"Holy schnikes!" There's a couple of new voices for EA Sports' NHL 27.

But ESPN's John Buccigross, who joins color commentator Darren Pang as the play-by-play voice for the latest iteration of the popular video game franchise, is hoping that gamers don't get sick of his unique catch phrases.

"It's obviously an iconic game," Buccigross told The Hockey News. "I want the users to like the game. I don't want to be a distraction or a downer."

Well, don't expect the latter. 

If there's a reason why Buccigross was chosen to replace longtime voice James Cybulski — Pang replaces Cheryl Pounder — it's because the 60-year-old has a fun and creative style that tries to educate while also entertaining the listener. He's passionate. He's also not afraid to be original.

Sometimes, that means punctuating a goal call with "winner, winner, chicken parm dinner!"

Other times, it means keeping his mouth shut and letting the action on the ice speak for itself.

"I try not to be overly descriptive," he said. "I like to let the game breathe. Any time there's a scrum behind the net, I'll stop talking. I like to hear the game. They (EA Sports) were supportive of that."

Indeed, EA Sports' senior design director Mike Inglehart said Buccigross and Pang were chosen specifically because of they're not afraid of being different. The popular hockey video game will be released on Sept. 4, with Macklin Celebrini on the cover.

"They bring new energy to the game," said Inglehart. "We've also revamped the entire broadcast project. We worked with these guys. They were actually really great critics of where we were coming from and helped us shape a project that is more in lined with what you expect to see when you're watching the NHL on TV."

A native of Indiana, Penn., Buccigross grew up listening to Boston Bruins games on WBZ radio, with Bob Wilson's "booming voice that was like John Wayne laced with bourbon and a pack of smokes" providing the soundtrack.

"It was like punk rock," said Buccigross, whose own style takes cues from the likes of Al Michaels, Mike Tirico and Sean McDonagh, who "know the rule book, inside and out."

With EA Sports' NHL 27, Buccigross not only knows the rulebook, but he now also knows every single player in the league — literally.

Ever since he got the gig last November, he has spent the past eight months recording names and the same play calls over and over again.

"It's tedious. It's a lot of names, a lot of reps, hours and hours," he said. "I would take my laptop and headset on the road. My backpack weighed like 200 pounds. I took it one day at a time. They call the game in stitches, so you're saying 'Over to Nylander.' Then 'Shot.' Then you're saying, 'Over to Matthews.' It's like that for every player, every team.

"I thought we were done. But they just called and said I've got a couple of three-hour sessions this week. It's a multi-year contract, so I'm on call I guess."

For Buccigross, who has three adult children who grew up playing the game, it's worth it — simply for the bragging rights.

"I'll never forget the reaction to how I got that gig," said Buccigross. "My boys are 34 and 27, and they still play it. I picked my son up, and he just started laughing. It's so cool. It's really filled me with confidence."

As for cover athlete Macklin Celebrini, whom Buccigross had a chance to see first-hand while calling NCAA games when Celebrini was a freshman at Boston University, the veteran broadcaster believes there's a reason why he's the youngest NHLer to grace an EA Sports cover.

"Macklin's always had this angelic purity to him, similar to Sidney Crosby," said Buccigross. "There's something special about him. He is the absolute superstar. To have him on the cover is absolutely perfect.

"Sidney Crosby raised the Cup at 21. I would not be surprised if Mack raises the Cup at 21."

Buccigross and Pang are not the only new additions to NHL 27.

After more than a decade of being out of the game, a new version of the popular GM Connected mode is back as "Connected Franchise."

Friends can create a league, customize the rules, make trades with each other and play against each other.

From the arenas to the crowd, this is the first year where location truly matters for the home team as well. You'll hear different music and experience different lighting depending on where the game is being held.

In Vegas, be prepared to see the dragon atop the castle inside T-Mobile Arena, for example. 

"Every single venue you go to has their own fandom, their own rituals, their own vibe and energy and their own history," said Inglehart. "If you go to San Jose, you're going to get immersed in the feeling of what it's like to be in San Jose, which is different than Seattle, which is different than Buffalo. Every single one of these venues and teams has a different atmosphere and a different environment.

"When you light the lamp this year, get ready to hear the song that you hear that you go down to your favorite team's venue." 

On the ice, there is just as much authenticity. 

NHL 27 relied on data from NHL Edge to bring a more realistic and unique feel to the action. For instance, every team has its own identity when it comes to how it forechecks, how it breaks out of the defensive zone and how it sets up on the power play. However, you can also mix and match each team's individual playbooks.

"If you want to play Buffalo authentically with the way that Lindy Ruff rallies his troops, you can do that," said Inglehart. "If I want to take Seattle's playbook and apply that to Buffalo and see if that works better for me, I can do that. It's going to give our players a lot more to experiment with.

"It also plays a lot more like hockey. You're going to see a lot more hockey moments come up a lot more players in proper positions, because we're using data from the NHL to power the game we're building this year."

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