2026-27 Upper Deck Gavin McKenna Collection: Release Date, Box Breakdown and Checklist

The 2026-27 Upper Deck Gavin McKenna Collection has an estimated release date of November 12, 2026, according to Checklist Insider. Each box is one 25-card pack: a complete 24-card base set plus one Awards & Honors card, with a chance at a rare autograph numbered to 5. Here is what is confirmed so far, what is not, and how to decide whether it fits your McKenna collection.

TLDR

• Estimated release: November 12, 2026. One supplier note on our listing shows a later date, so read the date section before you order.
• Configuration: 25 cards per pack, 1 pack per box, 20 boxes per case.
• Every box has the full 24-card base set, so you do not need to chase base cards across boxes.
• Each box adds one Awards & Honors card from a subset numbered #25 to #28.
• Some boxes include a 26th card: an Awards & Honors Autograph numbered /5. It is not guaranteed.
• The full checklist had not been issued by the manufacturer when this guide was published.

When does the Gavin McKenna Collection release?

Checklist Insider lists November 12, 2026 as the estimated release date, and EVO Retro's guide also gives November 12. The supplier note on our own pre-sell listing currently shows March 31, 2027. We could not find a manufacturer page that settles the difference, so treat November 12 as an estimate and go by the ship window on the product page when you order. If a date moves, we will reflect it on our sports card release calendar.

What comes in each box?

This is a box set rather than a traditional hobby product, so the contents are simple. Per Checklist Insider's configuration:

• Cards: 25 cards per pack, 1 pack per box.
• Case: 20 boxes.
• Base: the complete 24-card base set in every box.
• Awards & Honors: one card per box, on average, from the subset numbered #25 to #28.
• Possible 26th card: an Awards & Honors Autograph numbered /5, found only in some boxes.

Because every box carries the same base set, the differences between boxes come down to which Awards & Honors card you get and whether you land the autograph. A case gives you 20 base sets and 20 chances at those cards.

Gavin McKenna Collection checklist: what we know

Upper Deck had not issued a full checklist when Checklist Insider published its guide, so we are not listing card-by-card subjects here. What is confirmed:

• Cards #1 to #24: the base set, all Gavin McKenna.
• Cards #25 to #28: the Awards & Honors subset, which Checklist Insider says documents his gold medal wins and his draft selection.
• Awards & Honors Autograph: numbered /5.

Checklist Insider refers to "three cards" in the subset even though the numbering spans four, so the exact count is one to verify once the checklist is out.

Why this set exists

The Toronto Maple Leafs took McKenna first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, and he made his NHL debut on September 29, 2026, per Checklist Insider. Sports Collectors Daily notes he is the third first overall pick in Leafs history, after Wendel Clark and Auston Matthews.

His record before the NHL gives the set plenty to work with, according to Sports Collectors Daily and Upper Deck's June 2026 announcement:

• 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 games with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers in 2024-25, plus the CHL David Branch Player of the Year Award.
• 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games as a Penn State freshman in 2025-26, with Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and a Hobey Baker Award finalist nod.
• 14 points in seven games at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Upper Deck has done this format before. The 2023-24 Connor Bedard Collection was also a single-player box with a full base set, one Awards and Honors card, and an autographed version limited to five copies. Bedard's box ran 26 cards.

How does it fit with other McKenna cards?

Do not assume this set is the main McKenna rookie card. Upper Deck says his rookie cards, including Young Guns and Future Watch, are slated for flagship products during the 2026-27 season. Sports Illustrated also reported an off-checklist short print of McKenna (SP-1) in 2026-27 Upper Deck Series 1. If rookie card status is your goal, compare this set with 2026-27 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey, and browse every Gavin McKenna listing we carry.

How should you approach it?

• Buy one box if you want a complete McKenna set with no base chase.
• Buy a case only if you want multiple sets or more shots at the Awards & Honors cards. The autograph is numbered /5, so a case does not promise one.
• Wait for the official checklist if you want to know exactly what each card shows.
• Confirm the ship window on the product page, since dates are estimates.

Frequently asked questions

How many cards are in a Gavin McKenna Collection box?

25: the 24-card base set plus one Awards & Honors card. Some boxes also include a 26th card, the Awards & Honors Autograph numbered /5.

Is an autograph guaranteed?

No. The autograph is numbered to 5 and appears only in some boxes.

How many boxes are in a case?

20 boxes per case, with 1 pack per box.

Is the checklist out?

Not when this guide was published. Checklist Insider says it will add the checklist once the manufacturer issues it.

Ready to buy? The Gavin McKenna Collection Box and 20-Box Case are on pre-sell and ship sealed. See every Gavin McKenna Collection listing.