The cover of EA Sports NHL 26 was revealed to be Florida Panthers’ forward Matthew Tkachuk. In their official reveal trailer on Wednesday (Aug. 6), they also revealed the deluxe edition would include his brother, Brady, and his father, Keith.

With the news in mind and it being that season of video games, where fans either complain or love the cover athlete, let’s talk about three LA Kings who should be considered next year, when NHL 27 comes out. 

Adrian Kempe

This one seems obvious. Adrian Kempe is a solid hockey player and one of the most underrated in the NHL. 

While he may not be the most flashy player in the league, selecting a player who is a bit off the board but still has the skill to deserve it, combined with the ability to reach fans who still play the game, is exactly why Kempe should be in the running.

Anze Kopitar

In what is likely his final season in the NHL, Anze Kopitar deserves a look for NHL 27. It would be a little odd to have someone who isn’t going to play in the 2026-27 season grace the cover of the video game, but why not shake things up a bit?

Kopitar is a legend and could be considered a Hall of Famer when all is said and done. Rewarding him like this is something EA Sports should consider.

Darcy Kuemper

Hear me out here. 

A goaltender gracing the cover of an NHL video game? We haven’t seen that since Martin Brodeur did it with NHL 14. Why not give a goaltender a look? It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to consider him as a cover athlete, but that is a long shot.

You could also consider Drew Doughty, since he is someone else who is still in the running for an Olympic run, has been a legend of the game, and is arguably one of the most popular players in the league off the ice. 

Time will tell, but it would be cool to see anyone from the Kings’ organization on the cover of the next instalment. 

Image Credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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