Overview
- EA announced on Monday that Connor McDavid will be the inaugural member of NHL 27’s new 99 Club, elevating him to a 99 overall after a 2025–26 season with 48 goals and 138 points.
- EA released the game's forward ratings over Aug. 17–18, listing Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov at 97, Leon Draisaitl at 96, and Kirill Kaprizov as the top left wing at 94.
- The publisher confirmed NHL 27’s release plan with early access for Deluxe owners and EA Play trials on Sept. 4 and the full launch on Sept. 11 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Some fans and game historians disputed EA’s 'first-ever' phrasing by pointing to older EA NHL titles from the 1990s and early 2000s that reportedly included 99/100 ratings for past stars.
- EA is using the ratings rollout with new features such as Connected Franchise and cover-athlete Macklin Celebrini as part of its marketing, and it will publish remaining position, defenseman, and goaltender ratings before launch.