EA Sports ignited a firestorm by granting the Oilers superstar a perfect 99 rating, sparking intense debates over historical precedents, gameplay balance, and his lack of hardware.
Uh oh. The NHL has just shared the new ranking for Connor McDavid in the EA Sports rankings. Becoming the first inaugural member of the EA Sports NHL 99 Club in NHL 27, some fans aren't happy.
Some were quick to point out that there should be no way McDavid could earn a 99 rating. "This year being the year he gets 99 shows how insanely disconnected EA is from hockey." Others said that with no Stanley Cup, this shouldn't even be a conversation.
Others then pointed out that Ray Bourque was given a 99 rating in NHL '94. Mario Lemieux was also once given a 100. They used a different rating structure back then, but you get the point...
“No one tell them about all the 99 and 100 overalls in the games in the 90s," Nick Spence wrote on X.com.
Others seemed to be upset that this might lead to uneven gameplay. “So, he’s basically unstoppable in the game.” – Carlo Colaiacovo wrote.
Is this really a big deal? For game historians and EA Sports gurus, it seems to be. For Oilers fans who know how good McDavid is -- especially those that aren't big into gaming -- some are wondering why all the fuss and why it took so long?
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