“Our goal for EA SPORTS NHL 27 is to deliver a game where players will feel the change the moment they take the ice,” said Mike Inglehart, NHL 27's senior game design director, in a press release. “Every arena atmosphere and broadcast visual has been engineered to showcase a true-to-life team feel. We know the proof is in the playing, and we cannot wait for fans to experience this game's energy for themselves.”
The new game also includes 32 authentically represented arenas, which brings genuine pre-game presentations, goal songs and fully overhauled crowds to life.
John Buccigross and Darren Pang will bring the commentary during gameplay.
“Seeing the Shark Tank brought to life like that is honestly unreal,” said Macklin Celebrini, the NHL 27 cover athlete, in a press release. “The detail the studio team put into it — from our pre-game entrance skating out through the shark head and the iconic lighting on each seat throughout the stadium to hearing our goal song every time we score — it feels exactly like being out there for a real game. They really captured the atmosphere. Sharks fans are going to load it up and feel like they’re right there in the building with us, and that’s pretty special.”
EA Sports announced Celebrini as this year’s cover athlete on Tuesday, making him the youngest player to ever appear on the cover at just 20 years old.
NHL 27 launches on Sept. 11, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
