EA Sports has officially presented NHL 26, and as with any new sports game, the announcement prominently features the reveal of its cover stars. The standard edition of the game will showcase Matthew Tkachuk from the Florida Panthers. However, that`s not all: the Deluxe edition cover will also include his brother Brady Tkachuk and their father, Keith.
Brady serves as the captain of the Ottawa Senators, while Keith is an 18-year NHL veteran who retired in 2010 after playing for several teams.
Notably, last year`s NHL 25 also featured a family affair on its cover – the Deluxe edition presented brothers Jack, Luke, and Quinn Hughes together.
NHL 26 is set to launch on September 12 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. EA Sports promises substantial improvements in gameplay and presentation, along with updates to the “Be A Pro” mode, among other new features.
Matthew Tkachuk has secured back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Panthers. During this year`s playoffs, he played through a severe injury – a torn adductor muscle. Recent reports suggest Tkachuk might miss the beginning of the new NHL season due to this injury.
“I always told the boys to play hard, be smart, and never lose their personality out there,” Keith Tkachuk stated in a press release. “What you see now are two players with completely unique styles, and I am proud to be sharing this cover with them.”
NHL 26 is one of several sports titles from EA Sports scheduled for release in 2025. The season commenced with College Football 26 in July, followed by Madden NFL 26 later this month. NHL 26`s release will precede EA Sports FC 26, which is slated for September 26.