Throughout this past week, EA Sports NHL 26 released the ratings of each team’s top 10 players. In other words, they revealed 320 player ratings.
Along with these overall ratings, EA Sports has also released six attribute ratings for each player so far: speed, acceleration, deking, passing, slapshot power, and wrist shot power.
Some ratings just make sense, like Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers’ No. 97 – being the highest-rated player in the game at 97 overall. Other ratings might leave fans scratching their heads.
Here are a few of the most surprising or shocking ratings that NHL 26 have released so far. For more NHL 26 coverage, check out The Hockey News’ dedicated gaming site.
Oilers defenseman Jake Walman has received a significant upgrade to 87 overall in NHL 26, compared to his original rating of 83 in NHL 25. The best attribute he’s received so far is his slapshot power, a 92 rating. NHL EDGE can vouch for Walman’s powerful shot as he sits in the 94th percentile in that category.
However, does Walman’s play on the ice justify his 87 overall rating? His overall equals defensemen such as Jakob Chychrun, Brock Faber, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones and teammate Mattias Ekholm.
Last season, Walman scored seven goals and 40 points in 65 games between the Oilers and the San Jose Sharks. There’s no denying that the 29-year-old has an offensive upside and a powerful shot, but for an overall rating, he might be too high.
In the coming years, Ivan Demidov is destined to be one of the most exciting players in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens. However, the 19-year-old Russian has only played seven regular-season and playoff games in his young career.
Among wingers in the NHL, Demidov matches the rating of Alexis Lafreniere, Jake DeBrusk, and Pavel Buchnevich, as well as teammates Patrik Laine and Juraj Slafkovsky.
Not to mention his 92 deking rating that puts him ahead of star players like JT Miller, Jordan Kyrou, and Patrick Kane.
With Demidov as an example, EA Sports has shown that they are not afraid to boost player ratings, even if that player hasn’t been around for much time.
The Mt. Rushmore of 2024-25 rookies – Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson, Dustin Wolf and Matvei Michkov – all received massive upgrades for NHL 26.
Celebrini, Hutson, and Michkov all received an overall rating of 88 after one season in the NHL. In terms of individual attributes, Hutson has the highest deking rating of 94. Remarkably, that suggests the defenseman has better deking than Kane, as mentioned, Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Mitch Marner and plenty more.
Celebrini’s best stat is also his deking, which is rated at 93, and Michkov is given a 92 passing rating.
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As for Wolf, he was awarded an 87 overall rating. He beats out goaltenders such as Logan Thompson, MacKenzie Blackwood and Anthony Stolarz, all of whom either matched his .910 save percentage from last year, or better.
All these players show great promise, but only once the season rolls along will it be clear if EA Sports got these ratings right.
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