Around the League: Which Red Wing Could be the Cover Athlete of EA's NHL?
The only Red Wing to ever grace the cover of an NHL video game was Steve Yzerman in 1996. Who could be the next Detroit star to grace the cover of hockey's premier video game?
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports - Around the League: Which Red Wing Could be the Cover Athlete of EA's NHL?The year is 1995. Bill Clinton is the U.S. president and Jean Chrétien Canadian prime minister. Gas is $1.10 per gallon in Michigan. The O.J. Simpson trial has taken the nation by storm. And after the New Jersey Devils swept the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final, captains Scott Stevens and Steve Yzerman grace the cover of NHL 96.
No Red Wing has graced the cover since. Not Pavel Datsyuk. Not Hall-of-Famer Henrik Zetterberg. Not even "The Perfect Human" Nicklas Lidstrom could claim the honor.
Such a drought makes sense considering the star power that has made it on the cover. Comparing one for one, it's hard to argue that any Red Wing should have been on the cover outside of the three aforementioned stars during their prime. Names like Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Patrick Kane (the Chicago version) crowded them out. So, it's been a long life of Red Wings fans admiring other teams' stars on the cover of hockey's favorite video game.
Is there anyone set to change that?
It takes a certain level of star power to make the cover of an EA NHL game. Not just skill on the ice — winning the Hart or the Vezina doesn't mean players get their mug on the cover. No, it takes a certain aura to get the public recognition of the video game cover. After all, this is a product meant to sell, and EA will pick an athlete who might sell more copies of its game. That's how Trevor Zegras Michigan'ed his way into a share of 2023's cover.
Looking at the list of recent cover athletes, this star power can come from different sources. Connor McDavid is one of the most talented hockey players of all time, even if he isn't the most gregarious. Cale Makar is a dynamic offensive defenseman full of youthful charm. Sarah Nurse has been the face of women's hockey for many fans. And Ovechkin — the only athlete to get on the cover twice — is not only the greatest goal scorer of his generation, but also one whose raucous Stanley Cup celebration and Russian-accented sound bites have become touchstones for a generation of fans.
As far as star power goes, the Red Wings biggest aura emanated from Kane (the Detroit version). However, his star power is increasingly becoming the kind reserved for the stars of yesteryear rather than the big dogs of today. He's old, and other stars have usurped him. Captain Dylan Larkin comes to mind, but his clout isn't so nationally recognized. And even though his Griddy is iconic, Jake Walman doesn't have the gamebreaker talent to put himself on the cover.
The best hopes of a Red Wing on the cover of an NHL game lies in the star of the future — that is, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. Both have budded into clear stars at a young age, and they're likely to be big pieces for the Red Wings for a long time. If one of them has a truly remarkable year, and especially if their personal brands can grow, they might finally snap a streak of 28 years and counting without a Red Wing cover athlete.
I'd put the highest stock in Lucas Raymond, given how much the cover athlete honor favors scorers. With his power, creativity and penchant for big moments, Raymond feels like he could blossom into a league-wide star if he maintains his scoring. Let's not get ahead of ourselves though; there are a lot of uncontrollable factors in that equation.
It's no small feat to make the cover of NHL, requiring so much talent and charisma. Just think of all the stars and Hall of Famers who have never earned the honor.
Right now, Detroit doesn’t have that kind of league-wide star power on the roster, not to say anything about its future when young players enter their prime and high-end rookies up the ante. It will probably be a while for a Red Wing to make it back on the cover, if and when that should happen.
In the meantime, marvel at NHL 96 in all its retro glory.
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