2024-25 Upper Deck Metal Universe Hockey Hobby Box
Release date: 2025-05-14
Box of 15 packs
Pack of 6 cards
Case of 16 boxes
2024-25 SkyBox Metal Universe Hockey gets a little wild with its designs and themes. In fact, it's getting very wild - and that's the point. The bold designs are anything but traditional and probably won't appeal to everyone, but cards like these have their fans and many themes have become iconic in the modern hobby.
What to expect from a hobby box (on average):
- Autographs or Precious Metal Gems (PMG) - 1 total
- Alphabetical, Generation Z, Search engines or Money shots - 5 Total
- Blast Furnace, Counterpoise, Dawning or Points Per Game - 2 Total
- Force Z - 2
- Premium Prospects - 3
Parallel - 1
Recruits - 15
Hobby boxes are preceded by an autograph or a Precious Metal Gems card. However, collectors will also find many other inserts.
One hundred and fifty cards make up the main deck. They are divided between 100 veterans and 50 beginners, so you get one per pack. First-year players are therefore a little harder to find individually, but they're not exactly rare.
Parallels come in the form of brightly-coloured PMGs (Precious Metal Gems). This year, the PMG rainbow consists of Red (/100), Green (/10) and Gold (1/1). Printing plates are also randomly inserted into the packs. Purple Spectrum parallels (/199) are exclusive to blaster boxes.
Some base cards also have separate autographed versions. These are hobby packs at 1:80 for veterans and 1:65 for rookies. Green (/10) and gold (1/1) parallels complete the package.
Since Upper Deck relaunched the Metal Universe, nostalgia has made its appearance. In this product, that's the case with Metal Universe Retros 2013. They're hard to come by in 1:240 packs, but these cards also offer more opportunities to land gems. Colors include red (/100, copies 011-100/100), blue /50, green (/100, copies 001-010/100) and gold (1/1).
SkyBox Premium Prospects (1:5 packs) are another name from the past. The Star Rubies (/50), Star Emerald (/10) and Star Diamonds (1/1) parallels are exclusive to hobby packs. Autographs are 1:120 hobby packs, with Star Emerald (/25) and Star Blue (1:200) versions exclusive to blasters.
Z-Force (1:8 hobby, 1:15 blaster packs) returns with a colorful new design. Rave (/399), Super Rave (/50) and Universe Rave (1/1) parallels add a more challenging chase element.
Gen Z (1:12 packs) and Blast Furnace (1:25 packs) are two other recurring insert themes. Both have Speckle (/199) and Gold (/50) parallels as well as challenging autographs.
The 2024-25 SkyBox Metal Universe Hockey checklist also features several new insert themes and designs. These include a nod to goalie helmets with cut-out Metalheads (1:120 packs).
Silver Shots (1:10 packs), Alphabetical (1:12 packs) and Search Engines (1:13 packs) should all appear at least once per hobby box. Counterpoise (1:30 packs), Dawning (1:30 packs) and Points Per Game (1:38 packs) are more difficult, but should still be considered challenging. All these cards have a similar mix of Speckle (/199) and Gold (/50) parallels.
The selected cards also feature autographs, although these are extremely rare.
Speaking of rarity, there are a handful of sought-after inserts such as Microfibers (1:75), Gold Bullion (1:80), On the Button (1:100), Weaving (1:100), Dark Matter (1:138) and the very rare Liquid Gold (1:960).
