Who Should Be on The Cover Of NHL 24?

The cover for sports video games is always a major topic of discussion. Whether it’s EA FC, NBA, MLB, or NHL the debates are plentiful both before and after the cover is finally released. For the “24” saga, we’ve seen Erling Haaland on the cover of EA FC 24, and the late Kobe Bryant as the cover for NBA 2K24. Both of these players represent two different types of mindsets in deciding who goes on the cover. One paying tribute to a legend of the game, while the other features arguably the most electric and exciting young player in soccer. Who will join them as the cover athlete for NHL with NHL 24? 

Matthew Tkachuk is one of if not the most marketable players in the world of hockey. The unicorn of hockey as he’s often called has continued to live up to his expectations after being traded to Florida with 40 goals and 69 (nice) assists for 109 points this past season. He led the Florida Panthers to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1996, and transcended himself into hockey’s biggest personality. From his on ice play and persona to his personality and charisma off the ice, he’s been growing the game more than any other NHL athlete in a long time. He would be a perfect cover athlete if EA wants to grow their game.

With the Vegas Golden Knights winning their first ever Stanley Cup, a notable part of their run was superstar center Jack Eichel. His first season since joining Vegas was a disappointing one plagued by injuries, which left many wondering if he really was a star player. His response? An impressive and clutch playoff performance, leading the Golden Knights with 6 goals and 20 assists in 22 playoff games. He was crucial in helping Vegas on the run to lifting the cup, and silenced any of the doubters by proving himself as a legitimate superstar in the NHL. Eichel would be a solid choice for the cover of NHL 24.

One of the players who took a major step forward this past season, Jack Hughes impressed many by hitting 40+ goals for the first time in his career. Year over year his point total jumped by 43 points, finishing one point shy of the 100 mark and finally living up to the hype from when he was selected 1st overall in 2019 by the New Jersey Devils. Hughes would be a cover option that would appeal to the younger fans of the NHL, as he’s very popular amongst the younger generation. With the Devils primed for another great season, Jack on the cover would be approved by many, except maybe Rangers fans. 

Erik Karlsson is living proof that you don’t need to be on a winning NHL team to be a contender for the cover athlete. While his San Jose Sharks disappointed this past season, he did the exact opposite and put up a Norris caliber season for the ages. Not only did he score 100+ points putting him 11th in scoring for the season, but he was the first defenseman to eclipse the 100 point mark since Brian Leetch in the 1991-1992 season. When you put up a historic season, you deserve to be one of the top choices to grace the cover of the next NHL game, and Karlsson certainly has done this. 

Speaking of historic seasons, this guy may have all the other previous candidates beat. Connor McDavid on his own would be a strong candidate for the NHL cover athlete on a normal day, but he’s riding the high of one of the most historic seasons we’ve seen by any player in the NHL in a while. Connor McDavid was the first player to surpass the 150 point mark in a single season since Mario Lemieux back in 1996-1997. He also potted 64 goals, which hasn’t been met since Alexander Ovechkin’s famous 07-08 season. What makes this even more impressive is the fact that it seems Connor was able to find another level to his already dominant level of play. You can never go wrong with the most dominant player in the NHL as your cover athlete.

While none of us really know who EA will choose or what their logic will be in choosing the next cover athlete, we hopefully won’t have to wait long. We should expect to hear an announcement on the cover athlete will be in the next 3-4 weeks.

And then we can all continue this debate again.