The Top 5 EA NHL Games Of All Time

From NHL Hockey released in 1991, to the anticipated release of NHL 24 in October of 2023, EA Sports has been involved in developing NHL video games for fans across the globe. Some of them are great, and some... not so great. Regardless, a select few stand out as the best hockey games to be developed. In honor of #NationalVideoGameDay yesterday, we're looking at my top 5 NHL games EA Sports has launched over the years. 

The first NHL game to be released on the then new Xbox 360, NHL 07 brought with it some new and realistic features to the game. A wider variety of controller schemes, as well as stickhandling with the right thumbstick helped this game feel a lot more like you we're actually playing in a hockey game.

Another fan favourite, NHL 10 brought us the ability to battle on the boards, as well as a first person fighting engine. Without a doubt though, the most notable addition to this game was the implementation of Be A GM Mode. For the first time ever, NHL 10 allowed fans to control their own team as if they were the general manager making all the decisions.

For myself personally, NHL 06 was my first real introduction to the NHL video games, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Pulling off skill moves like the between the legs shot or the Zegras pass before it was the Zegras pass, and combined with a great soundtrack, made for a hell of a game.

The first NHL video game to be officially licensed from both the NHL and NHLPA, NHL '94 has been referred to as the greatest sports game of all time, and with good reason. A game combining the real life NHL for the first time with a slew of gameplay improvements are just some of the reasons why this game was ranked 59th on IGN's "Top 100 SNES Games of All Time". NHL '94 to this day still remains a relevant game, as recent NHL games have paid honor to the past game with a unique game mode, and even a yearly NHL '94 tournament that continues to this day.

The undisputed GOAT of NHL video games, NHL 14 didn't do one thing amazingly well. Instead, it did a bunch of things good. From EASHL to Hockey Ultimate Team, to whether you played online with friends or offline alone, this game had something for everyone. Doing a bunch of things good helped NHL 14 also win the "Best Sports Game" award in the Game Critics Awards for E3 2013. If you were lucky enough to play this game in its prime, consider yourself lucky.