EA Sports has officially introduced its new game, NHL 26. As is typical, one of the most anticipated parts of the announcement was revealing who would grace the cover. This year, the standard edition cover features Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers. However, the surprises don`t end there: the Deluxe edition cover will showcase three members of the Tkachuk family – Matthew, his brother Brady, and their father Keith.
Brady Tkachuk serves as the captain of the Ottawa Senators, while their father, Keith, is a legendary NHL veteran who played 18 seasons and retired in 2010 after stints with various clubs.
Interestingly, last year`s NHL 25 cover also had a family theme: the Deluxe edition featured brothers Jack, Luke, and Quinn Hughes.
NHL 26 is set to launch on September 12 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. EA Sports promises enhanced gameplay and graphics, as well as significant updates to the `Be A Pro` mode and other new features.
Matthew Tkachuk has achieved impressive success, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Panthers. During this year`s playoffs, he played through a severe injury – a torn adductor muscle. Reports earlier this week suggest that Tkachuk might miss the start of the new NHL season due to this injury.
“I always told my boys: play hard, be smart, and never lose your personality out there,” commented Keith Tkachuk in a press release. “What you see now are two players with absolutely unique styles, and I`m proud to share this cover with them.”
NHL 26 is one of several sports titles from EA Sports planned for 2025. The season began with the release of College Football 26 in July, followed by Madden NFL 26 later this month. NHL 26 will arrive shortly before EA Sports FC 26, which is set to launch on September 26.