From Jason Robertson’s scoring prowess to Miro Heiskanen’s defensive dominance, discover which franchise icons possess the elite potential to secure a perfect rating in the new digital arena.
On Monday, exciting news dropped ahead of the release of the newest entry in the EA Sports NHL series, with NHL 27 set to arrive in early September.
The new game brings back several fan-favorite elements, including the return of GM Connected franchise mode, along with more detailed, customized arena presentations across all 32 NHL teams, meaning American Airlines Center will finally look and feel more like the true home of the Dallas Stars.
The bigger headline, though, is that the NHL series is borrowing a concept from other EA Sports franchises like Madden and EA FC. NHL 27 is introducing a 99 Club, reserved for the handful of players considered the very best in the sport, distinguished by a perfect 99 overall rating.
EA announced the first member of that club on Monday with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who becomes the first player in the history of the NHL video game series to carry a 99 overall.
Make Sure You Bookmark THN's Dallas Stars Site For The Latest News, Exclusive Interviews, Breakdowns, And So Much More.
Still, the Stars boast some of the league's very best players, with 100-point scorers in Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson, either of whom could put together a career year strong enough to land in that discussion.
There's also a group of players squarely in the conversation for the best at their position, even if they're a step behind the league's truly elite. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley will look to close the gap on defensemen like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, while Jake Oettinger will need to outduel goaltenders like Connor Hellebuyck and Andrei Vasilevskiy to enter that tier.
Up front, Wyatt Johnston has a compelling case of his own, with his offensive numbers continuing to climb each season. If that growth carries him toward superstardom, there's a real chance he eventually finds himself in the 99 Club conversation as well.
It won't be an easy bar to clear as earning a 99 overall requires being viewed almost unanimously as the best player in the world at your position. Dallas may not have a player who's quite there yet, but the collective strength of its star core is exactly what makes the Stars a consistent force and a routine Stanley Cup contender.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
