Who Should Be The NHL 25 Cover Athlete?
Every October, EA Sports releases a new NHL video game in which fans can play as their favorite NHL players and teams. Every annual release not only gives us updated rosters but usually a handful of new features as well. Hockey fans are looking forward to the release of NHL 25 this fall.
In the game, there are multiple exciting game modes to play, such as Franchise, where you get to be the GM of your favorite team and guide them to the Stanley Cup Finals; Be A Pro, where you play as yourself as you attempt to make the NHL; and Ultimate Team, which features card collecting based on star players.
But one of the most anticipated details about the release isn't even about the game itself. It's about who will be on the video game's cover. In NHL 24, Avalanche star Cale Makar graced the cover. Before him, stars like Auston Matthews, Trevor Zegras, Connor McDavid, Jonathan Toews, and Steven Stamkos have also appeared on the cover.
But who will be on the cover of the upcoming release? Here are ten players who could grace the cover of EA Sports NHL 25.
Connor McDavid
Unlike Madden NFL and NBA 2K, the NHL series frequently has repeat-cover athletes. Most recently, Auston Matthews was the cover athlete of both NHL 20 and NHL 22. McDavid is arguably the best player in hockey and a generational talent. He is instantly recognizable and a fan favorite. McDavid could make his first cover appearance since NHL 18.
Sidney Crosby
The most unlikely on the list, Sidney Crosby, is one of the greatest ever to play the game. He deserves to be on the cover more than anyone. But the Penguins star has been offered in the past and has declined as he usually doesn't like to be put in the spotlight.
Nikita Kucherov
A finalist for the Hart Trophy, Kucherov has had a monster season for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He could be the first Lightning to appear on the cover since his teammate Steven Stamkos in NHL 12.
Matthew Tkachuk
The Florida Panthers star led his team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 and another playoff run in 2024. Tkachuk has been considered on the cover for a while, and hopefully, EA Sports could recognize the star as one of the top forwards in the NHL by putting him on NHL 25's cover.
Patrice Bergeron
Talks of retirement for the 38-year-old have come up recently, but the Bruins captain has been playing some great hockey. With the possibility of the 2024-25 NHL season being the last for the future Hall-Of-Famer, it would be a great honor to bring Bergeron back on the cover. He was the cover athlete of NHL 15.
Connor Bedard
The highly-touted first-overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks, Bedard has been called generation and could be the future face of the NHL. The league loves promoting him, and he could be a very realistic option for being featured on NHL 25. The 18-year-old would be the youngest NHL cover athlete ever.
Macklin Celebrini
If EA Sports wants another first-overall selection on the cover, why not Boston College forward Macklin Celebrini? The 17-year-old is expected to go first overall to the San Jose Sharks and, like Bedard, is touted as one of the NHL's future superstars. It's a stretch, but it would be a great option.
Thatcher Demko
The only goalie on this list, Thatcher Demko, has been one of the league's best goalies. The two-time All-Star is a big reason the Vancouver Canucks were one of the best teams in the NHL in 2023-24. There has not been a goalie on the cover since NHL 14, but it's about time we get one again.
Jack Hughes
The New Jersey Devils star is a fan favorite in the NHL. The 22-year-old is, in my opinion, the most realistic option for the NHL 25 cover. While the Devils missed the playoffs, the young star's future is bright. And if EA wanted to, they could also have Jack, Luke, and Quinn Hughes appear on the cover.
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