Upper Deck Signs No. 2 Pick Ivar Stenberg as Series 1 Hockey Opens the Young Guns Season October 7

2026-27 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey hits hobby shops on October 7 with 49 Young Guns rookie cards, led by Anton Frondell, James Hagens and Porter Martone, according to SI Collectibles and Cardlines. On October 1, Upper Deck signed Ivar Stenberg, the No. 2 pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, as an exclusive athlete, per its press release. Stenberg isn't in Series 1, but here's what is, and why his deal matters for collectors.

2026-27 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey: What's in the Box

Upper Deck's product pages were not reachable when we checked on October 3, so these details come from Cardlines' September 24 review and Checklist Insider's October 2 guide, with the release date and six-per-box rate also reported by SI Collectibles:

Release

• Hobby: October 7, 2026
• Retail tins and blasters: October 21, 2026, per Cardlines

Hobby box

• 12 packs of 12 cards
• Six Young Guns per box on average

Base set

• 250 cards: 198 veterans, 49 Young Guns and 3 checklists

Presale prices, per Cardlines (September 24, 2026)

• Hobby box: about $140
• Blaster: about $25
• Tin: about $60
• These are retailer presale prices. We could not find an Upper Deck MSRP as of October 3.

The Young Guns to Chase in Series 1

Young Guns are Upper Deck's headline rookie cards, and this class leads with three 2025 first-rounders now in the NHL:

• Anton Frondell, Chicago Blackhawks
• James Hagens, Boston Bruins
• Porter Martone, Philadelphia Flyers

Also notable: Cole Hutson and Ilya Protas of the Washington Capitals.

Cardlines also names Victor Eklund (Islanders), David Reinbacher (Canadiens), Brayden Yager (Jets) and Carter Yakemchuk (Senators).

The Young Guns parallels, per SI: acetate Clear Cut, Deluxe numbered to 250, Exclusives to 100, High Gloss to 10, and Silver, Red (to 25) and one-of-one Gold Outbursts. New inserts include Here We Go! and Stencils, and Dazzlers, Population Count and UD Canvas return.

Why Ivar Stenberg's Upper Deck Deal Matters

Stenberg went second overall to the San Jose Sharks in June, and he played his first NHL game in this week's season opener against Florida, per NHL.com. Under the new deal, Upper Deck is the exclusive producer of his trading cards and memorabilia, including his name, image, likeness and autograph.

His résumé, per Upper Deck:

• 33 points in 43 games in Sweden's top league in 2025-26, the third-highest total by a draft-eligible player in its history
• A gold medal with Sweden at the 2026 World Junior Championship, where he tied for the team lead in scoring

"Ivar has already established himself as one of the most exciting young players in hockey," Upper Deck President Jason Masherah said in the company's October 1 announcement.

What collectors get now: his first Upper Deck Authenticated collection, with a signed draft-day print and two signed pucks. Upper Deck says his Young Guns rookie cards and his debut jersey cards (through its Debut Game Jersey Program) are coming, but it has not named a set or date yet.

What It Means for Collectors

Series 1 is the start of the hockey card year, and for most of the players in it, their Young Guns are the benchmark rookie card collectors chase. Our take: pick your chase before release day. If you collect one team, the Blackhawks, Bruins and Flyers have the biggest names, and singles of a specific Young Gun will almost always cost less than ripping boxes to find one.

Stenberg is a longer play. 2026 draftees are not in Series 1, so don't buy these boxes hoping to find him. With his debut done, his first Young Guns now depend on Upper Deck's product calendar, and new Stenberg autograph cards and signed memorabilia should come only from Upper Deck while the deal runs.

Planning to grade your pulls? Our guide on whether PSA grading is worth it runs the numbers, and our most expensive trading cards list shows which cards hold the all-time records.

Where to Go From Here

Mark October 7 for hobby boxes and October 21 for retail. If you want to open real cards before then, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack when you sign up, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open.

Details checked October 3, 2026. Release dates and prices can change. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with Upper Deck, the NHL, the NHLPA or the other companies named.

Sources

• Upper Deck: Number two overall NHL draft pick Ivar Stenberg joins Upper Deck as exclusive athlete, published October 1, 2026, accessed October 3, 2026
• SI Collectibles: 2026-27 Upper Deck Series 1 preview, top Young Guns and inserts to chase, published October 2, 2026, accessed October 3, 2026
• Cardlines: 2026-27 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey review, published September 24, 2026, updated October 1, 2026, accessed October 3, 2026
• NHL.com: Panthers at Sharks game recap, accessed October 3, 2026