiens, Card #193, as seen in the provided rainbow auto example) dominate. Odds: 1:1 h/e, guaranteeing rookie representation.

The base design features glossy stock with holographic borders, but the true variety comes from parallels, which elevate common cards to chase pieces.

Parallels: A Spectrum of Rarity

Fleer Ultra lives up to its name with an array of parallels, each offering unique finishes and numbering. All parallels are random inserts unless specified, with odds varying by tier (veterans, SPs, rookies). Here’s a detailed table:

Parallels add depth, with lower-numbered versions (e.g., /25 Platinum) being highly sought after. The rainbow foils, in particular, stand out for their prismatic shine, as evidenced by the Ovechkin and Schaefer cards in the images, which feature holographic gradients and autographs.

Inserts: Thematic and Collectible Highlights

Inserts are where Fleer Ultra shines, offering 10+ themed subsets with parallels. These are die-cut or specialty designs, often with autographs or memorabilia. Total inserts exceed 300 across variations, with odds favoring hobby boxes.

• Angulars (20 cards): Geometric, low-poly art style. Unnumbered, odds: 1:450 h/e. Example: MacKinnon (Avalanche, as in the polygonal image provided), Matthews (Maple Leafs #ANG-1).
• Medallions (50 cards, including 6 rookies): Circular medal designs. Unnumbered base (1:5 h/e), with parallels: Gold (/200), Platinum (/100), Ruby Red (/50), Sapphire Blue (/25), Emerald Green (/10), Black (1/1). Example: Ovechkin (Capitals #M-1).
• Mise-en-Scene (20 cards, 5 rookies): Dramatic, stage-like backgrounds. Unnumbered, odds: 1:225 h/e. Example: Demidov (Canadiens #MS-13 rookie).
• Outlining (30 cards, 3 rookies): Bold outlined player silhouettes. Base unnumbered (1:7 h/e); Red (/99), Green (/10); Gold Auto (23 cards, odds: 1:750 h/e, with SP/SSP designations). Example: Demidov (Canadiens #OL-4 rookie).
• Rink Producers (10 cards): Focus on playmakers, with memorabilia patches. Base unnumbered (1:150 h/e); Gold (1/1). Example: Kucherov (Lightning #RP-2).
• Rising Stars (50 cards, 41 rookies): Prospect-focused. Base unnumbered (1:5 h/e); Gold (/199), Platinum (/99), Red (/49), Blue (/35), Green (/15), Black (1/1). Example: Parekh (Flames #RS-1 rookie).
• Ultrastructures (25 cards, 5 rookies): Architectural motifs. Base unnumbered (1:9 h/e); Red (/99), Green (/10); Gold Auto (20 cards, 1:200 h/e, SP/SSP). Example: Schaefer (Islanders #SR-25 rookie, auto shown).
• Ultra Stars (15 cards): Star players with starburst effects. Base unnumbered (1:33 h/e); Red (/25), Green (/10), Gold (1/1). Example: Crosby (Penguins #ST-1).
• Ultra Future Stars (15 rookies): Next-gen talents with memorabilia. Base unnumbered (1:33 h/e); Red (/25), Green (/10), Gold (1/1). Example: Demidov (Canadiens #FST-3).
• Ultra Power (25 cards, 3 rookies): Power forwards theme. Base unnumbered (1:9 h/e); Red (/99), Green (/10); Gold Auto (15 cards, 1:750 h/e, SP/SSP). Example: Suzuki (Canadiens #UP-1).
• Ultra Team (20 cards, 5 rookies): Team pride inserts. Base unnumbered (1:11 h/e); Red (/99), Green (/10); Gold Auto (17 cards, 1:1500 h/e, SP/SSP). Example: Buium (Wild #UT-3 rookie).

The floral background on one Schaefer card suggests a variant like Mise-en-Scene or a special parallel, adding artistic flair.

Autographs and Memorabilia

Autographs are a highlight, with over 300 signed cards across sets. Key categories:

• Rainbow Foil Auto Parallels: Base autos (odds: Veterans 1:135, SPs 1:330, Rookies 1:75 h/e); Red (/10), Gold (1/1). Examples: Ovechkin (Capitals, signed rainbow), Schaefer (Islanders rookie auto), Demidov (Canadiens rookie auto).
• Insert Autos: Outlining Gold Auto, Ultrastructures Gold Auto, Ultra Power Gold Auto, Ultra Team Gold Auto—all unnumbered but rare (1:200 to 1:1500 h/e), with SP/SSP tiers for superstars.

Memorabilia appears in sets like Rink Producers, Ultra Stars, and Rainbow Foil Autos (often combined with autos), featuring jersey swatches or patches. Odds ensure at least one hit per box.

Box and Pack Distribution

Fleer Ultra is available in hobby boxes (h) and epacks (e), with 24 cards per pack (based on consistent “Point” value of 24 in the checklist, likely indicating pack composition). A standard hobby box contains 12 packs, yielding:

• Guaranteed Hits: 4 base per pack (48/box); 1 SP and 1 rookie per pack (12 each/box); 1-2 autos or memorabilia (from combined odds ~1:75 to 1:1500).
• Parallel Pulls: Expect 4-6 rainbows, 2-3 golds (/250), 1 ice (/100), and rarer platinums or 1/1s as case hits.
• Insert Odds: Medallions/Rising Stars ~4-5/box; rarer like Angulars or Mise-en-Scene ~1 per 2-3 boxes.
• Overall Ratios: Hobby boxes average 2-3 numbered cards, 1 auto, and 1 memorabilia. Epacks mirror odds but allow digital trading. Case breaks (12 boxes) often yield 1-2 1/1s and multiple SPs.

These ratios make breaking boxes exciting but chase-dependent—budget collectors may prefer singles.

Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Value

Fleer Ultra 2025-26 excels in visual innovation, with parallels like rainbow foils and angular designs (e.g., MacKinnon’s geometric card) providing a modern twist on classic hockey cards. The rookie class is stacked, with cards like Levshunov (Blackhawks #200, rainbow parallel shown) and Schaefer (Islanders rookie autos in multiple variants) poised for value spikes if they perform. Autographs, especially combined with memorabilia, add premium appeal—Ovechkin’s signed rainbow is a potential grail.

However, the set’s breadth (over 70 unique subsets/variations) can overwhelm completists, and high-end odds (e.g., 1:1500 for some autos) favor deep-pocketed collectors. Numbered cards are plentiful but skewed toward lower tiers (/250+), diluting rarity compared to sets like Upper Deck Series 1. Value-wise, boxes retail around $150-200, with ROI driven by hits— a 1/1 Gold Spectrum McDavid could fetch thousands, while base pulls break even.

Pros: Stunning designs, strong rookie focus, balanced hits. Cons: High variance in box luck, potential overproduction of mid-tier parallels. Overall rating: 8.5/10—ideal for NHL fans and speculators, less so for vintage purists.

Conclusion

The 2025-26 Fleer Ultra set is a vibrant celebration of hockey’s future and present, with its parallels, inserts, and autos offering endless chase potential. Whether pulling a floral Schaefer rookie or a holographic Ovechkin, it captures the thrill of the game. For collectors in Jacksonville or beyond, this set is worth ripping—just temper expectations with the odds in mind. If you’re building a PC around stars like Demidov or MacKinnon, start here.

Card Gallery:

Checklist:

2025-2026 Fleer Ultra Checklist – FINAL

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