2025–26 NHL Star Rookies Box Set Checklist: Rookies, Parallels and Autos

The 2025–26 NHL Star Rookies Box Set starts with a complete 25-card rookie base set per box. That makes the base run a straightforward collecting target; the harder choice is which player and version deserves a place beside it. Upper Deck's official checklist lists Blue, Gold and Black parallels alongside three autograph tiers. The set name and card number alone will not identify the version in a listing. Color, autograph status and serial number matter too.

The base set is the starting point

Upper Deck numbers the Base Set from #1 to #25 and marks its entries “Full Base Set per Box.” Ivan Demidov opens the run at #1; Artyom Levshunov closes it at #25. Those endpoints give a collector checking a complete base set a useful first pass, but the full Upper Deck checklist is the reference for all 25 names. The opening and closing entries are:

The base-set format changes what “chasing the set” means. A collector interested in the entire rookie group can start with the complete base run, then decide whether a favorite player merits a second card in color or with an autograph. Someone following only Demidov, Kindel or Howard can use the same card number across the listed parallel sections, but should keep the full parallel name in the want list. Demidov #1 Base Set and Demidov #1 Black Auto Parallel identify very different cards.

For a player collection, the base card is the simplest representative of this product. A numbered or signed version gives that same player a different place in the collection. If buying a loose 25-card set, check every number against Upper Deck's list and examine the condition of the individual cards. The words “complete set” in a listing are less useful than photos and a matched checklist.

Compare versions by the full parallel name

The Blue Parallel carries a “1:1 Retail” notation on Upper Deck's checklist. Gold and Black are numbered parallels, while Blue Auto and Black Auto are numbered autograph versions. Keep the full checklist name alongside the player and card number when comparing listings:

Upper Deck describes these numbered versions as random inserts in packs. The Blue notation does not identify which player's card a collector will receive. For the numbered cards, the stated copy counts help distinguish the versions, but player interest, the appearance of the actual card and the asking price still deserve separate consideration. A smaller stated run does not make every listing a good deal.

The word Black needs context. The Black Parallel is numbered to five, while the Black Auto Parallel is numbered to one and is an autograph entry. Blue also appears in two distinct checklist names: Blue Parallel and Blue Auto Parallel. A listing that says only “Black Star Rookies” or “Blue Star Rookies” leaves out the version. Match the photographed card to the checklist entry using the player, card number, color, autograph status and any printed serial number before comparing cards.

Autographs are a separate chase

Upper Deck lists Auto Parallel entries with “Auto” and “1:26 Retail” on the displayed rows. Ivan Demidov #1 and Matthew Schaefer #5 carry SP marks in that section. Keep those designations attached to their Auto Parallel entries when identifying cards; they do not describe every version of either player. The checklist also shows a Blue Auto Parallel numbered to 25 and a Black Auto Parallel numbered to one. Upper Deck's checklist is the reference for the exact player and tier combination.

For a player collector, these are three distinct autograph targets. The regular Auto Parallel has retail odds listed in the checklist. The Blue Auto and Black Auto have stated copy counts, with the Black Auto at 1/1. Retail odds describe the first tier; /25 and 1/1 describe the numbered versions. Keep those measures separate when comparing listings, and inspect the actual signature presentation in the seller's photos.

A useful search starts with the season, product, player, card number and full parallel name: “2025–26 NHL Star Rookies Ivan Demidov #1 Blue Auto Parallel,” for example. Then match the photographed card to that checklist entry, check that the listing title describes the same version and confirm any printed serial number. If the goal is one representative rookie card, the full base-set format already provides that route. If the goal is a signed or particularly scarce version, the exact autograph tier is the card to evaluate. Current availability and market prices require separate listing and completed-sale evidence.