Flair is back! The classic Fleer brand makes its return to the ice with 2025-26 Flair Hockey. First introduced in 1993 as a super-premium card line, Flair has covered a variety of sports, introduced memorable inserts, and pioneered technologies that still are used to this day. Combining an old-school feel with modern technology, 2025-26 Flair Hockey is full of re-imagined classic inserts and stunning new additions, and this set has something for every collector to be excited about.
When it first launched, Fleer’s Flair line was one of their most premium products. The cards featured distinct designs: high-gloss finishes, thick card stock, and unique elements like dual sided foiling. And even before collectors got their hands on the cards, the packaging set the tone for the Flair experience, with a design unlike anything seen before in the industry. All of this added up to an unmatched experience for collectors who experienced those Flair sets of the 1990’s. And that was the driving goal behind 2025-26 Flair hockey – to capture that collecting experience, while applying modern card technologies that will only enhance the product.
Collectors who pick up a 2025-26 Flair Hockey card will immediately feel the nostalgia of sets of the same name from the 1990’s. A big intention in bringing back the line is to keep the feel of the original, while updating it with everything collectors expect from modern cards. The original Flair was premium, and it looked and felt the part: thick, glossy, heavy cards that stood out from everything else. 2025-26 Flair Hockey takes that design language and runs with it. It features three photos per card just as the originals did, a new laminate that gives the cards heft and rigidity to feel just as premium as the originals, and the elegance associated with Flair. Collectors will also find several of the iconic insert names from Flair sets of the 1990’s. All these elements combine to transport anyone who picks up a pack right back to the first release of Flair. At the same time, there’s no lack of modern technology in 2025-26 Flair Hockey. Modern card advancements serve to take the original designs and enhance the collecting experience even further. And anyone who picks up one of these cards will immediately understand.
2025-26 Flair Hockey is the first standalone Flair hockey release since the 1996-97 season. The base set features elegant foil work and image variations inspired by classic Flair sets of the 90’s. The all-new ‘Hot Mitts’ insert is inspired by the classic Flair insert ‘Hot Gloves’. It includes a checklist chockful of the top veterans and rookies known for their silky mitts on an intricate die-cut design. ‘Wave of the Future’ is another original insert that has been reimagined, with top rookies on a die-cut textured card with water drop like feel. In addition to the classics, the new inserts for 2025-26 Flair Hockey include ‘Touch of Flair’ which is printed with heat-sensitive ink that reveals a secret background image when warmed by touch, and ‘3-On-1 Breakaway’, a stunning addition to the set that gives hockey collectors a shadowbox with depth they’ve never seen on an NHL card! The all-new multi-image multi-layered cards feature layers of imagery and technology that will leave collectors speechless when they pick one up.
2025-26 Flair Hockey is full of nostalgia for collectors who appreciate the original sets from the Flair line, combined with updates and infusions of modern elements. The set is scheduled to be released in Spring of 2026, and you can find updates along the way at UpperDeck.com.
