NHL 27 Reveals September Launch Date With Cover Art

Posted in: Electronic Arts , Games , Video Games | Tagged: EA Sports , nhl , NHL 27

EA Sports dropped details a short time ago about NHL 27, as they revealed the cover athlete and the September launch date.

EA Sports recently revealed the official artwork and initial info about NHL 27 , confirming the game will be released on September 11, 2026. The team showed off that San Jose Sharks player Macklin Celebrini will serve as the cover athlete for this edition, both for the Standard and Deluxe covers, as they lean more into the realism of the game this time around. The game will offer an authentic atmosphere and presentation for every arena and each team's identity, as well as a new commentary team building system, a new dynamic crowd system, and what they're referring to as a "modernized broadcast package." We have more details below as the game is coming to PC and consoles in a few months.

Experience 32 authentically represented arenas, each designed to capture the sound, spectacle, and identity of its home team. Real-world goal songs, authentic pre-game presentation, and a fully overhauled crowd bring every building closer to its real-world counterpart. Complemented by a fully refreshed commentary team featuring John Buccigross and Darren Pang, every team looks, sounds, and plays like themselves from puck drop to the final horn.

Connected Franchise, a new mode coming to NHL 27 as a result of a decade of community requests for a socially connected and competitive experience, allows players to create, customize, and manage a shared online league with up to 32 human-controlled teams. This mode offers flexible scheduling, comprehensive roster management, and robust commissioner tools designed to evolve alongside the community.

This year's cover athlete showcases a new generation of elite hockey talent focused on immediate impact. San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini brings his proven skill and dynamic playmaking to the cover, lending his skills to a franchise that is stepping up to prove its commitment directly on the ice. His presence reflects a defining new era for the game, one that answers the call of the community with features like Connected Franchise and grounds itself in true team identity.

"Seeing the Shark Tank brought to life like that is honestly unreal," said Macklin Celebrini, NHL 27 cover athlete. "The detail the studio team put into it, from our pre-game entrance skating out through the shark head and the iconic lighting on each seat throughout the stadium to hearing our goal song every time we score, it feels exactly like being out there for a real game. They really captured the atmosphere. Sharks fans are going to load it up and feel like they're right there in the building with us, and that's pretty special."

"Our goal for EA Sports NHL 27 is to deliver a game where players will feel the change the moment they take the ice," said Mike Inglehart, EA Sports NHL 27 's Senior Game Design Director. "Every arena atmosphere and broadcast visual has been engineered to showcase a true-to-life team feel. We know the proof is in the playing, and we cannot wait for fans to experience this game's energy for themselves."