Over the last few years, the launch date of the EA Sports NHL video game series has moved up, returning to mid-September this year, where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. After early-mid October releases in NHL 20-23, the game launched in late September last year and didn’t even make it halfway through the month this year before releasing. That’s especially true if you splurged for the Deluxe Edition, which featured a week’s worth of early access as one of its perks.
It would almost be nice to blame the underwhelming parts of this year’s edition on that change. After all, the yearly development cycle common for sports video games is incredibly demanding, especially for a franchise that doesn’t have the name cache of Madden or NBA 2K. However, NHL 26 doesn’t feel like a game that would significantly benefit from an extra two weeks of attention. Like last year, one of the two major offline modes received a lot of love, and that’s much appreciated. But there aren’t enough new features that are noteworthy and impactful to make this year a standout.
Gameplay
Part of the reason for the fairly pessimistic introduction is that I honestly don’t know what to start with here. The main innovation on the gameplay side is a combination of further developed Ice-Q and revamped X-Factors, both of which were headlining features in the past (NHL 25 and NHL 22, respectively) but probably shouldn’t be driving the bus for a whole new game.
Probably the biggest positive I’ve seen so far is in the goaltenders. The full pressure system implemented in NHL 23 to reward zone time and make sustaining offense easier often led to easy goals because when the goaltender’s stamina bar was depleted, goalies essentially became frozen in awkward positions, leaving almost the entire net uncovered. They’re better at pushing laterally now to read plays and will at least try to battle when running low on energy. That should definitely save some frustration, especially for users who like to play as netminders manually.
That being said, the other refinements are hit or miss. The computer is solid at using the X-Factors when the situation presents itself, but they don’t force the issue as much as they should. For example, it still doesn’t feel like Alex Ovechkin is a priority target for the AI on the power play, as they still randomly ping the puck around without much of a set plan. However, I did have an aerial clear expertly knocked down by Anze Kopitar, who has the same “Quick Pick” X-Factor that Aleksander Barkov shows off in the gameplay trailer.
The other major innovation touted was the integration of NHL Edge, the puck and player tracking website unveiled in 2023. However, pinpointing the effect this really had is difficult. The gameplay trailer made different player comparisons, but Auston Matthews has always fired the puck harder than Albert Johansson (that’s what the shot power attribute is for)… right? Maybe it makes the gap between players more realistic, but any difference feels rather minimal when you’re on the sticks.
As for minor tweaks, a major oversight from the last few years has been addressed, as the AI no longer flips lazing clearing attempts on the penalty kill. They actually seem more likely to carry the puck shorthanded to me, but when a clear is needed, they will get the puck all the way down the ice. However, 3-on-3 AI remains non-existent, which is especially frustrating since the computer plays much better in this setting in the arcadey NHL Threes mode than in regular gameplay. And the frequency of the desperation falling shots desperately needed to be tuned down, particularly in one-time situations.
Game Modes
For the first time since NHL 21 (the last Chel game before the franchise jumped to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X), Be a Pro has received some serious love. Hockey’s career mode has taken elements from College Football’s equivalent Road to Glory mode, namely the weekly accumulation of energy points and the need to use them to develop your attributes and maintain your player’s health. It’s definitely a better way to handle injuries than the randomness of past games, and it makes sense for such a demanding sport. However, you shouldn’t have to manually sim day by day in the offseason to maximize your growth, which is currently how things are set up.
Press conferences are the main way off-ice events are handled. There are also on-screen messages with different responses from figures such as your general manager and agent, which feature voice acting. It is a welcome, if overdue, addition. There’s also plenty of dialogue from 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini, who shouldn’t quit his day job to be a voice actor, but it’s a step in the right direction overall. The repetitive in-game meetings with your coach appear to be a thing of the past, and the new form score, which evaluates your performance over time, is a better way of capturing your performance. It’s also cool that you get the chance to represent your country in the World Juniors, but it would be nice to have more international involvement after you become a star.
It’s great to have so much to write about Be a Pro mode because without that, this section would be pretty thin. Franchise mode went untouched, and we still haven’t received a true new offline game mode in years. Yes, it’s great that the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) was added a few years ago, and even better that the new teams in Seattle and Vancouver are included. However, the only PWHL integration is Hockey Ultimate Team cards, and adding an option to use the teams in the existing season and playoff modes. Not exactly groundbreaking stuff. I also don’t count the custom leagues option as a true new mode.
In fairness, EA Sports did add an arcade mode into World of Chel midway through NHL 25. The silly power-ups and visual changes made for an enjoyable experience, and it’s nice to have it back from the get-go this year, but it’s frustrating that it’s still online only. HUT made its standard few tweaks to try to keep things fresh, but by now you probably know whether this type of mode is for you or not. There are no changes to the bite-sized offline modes such as Threes and Ones Now, nor any updates to practice mode or tutorials.
Presentation
NHL Edge is also included here to add cache for statistics and replays shown in-game. However, it feels overdone and inefficient when an advanced statistics service is used to promote basic measurements, such as the number of hits by a player in a game or saves by a goaltender in a period. Sometimes you’ll get something more nuanced, like threat analysis percentage on a dangerous scoring chance, but without proper context from either graphics or commentary, it feels incomplete.
On a more positive side, EA has stepped up its replay game over the last few years and continues to do so in NHL 26. The replay system is more flexible and complete than before. While older fans will remember the three-shot replays of past games that showed big saves or missed opportunities throughout the game, it feels like there’s less rigidity with the new structure, while capturing the good of showing the evolution of a player or team over a game. You also know to get a written name of which X-Factor is coming into effect when on the ice. That can clog things up at times and feels especially problematic for HUT when almost every player could have one active. However, you can turn the feature off if you agree.
Beyond that, though, there’s a lack of a signature standout here. There aren’t multiple broadcast teams like Madden, NBA 2K, or College Football, nor a highlight show like Madden added to its franchise mode with Scott Hanson. There are some nice updates, such as the authentic goal horn for the newly named Utah Mammoth (their full new branding and the Delta Center are also included), as well as the proper goal song for the Dallas Stars. Additionally, Be a Pro has authentic player entrances for teams like the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights, although that’s not a truly new feature either. It’s just not enough to move the needle.
The Final Verdict
It’s disappointing that in the two years focused exclusively on the eighth generation of video game consoles, the NHL franchise hasn’t made bigger strides. It is nice to see the two big offline modes touched in back-to-back cycles. Last year, it felt like the developers tried a lot more on the gameplay side, even if it wasn’t perfect. It would be one thing if all of the legacy issues from past years were addressed as a way to offset the lack of major features there this year. But that isn’t the case.
Related: EA Sports NHL 25 Review: What Works and What Doesn’t
If you’re a fan of career modes or the new PWHL teams, NHL 26 adds real value from last year. Satiating the overall fanbase, though, is once again a challenge too tall for the game to meet. This year doesn’t feel as impactful a jump as NHL 25, which earned a 6.5 out of 10. Therefore, this year’s mark gets downgraded to 5.5.
