EA SPORTS NHL officially released their breakdown of what is new in NHL 26 Hockey Ultimate Team, we dove into the video below.

Like Franchise Mode in NHL 25 the HUT menu has received a UI overhaul that requires less clicks and scrolling. It will also feature the top player from your team on the home page. 

There will be new content releases five days a week in NHL 26 with a new program dubbed Chel Week that will include new objectives, cards, and a community vote. 

Rivals and Squad Battles have been removed from HUT and replaced with Ranked.

Ranked is a ladder system with divisions that will reset every season. Players can not be relegated once they reach a new division, this should help prevent the sandbagging that has been seen in HUT in previous games. 

Division tiers have their own rewards ladders, players must reach the Qualifications Division to qualify for HUT Champs. Those who reach Ultimate Rank will receive a unique jersey each season that shows they reached the top rank.

Team building has been revamped in NHL 26 with the introduction of combinations, this will give you an overall boost for having players from the same team or country. This will help players who love making theme teams.  

There will also be a salary cap that players must abide by. If the cap ultimately leads to players building unique teams and less meta cards it will be a win for HUT players. 

Every season there will be new Captains, Rookies, Heroes, and Icons. 

For offline HUT players there is a new Cup Chase mode, this consists of an 18 game schedule with two best-of-three playoff rounds. This mode has its own reward path but contributes to your overall XP Path. 

For early access players there is a Fresh ICE HUT Event with five master set players, Brock Faber, Morgan Rielly, Matthew Tkachuk, Tyler Seguin, and Logan Thompson. 

EA SPORTS NHL gave players an early look at 12 new Heroes and Icons. 

The full list of the players and their attributes can be seen here.   

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.    

World of Chel has received some improvements in NHL 26.

The most impactful change comes to loadouts with the goal of removing a meta build.

Boosts have been removed and have been replaced with three X-Factor slots. 

X-Factors are no longer only available in specific player classes. Any player can now use any ability, allowing players to use different skills with different positions.  

There has been an adjust to Ability Points (AP), it ca now be increased to +10 and decreased to -10, each loadout has an AP budget.

Your player class will impact which attributes you can increase the most, a sniper will be able to increase their shot power more than a playmaker. 

As discussed previously there are 28 X-Factors in NHL 26 with five categories and three tiers. This allows you to build around your favorite trait or add lots of extra skills. 

The Battle Pass is now free for all users and time sensitive objectives have now been added to increase rewards. 

All special characters from NHL 25 have been updated. New characters will be added each season.

Players will now be able to transfer all of their EASHL Club information from NHL 25 to NHL 26 including name, identity, grudge match records, identity, and club details.

There is a limited window to transfer your club so do it ASAP. 

EA SPORTS NHL's WoC notes can be seen here. 

The full list of the players and their attributes can be seen here.   

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.    

EA SPORTS has announced the top 10 overall players in NHL 26. 

Connor McDavid sits a top the list at 97 overall followed by Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, and Nikita Kucherov at 96 overall. 

Two defensemen and one goaltender crack the top 10. 

The 10 highest rated players in NHL 26 are:

1. Connor McDavid - 97 overall
2. Nathan MacKinnon - 96 overall
3. Leon Draisaitl - 96 overall
4. Nikita Kucherov - 96 overall
5. Quinn Hughes - 95 overall
6. Cale Makar - 95 overall
7. Aleksander Barkov - 95 overall
8. Sidney Crosby - 94 overall
9. David Pastrnak - 94 overall
10. Connor Hellebuyck - 94 overall

Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Kirill Kaprizov are all also 94 overall. 

The full list of the players and their attributes can be seen here.   

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.    

EA SPORTS NHL has revealed the top 10 left wingers in NHL 26, led by Kirill Kaprizov at 94 overall. 

NHL 26 cover star Matthew Tkachuk comes in as the second highest rated left winger at 93 overall, with Artemi Panarin and Kyle Connor narrowly behind at 92 overall. 

The top 10 left wingers in NHL 26 are:

1. Kirill Kaprizov - 94 overall
2. Matthew Tkachuk - 93 overall
3. Artemi Panarin - 92 overall
4. Kyle Connor - 92 overall
5. Jesper Bratt - 91 overall
6. Alex Ovechkin - 90 overall
7. Brandon Hagel - 90 overall
8. Matthew Boldy - 89 overall
9. Brad Marchand - 89 overall
10. Jake Guentzel - 89 overall

Kaprizov's 96 offensive awareness and 94 puck control contribute to his high rating he has Quick Release and Wheels X-Factors. Tkachuk also has 96 offensive awareness to go along with the Big Tipper, Born Leader, and Spark Plug X-Factors.

Ovechkin remains a deadly sniper with 95 overall slapshot power and 93 wrist shot. 

Keep an eye on the ratings database for an in-depth look at each players stats. 

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

EA SPORTS NHL has revealed the top 10 right defensemen in NHL 26.

NHL 24 cover star Cale Makar tops this list at 95 overall, five rating points higher than Adam Fox, the next closest right handed defender. 

Makar is the tied with Quinn Hughes as the highest overall defensemen and comes in as the sixth-highest rated player in NHL 26. 

The top 10 right defensemen are:

1. Cale Makar - 95 overall
2. Adam Fox - 90 overall
3. Charlie McAvoy - 89 overall
4. Evan Bouchard - 88 overall
5. Colton Parayko - 88 overall
6. Moritz Seider - 88 overall
7. Dougie Hamilton - 88 overall
8. John Carlson - 88 overall
9. Noah Dobson - 88 overall
10. Drew Doughty - 88 overall

Makar also tops this list with 95 acceleration, 94 speed, 95 deking, and 95 passing.

Seven of the 10 defenders on this list come in at 88 overall, showing the disparity between the depth of high end left and right defensemen. 

Other highlights include, Evan Bouchard  with 95 slapshot power and 93 passing, Noah Dobson with 92 acceleration, John Carlson with 93 wrist and slapshot power, and Moritz Seider with 92 body checking. 

Each of these 10 players will come with an X-Factor.

The full list of the 20 highest rated defensemen in NHL 26 and their attributes can be seen here.   

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

EA SPORTS NHL has revealed the 10 highest rated left defensemen in NHL 26.

NHL 25 cover star Quinn Hughes tops the list at 95 overall, followed by four 92 overall defenders. 

The top 10 are:

1. Quinn Hughes - 95 overall
2. Zach Werenski - 92 overall
3. Roman Josi - 92 overall
4. Victor Hedman - 92 overall
5. Rasmus Dahlin - 92 overall
6. Miro Heiskanen - 91 overall
7. Jaccob Slavin - 90 overall
8. Josh Morrissey - 90 overall
9. Jake Sanderson - 89 overall
10. Gustav Forsling - 89 overall

Hughes is the fifth-highest rated player in NHL 26 and is three overall points higher than Werenski, Josi, Hedman, and Dahlin, the next closest left handed defenders. 

The Canucks defender also tops this list with 96 speed, 95 deking, and 97 passing. 

This is a solid list and is representative of the top 10 left defensemen. It is good to see defensive oriented players like Slavin and Forsling receive high ratings. 

Notable 'snubs' include Lane Hutson, Shea Theodore, Mikhail Sergachev, Thomas Harley, and Jakob Chychrun. 

The full list of the 20 highest rated defensemen in NHL 26 and their attributes can be seen here. 

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

EA SPORTS NHL has released the first deep dive trailer for NHL 26's revamped Be A Pro mode, we break down what is new below.

As previously mentioned, the pricey pond hockey introduction that has been a long running joke in the community has been removed. 

Be A Pro careers will begin with a new starting point, the semi-finals of the World Junior Hockey Championship. The Memorial Cup can still be played before your draft. 

Players must prove themselves in pre-season, and can be sent to the AHL. Players can spend the entire season in the AHL and win the Calder Cup, complete with a trophy celebration. A players performance will impact progression and line promotion. 

Multiple new cutscenes and cinematics have been added, as well as voice actors for the first time in NHL franchise history. 

These cutscenes include the NHL draft, entering the dressing room for the first time, tunnel walkouts, and Stanley Cup Finals celebrations. These cinematics include new facial animations and emotions. 

Your path to the NHL starts here. See what’s new in the revamped #NHL26 Be A Pro.

Pre Order for 7 Day Early Access: https://t.co/Tr60L5Dwmipic.twitter.com/OybYjcm7fl

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 19, 2025

Be A Pro will feature less conversations than previous games, with each conversation having more consequences on your relationship with your brand, teammates, or management. 

New media scrums will have on and off ice impacts. 

The revamp to NHL 26's X-Factor system will allow players to emphasize certain traits and playstyles, shaping your character to your liking. 

The Be A Pro HUB has also received a facelift, pictured below.

 There were no specific mentions of updates to the contract negotiation process in NHL 26 so it will be interesting to see how that is handled. 

Using some metrics from PlayStation trophy tacker and from Thrash it is evident how popular the Be A Pro mode is within NHL games and how much time players dedicate.

These changes shown in the trailer are great on the surface, lets hope ICE-Q 2.0 along with these updates allows for a fresh Be A Pro experience.

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

Pricey pond hockey is officially a thing of the past. 

EA SPORTS NHL announced that the reveal trailer for the fully revamped Be A Pro mode in NHL 26 will be unveiled at 11am EST Aug. 19 on the EA SPORTS NHL YouTube channel. 

From the initial gameplay trailer and deep dive trailer we have some idea of a few of the changes that will be coming to Be A Pro including new cutscenes, character, and ability to play in the AHL and World Juniors.

With the new X-Factor system it will give players the opportunity to define their playstyle and continue to progress through the three tiers as you move further along in your career. 

Be A Pro is an extremely popular mode within the NHL franchise and has been several years since there has been a major change.

Check back in with us on Tuesday for a full breakdown of the Be A Pro reveal trailer. 

No more Pricey Pond Hockey.#NHL26 Be A Pro Deep Dive drops Aug 19th: https://t.co/eKs19gEpeVpic.twitter.com/2CVgkotAUw

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 17, 2025

New Heroes and Icons will be in NHL 26.

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

EA SPORTS has released the first deep dive gameplay trailer of NHL 26.

In a five minute breakdown that focuses on ICE-Q 2.0 and the revamped X-Factor system, and a change to the goalie crease control system. 

80 new goalie animations were added that will allow goalies to react faster and more accurately. Goalies will use their stick more effectively and play better in tight. These additions will allow goalies to break out of an animation to respond to the play. They no longer have to complete the original animation before reacting to a tip, rebound, or play.

The trailer notes goalie play styles will be adjusted to their sizes, hopefully allowing smaller goalies to perform better than previous games. 

Forehand backhand dekes and cross crease passes were specifically mentioned as moves that broke previous goaltending systems, this has been fixed. 

X-Factors have received an overhaul, there are now 28 X-Factors and five categories. An example is pictured above. 

There are now tiers with three levels of impact. The trailer notes new visual triggers so it will be interesting to see which animations are related to which X-Factors and how they come into effect in different locations on the ice.

This will also allow users to see exactly when the X-Factor is being used, a change from NHL 25. 

As previously discussed, ICE-Q 2.0 will incorporate real NHL EDGE data to impact player AI, attributes, and decisions. 

Two prominent examples used are Alex Ovechkin's tendency to set up in the face off circle and Leon Draisaitl's shots from the goal line. It will be interesting to see how these tendencies impact the AI and the players skills when being controlled by a user. 

In welcome news to the community the Vision Control LT/L2 glitch will be patched, as will hip check tuning and reverse hit rebalancing. All mechanics that were overpowered and abused in NHL 25. 

We will dive into all Gameplay Innovations coming to NHL 26 on Thursday. 

New Heroes and Icons will be in NHL 26.

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

Along with the NHL 26 reveal trailer EA SPORTS NHL released a full list of new features.

The most touted new addition is a revamped Be A Pro mode that includes new challenges, the ability to play in the World Juniors, and new cutscenes. 

NHL 25's big addition ICE-Q has been upgraded to ICE-Q 2.0 which will not incorporate real time stats from NHL EDGE, the NHL's stat and positioning tracking data. This should help inform players skill attributes and help AI. 

NHL 26 will come with 28 X-Factors that, "amplify superstar abilities with unique playstyle animations and gameplay outcomes." 

These X-Factors will likely replace the 42 from NHL 25. Players having individualized abilities based on X-Factors is a good way to emphasize skills and should help users get a different feeling when using star players. 

In the portion of the trailer that shows gameplay from Be A Pro mode there is an animation where the pro scores a goal on a one-handed shot, perhaps a sign of new shot animations and an expansion of the X-Factors. 

A new Goalie Crease Control system was announced that is set to improve responsiveness and goaltender positioning. 

HUT Seasons is the newest addition to Hockey Ultimate Team that adds new team building, ranked matches, and offline ways to earn rewards. 

There were no mentions of major Franchise Mode changes of the re-introduction of GM Connected. 

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

We will dive into each mode as more news becomes available. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

Photo Credit: EA SPORTS NHL