A fireworks show can be the highlight of a beautiful summer evening. There is nothing better than sitting on the cool grass on a hot July evening while sharing a strawberry funnel cake doused in whipped cream.

The anticipation builds as the show is just moments away. Everyone is looking to the sky waiting for the first explosion that will light up the entire park.

Finally, the first firework is launched. Orbs of red, white, and blue explode into the sky. The show has started! 

A few seconds go by, and another firework explodes. This time it is one of those explosions that sends small trails of fire whistling in different directions. Boom! A loud explosion is heard as a single ball of light flashes and quickly disappears. 

There is beginning to be a gap between the fireworks. The "ohhs" and "ahhs" are followed by 15 seconds of silence. 

This goes on for what seems like forever. The fireworks show that everyone has looked forward to all summer is dragging. Large gaps between aerial explosions have the crowd getting bored.

After 15 minutes two fireworks per minute, the moment has arrived. The grand finale has started.

The ground begins to rumble as you are losing track of all the fireworks in the sky. You begin to wonder if you should have worn sunscreen because the grand finale is so bright. All of the children are jumping up and down.

Silence follows 10 seconds of an amazing grand finale. The crowd wonders if the show is over, or if this was just the first wave of the grand finale. The flood lights turn on and the show is over.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey. A poorly timed fireworks show with a quick grand finale.

Overview

Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey released on Wednesday Oct. 15 and currently retails for $130 (USD). Each box contains six Young Guns cards, one numbered or rare card, and 29 various inserts. 

UD Canvas and Dazzlers inserts return for Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey. Bustle, Compadres, and Sizzle Reels made their debut in the latest installment of Upper Deck's flagship product.

Key Young Guns

Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens is the chaser of Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey. Artyom Levshunov, Gabe Perreault, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Ozzie Wiesblatt are decent pulls.

Collectors will have to wait until Upper Deck 2025-26 Series Two Hockey to chase Young Guns of the New York Islanders No. 1 overall pick, Matthew Schaefer.

Summary and Score

Do not take the fireworks reference as a knock on Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey. That is how every year of Upper Deck Flagship hockey works. Each Young Guns class has one or two key chasers, a solid blend of second tier Young Guns, and a lot of players who may not have much of an NHL career.

To have a successful "grand finale," one must pull a Demidov Young Guns. If you do not find Demidov in your box, a parallel such as Exclusives /100, Red outburst /25, High Gloss /10, or Gold Outburst 1/1 can save the day.

Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey rates a 5.5 out of 10. On the heels of 2024-25 Ultimate Collection Hockey and 2024-25 Stature Hockey, the latest flagship installment for Upper Deck lacks the excitement of other recent releases.

If ripping a lot of packs and getting nearly 40 hits per box is your thing, you will love Upper Deck 2025-26 Series One Hockey. If autographs and memorabilia better suits you, stick with Ultimate Collection Hockey or Stature Hockey.

Happy hunting and collecting!