If it's in the game, then it's in the video game.
That's always been EA SPORTS' motto when it comes to its popular NHL video game franchise. And this year's edition, NHL26, is no exception.
A year ago, EA Sports introduced ICE-Q, a game play intelligence system that brought more realism and authenticity to a gaming controller. EA SPORTS has taken it up a notch this year by "incorporating the data-driven insights of NHL EDGE to impact how players perform in-game" for NHL 26, which comes out on Sept. 5.
For example, not every player in the video game will be able to skate like Connor McDavid, because, well, no one in real-life hockey can skate like McDavid. The same is true when talking about Alex Ovechkin's one-timer, Mitch Marner's passing ability or Leon Draisaitl's knack for scoring goal-line goals.
These X-Factors, as EA SPORTS describes them, is what separates the superstar from the 4th-line grinder.
With that in mind, The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy (editor-in-chief) and former NHLer Drew Shore shared their picks for a range of X-Factors, including Quick Release, Backhand Beauty and Tape-to-Tape:
Quick Release
(Get shots off lightning quick with an extra fast shot release)
Chicago's Connor Bedard only scored 23 goals last season, but his ability to get shots off in traffic is why he potted a whopping 134 goals in 134 games in the WHL. "Since junior, he's got that crazy whippiness to his stick and he really gets it off fast," said Kennedy.
Another player who can get shots off in the blink of an eye is Winnipeg's Kyle Connor, who ranks sixth in the league with 217 combined goals in the past six years. "He's a guy who's scored a lot of goals in the last couple of years," said Shore. "He's the first name that came to my head."
Elite Edges
(Shake off opponents with explosive edge work)
Edmonton's Connor McDavid might seem like the obvious pick when it comes to all things that have to do with skating. But these days, McDavid has company when it comes to edge work and beating guys with his feet.
"I'll go with Cale Makar, who I guess is pretty obvious as well," said Kennedy. "He's an absolute elite skater in the NHL."
"William Nylander came to my head," said Shore. "He's a guy who's a very good skater, he's very elusive, he's able to kind of do a lot of that 10-and-2 and open up his hips in different spots on the ice and get away from guys."
One T
(Become the ultimate threat with increased one-timer shot power and accuracy)
The ability to blast a one-timer is a skill that can strike fear into opposing goalies and make defensemen think twice about blocking a shot. Just ask Washington's Alex Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky's seemingly unbeatable record for career goals this past season mostly because of his patented one-timer from the left face-off circle.
"I've got to go with Alex Ovechkin, in his office, even in the twilight of his career," said Kennedy.
"That was mine too," said Shore. "Obviously, he's been doing it for 25 years now. He's scored more goals there than anybody."
As for the next generation of big-time slappers, Edmonton's Evan Bouchard scored a combined 32 goals in the past two seasons — mostly, because of a point shot that gets called the "Bouch Bomb".
Backhand Beauty
(Catch opposing players and goalies off guard)
The backhand is a work of art, something that is increasingly more difficult to pull off these days because players are choosing to warp their blades like the shape of a banana. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, whose blade is as straight as they come, has long been the master of this shot.
"Oh yeah, it's Sid," said Kennedy.
"(Nikita) Kucherov might make the most plays in the NHL on his backhand," said Shore, "He might not necessarily score. I would say Crosby is the goal-scorer, but the amount of plays that Kucherov makes every single game on his backhand, when I think of backhands, I think of Kucherov."
Send It
(Spring your teammates by enhancing that pass receiver with a temporary boost of acceleration)
The breakout pass determines whether a team can exit its zone. And, more importantly, whether they exit with speed. A lot of that depends on having a defenseman who can find a forward in motion and hit him in stride with an outlet pass like a quarterback hitting a wide receiver.
"I'm going to go with Evan Bouchard," said Kennedy. "Going back to his draft year, I remember scouts telling me he was the best at stretch passes in the (draft) class. Now he's got McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl to stretch it to, which is pretty good for him."
"I was going to go with (Cale) Makar," said Shore. "He's kind of got the (skating) ability too that gives him a little extra room on the ice, because guys are afraid of getting beat 1-on-1 … he obviously has more time than others to make those passes. And he executes them on a high level."
Tape to Tape
(Feather saucer passes and make snappy passes in and out of vision)
Passes don't get the same level of attention as a goal. But without someone making a tape-to-tape pass, most goals wouldn't get scored. For each of the past two seasons, no one has picked up more assists than Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov, who tied Connor McDavid two years ago with 100 assists.
"When Stamkos was on that power play, the two of them were absolutely lethal. But I do marvel at some of the passes that Kucherov manages to get through on the other side of the ice."
Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele was outside the top-30 when it came to assists. But it's difficult to talk about Kyle Connor's goal-scoring ability without also mentioning the player who feeds him the puck most of the time.
"His ability, especially on the power play, to have that sauce pass to whoever is in the bumper spot I think has contributed to most of his spots over the course of his career," said Shore.
