Inserts and chase cards highlight 2025-26 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey
In this story:
Among the major sports in the United States, hockey is arguably the one that is the least popular among sports fans. However, hockey may currently be on the rise in the hobby, as some key releases have been pushed out by Upper Deck as of late. One such example is 2025-26 Black Diamond, which contains some major chase cards, along with some eye-popping hit potential. It has been released already, but here is what collectors should know about the product, as it could have some crossover intrigue.
RELATED: Hobby U: an education on Buyback card history
Box Breakdown/Parallels
A box of 2025-26 Black Diamond Hockey will not yield many cards - it is a mid to low high end type of product. Hobby boxes will contain six cards. Of the six, an autograph or diamond relic card can be found, along with three inserts and memorabilia. A base set also exists of 95 cards, limiting it's subjects to veterans, rookies, and legends of the game. Parallels can be found in both Green (/10) and Gold (/1).
RELATED: Michael Jordan Insert in rare company, card takes over The Hobby
Collectors should also be aware of Diamond Relic parallels, which go off of the base set. They are limited, and feature the regular image of the base card, but with diamonds at the bottom of the card. Depending on the parallel, there will be between 1-4 diamonds on one card.
RELATED: Top 7 Mickey Mantle cards from the '50s with on-card autographs
Gem Cards
One of the biggest appeals of the set are gems, and it is what the product is most famous for. While numerous products across the hobby give collectors the ability to pull gem cards, some that are located in this product contain some massive eye appeal. One such example is the Band of Color insert. It contains six gems on one card that make up the colors of a rainbow. While these cards are not autographed, the colors pop right off the card. Other gem cards that be found include Gemography and Diamond Relic Rookies.
Autographs/Patch Cards
Even with gem cards as the main attraction, autographs and patch cards can still be found in boxes. Team Logo Jumbos contain some crazy patch potential with some big name players. One of the preview images shows A patch of Connor McDavid's Team Canada jersey with a 4 Nations Face Off logo on it. The patch takes up a majority of the card as well, which is always going to be an added bonus for collectors.
Autographs will come in the form of rookie patch autographs (RPAs). Jewels of the Draft is one of the autograph subsets in the product, and collectors who tend to prospect within the hockey world have a chance to obtain some key cards here.
Online Selling
On Friday, November 28th at 1:30 PM online seller North of 7 will be opening an entire case of the product on eBay Live. The break is being run as a player break, so collectors will have the ability here (if a part of the break) to target specific players that they collect, or to chase after certain teams. With 10 boxes being opened, the odds do increase of seeing gem cards pulled live on camera, but of course, this is never a guarantee. Collectors who are interested in watching or joining the break can find it here.
Within the United States, it could be argued that the sport of hockey does not get as much love as it's counterparts (NBA, NFL, and MLB). The recent release of 2025-26 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey is a perfect point of this, as it contains some chase cards that any collector would want to own. Of these, the gem cards do stand out for their eye appeal and overall collectability. Collectors who have some free time should also take a look at the product being opened live, as it will give them a sense of what can be found in hobby boxes. 2025-26 Black Diamond Hockey is currently available nationwide in hobby box formats at numerous major retailers.
Dylan is a collector based in Central Pennsylvania, and sports fan rooting for the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Pirates, and LA Lakers. He is currently attempting to collect a complete run of Topps flagship sets across football, baseball, and basketball. He is passionate about the history of the hobby including its continual growth and evolution.