‘NHL 23’ Will Feature IIHF Women Hockey Players For First Time

EA Sports released “NHL 23” on Friday and there are a lot of new features.

The biggest new addition is that women will be featured in the game for the first time in the 30-plus years the video game has been around. Players from the IIHF women’s national team can be chosen to play in the Hockey Ultimate Team — which is a part of the game that is focused on collecting cards.

“For the first time ever, IIHF Women’s National Team members can now play alongside men in the same HUT squad, meaning players can line up Team Canada’s Sarah Nurse alongside Ducks phenom Trevor Zegras to make their very own dream team of the sport’s best players,” the EA Sports press release said. “Beyond the ability to play together, both men’s and women’s national teams will continue to play an important role in the mode, as national team players will have both base and master items incorporated into HUT events.

“Players can now also compete in a variety of new rotating game themes in HUT Rivals, and ‘NHL 23’ has introduced three new tiers of HUT Rivals Rewards based on wins or win streaks.”

According to EA, the men’s and women’s ratings will be comparable, so “a 94 rating will be a 94 rating no matter what.”

The trailer was released last month and it revealed Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Team Canada’s gold medalist Sarah Nurse as the cover athletes.