EA Sports’ award-winning hockey video game franchise returns in just a few weeks when “NHL 17” hits stores Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues is the cover athlete, and he’s the second-highest-rated right winger in the game behind reigning Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane.
The top 10 rated players at each position were released by EA Sports this week.
There are some weird, and quite frankly, bad, ratings assigned in this game. That’s usually the case, but the defensemen and goalie rankings, in particular, are a bit off. There’s no way Shea Weber should be the second-highest rated defenseman when he’s not even a top-15 player at the position. Ben Bishop and Corey Crawford also should be higher than their initial ratings, which are No. 10 and No. 7, respectively, among goalies.
Here are the top 10 players at every position. They are sorted by name, team and overall rating.
CENTERS
10) Claude Giroux, Flyers, 91
9) Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals, 91
8) Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks, 91
7) Tyler Seguin, Stars, 92
6) Evgeni Malkin, Penguins, 93
5) John Tavares, Islanders, 93
4) Anze Kopitar, Kings, 93
3) Steven Stamkos, Lightning, 94
2) Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks, 94
1) Sidney Crosby, Penguins, 95
LEFT WINGERS
10) Alex Steen, Blues, 88
9) Gabriel Landeskog, Avalanche, 88
8) Filip Forsberg, Predators, 88
7) Daniel Sedin, Canucks, 88
6) Zach Parise, Wild, 89
5) Max Pacioretty, Canadiens, 89
4) Johnny Gaudreau, Flames, 90
3) Taylor Hall, Devils, 90
2) Alex Ovechkin, Capitals, 94
1) Jamie Benn, Stars, 94
RIGHT WINGERS
10) James Neal, Predators, 88
9) Nikita Kucherov, Lightning, 88
8) Marian Hossa, Blackhawks, 88
7) Blake Wheeler, Jets, 89
6) Phil Kessel, Penguins, 89
5) Jakub Voracek, Flyers, 90
4) Corey Perry, Ducks, 91
3) Joe Pavelski, Sharks, 91
2) Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues, 93
1) Patrick Kane, Blackhawks, 94
DEFENSEMEN
10) Dustin Byfuglien, Jets, 91
9) P.K. Subban, Predators, 91
8) Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Sharks, 91
7) Victor Hedman, Lightning, 92
6) Brent Burns, Sharks, 92
5) Erik Karlsson, Senators, 92
4) Ryan Suter, Wild, 93
3) Duncan Keith, Blackhawks, 93
2) Shea Weber, Canadiens, 94
1) Drew Doughty, Kings, 94
GOALTENDERS
10) Ben Bishop, Lightning, 89
9) Tuukka Rask, Bruins, 89
8) Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins, 90
7) Corey Crawford, Blackhawks, 90
6) Pekka Rinne, Predators, 91
5) Cory Schneider, Devils, 91
4) Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers, 92
3) Braden Holtby, Capitals, 93
2) Jonathan Quick, Kings, 93
1) Carey Price, Canadiens, 93
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
