Over the years, the cover athlete for the annual NHL video game has become an unofficial award. Although largely irrelevant to the upcoming game and season, the selection has always been an interesting discussion during to quell the monotony of the offseason.
The NHL has had its fair share of memorable cover athletes from the very first cover featuring Glenn Healy on NHL Hockey (1991) to PK Subban’s appearance on NHL 19. Additionally, the cover athlete can become somewhat of a trend setter, one example being the most recent cover of Trevor Zegras and Sarah Nurse to encourage the growth of the game.
What direction will the NHL go towards this year? Will they continue the theme of youthful exuberance and growth? Perhaps they will go a different direction and promote the rich history of the sport. Maybe it will be something completely different and promote a dynamic rookie. Here are a few possibilities.
Jason Robertson
It is plausible that the NHL will continue on the theme of inclusivity and promote the goal scoring phenom of Jason Robertson. Robertson, being of Filipino ancestry, has become a source of inspiration of many players of pacific islander and Asian descent. Robertson has made a major splash in the NHL by having two straight 40 goal seasons. Furthermore, he was able to keep up with Connor McDavid in scoring throughout the early part of the season.
Hilary Knight
Hilary Knight has become the face of American women’s hockey. She is a fixture for Team USA, and an inspiration for a lot of young hockey players. Her reputation of excellence in international hockey plus the NHL’s campaign for inclusivity could make for a perfect selection for the upcoming cover. Additionally, this could continue the theme of featuring a male and female athlete on the cover.
Matthew and/or Brady Tkachuk
The Tkachuk brothers are arguably considered NHL’s most notorious pair of brothers. They’re both established and they’re fun to watch. Despite the outcome of the final, Matthew Tkachuk cemented himself as a leader of the Florida Panthers. He combines youthful exuberance with toughness and scoring ability. Brady, another great leader, is coming off a career year, leading a Sens team that continues to get better. Additionally, their famous father, Keith could add a nice historical reference of generation’s past.
Connor Bedard
Connor Bedard already has a ton of hype surrounding him. He is already a household name, and he hasn’t even played an NHL game yet. This dynamic rookie has shown that he is a generational talent that can rival Connor McDavid. Perhaps EA Sports could cash in on some of the hype.
Linus Ullmark
You can’t write an article like this without acknowledging the historic Boston Bruins season. It would not be surprising if a Boston Bruin made the cover, and who better than Vezina finalist Linus Ullmark? The Boston goalie was a major part of their success by posting an insane .938 save percentage and 1.89 goals against average. A cover with Linus Ullmark isn’t so farfetched.
David Pastrnak
David Pastrnak is another Bruin that could possibly be the face of NHL 24. Pastrnak is already one of the faces of the NHL. One of the most prolific goal scorers in the league led the B’s in point scoring, racking up 116 points as well as scoring a staggering 61 goals. He has already had a splash in media by appearing in various commercials, and being known for a fun personality on and off the ice.
Johnathan Marchessault
Although less likely, Johnathan Marchessault of the championship winning Vegas Golden Knights could make an appearance. Despite not being as well known as the players listed above, Marchessault had a magical postseason scoring 13 goals and 25 points as well as winning the Conne Smythe. His performance will be remembered for years to come.
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