Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

EA Sports Names Matthew Tkachuk NHL 26 Cover Athlete

EA Sports tapped the back-to-back Stanley Cup winner pending offseason surgery that could delay his season debut.

Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • EA Sports announced on August 4 that Matthew Tkachuk will appear on the cover of NHL 26 with a full cover reveal scheduled for August 6.
  • Tkachuk is the first Florida Panthers player to grace an EA NHL cover since goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck in 1997.
  • His cover selection follows consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 2024 and 2025 that solidified his role as a Panthers cornerstone.
  • The 27-year-old will undergo corrective surgery this summer to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia sustained during the 2025 playoffs.
  • Rehabilitation timelines project that Tkachuk could be sidelined through the Christmas break, potentially delaying his return for the 2025–26 season opener.