EA Sports has dropped its full player ratings for NHL 26, and Connor McDavid once again sets the pace.
The Edmonton Oilers captain comes in at 97 overall, boosted by elite marks in passing, speed, and offensive awareness. It keeps him one step clear of the chasing pack.
Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon follows at 96, joined on the same rating by teammate Cale Makar and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl. Tampa Bay winger Nikita Kucherov rounds out the 96-rated group.
Highest-rated players in EA Sports NHL 26
Here are the top 10 players in EA Sports NHL 26:
- Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers – 97 OVR
- Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche – 96 OVR
- Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers – 96 OVR
- Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning – 96 OVR
- Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks – 95 OVR
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche – 95 OVR
- Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers – 95 OVR
- Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins – 94 OVR
- David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins – 94 OVR
- Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets – 94 OVR
The ratings confirm a familiar theme. McDavid remains the benchmark, but MacKinnon continues to close the gap. Draisaitl also stays near the top, giving Edmonton two players in the top three.
Sidney Crosby still holds a place in the elite group at 94 overall. That puts the Penguins captain alongside Pastrnak and Hellebuyck, who becomes the highest-rated goaltender in this year’s game.
EA has also rolled out fresh Heroes and Icons for Hockey Ultimate Team. Fans can pick up cards for Chris Chelios, Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara, and Teemu Selanne, among others. More names will be added across the season.
The game features a rebuilt Be A Pro mode, powered by new storylines and decision-making. ICE-Q 2.0 technology also uses real puck-tracking data to make skating speeds and shot tendencies more authentic.
NHL 26 launches September 12 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, landing just weeks before the real puck drops on the 2025-26 season.
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