EA Sports’ NHL 27 player ratings are out – and there is a member of the 99 Club for the first time.
That belongs to Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner who was runner-up for the NHL’s MVP award last season.
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McDavid was the highest-rated player in NHL 26, at a 97. He then finished the 2025-26 season with a league-best 90 assists and 138 points, the sixth time he has led the league in scoring.
EA Sports released only forward ratings on Tuesday, Aug. 18. It will unveil defenseman ratings and overall ratings later.
McDavid is followed by Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, the 2025-26 MVP, and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon at 97 each.
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, who’s on the cover and signed a record-setting extension in July, received a 95 rating. So did Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, who missed all of last season after preseason ACL surgery.
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Here is when NHL 27 is available for purchase and this season’s top forward ratings:
More: When does 2026 NHL preseason schedule begin? Dates, times and sites
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Brady Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he will join brother Matthews.
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Brady Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he will join brother Matthews.
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Pavel Dorofeyev was traded to the New York Rangers.
(Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Darnell Nurse was traded to the San Jose Sharks.
(David Gonzales, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Simon Nemec was traded to the Calgary Flames.
(Ed Mulholland, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Vincent Trocheck was traded to the Utah Mammoth.
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward JJ Peterka was traded to the Boston Bruins.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Mason McTavish was traded to the St. Louis Blues.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Mavrik Bourque was traded to the Nashville Predators.
(Steve Roberts, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Bowen Byram was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
(Timothy T. Ludwig, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Alex Tuch joined the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade.
(Winslow Townson, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Jordan Kyrou was traded to the Washington Capitals.
(Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goalie Jacob Markstrom was traded to the Florida Panthers.
(David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Blake Coleman was traded to the Minnesota Wild.
(Jerome Miron, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Keegan Kolesar was traded to the Detroit Red Wings.
(James Guillory-Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Nick Paul was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward William Eklund was traded to the Ottawa Senators.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Darren Raddysh joined the Toronto Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade deal.
(Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Nick Paul was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Keito Newman, IMAGN IMAGES)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson was traded to the New York Rangers.
(Stan Szeto, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was traded to the New York Rangers.
(James Guillory, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Dennis Schneidler, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Goaltender Frederik Andersen signed with the Edmonton Oilers.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Viktor Arvidsson signed with the Detroit Red Wings.
(Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Mason Marchment signed with the San Jose Sharks.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman John Carlson was signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Jack Roslovic signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
(Perry Nelson, Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Forward Jaden Schwartz signed with the Colorado Avalanche.
(Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images)
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NHL players who changed teams in the offseason
Defenseman Ian Cole signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.
(Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images)
When is the NHL 27 release date?
NHL 27 will be released on Sept. 11. A pre-order link can be found here.
NHL 27 top forward ratings
Forwards with ratings of 95 or higher, with overall rankings in parentheses:
99 – C Connor McDavid, Edmonton (1)
97 – C Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado (2)
95 – Macklin Celebrini, San Jose (10)
95 – Aleksander Barkov, Florida (11)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: EA Sports’ NHL 27 ratings are out; Connor McDavid receives first 99
