When EA Sports needed to pick a cover athlete for NHL 26, they had history staring them in the face. Alex Ovechkin had just broken Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record in the most iconic moment of the season.
Instead, they went with Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, and hockey fans have thoughts about that decision.
Why Did EA Sports Choose Matthew Tkachuk Over Alex Ovechkin?
EA Sports revealed Tkachuk as the cover athlete for the upcoming NHL 26 video game on Monday. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion is the first Panthers player to be on the cover of the video game since 1997, when then star goalie John Vanbiesbrouck was featured.
However, some league fans are pointing out that there’s another star who deserved the cover more.
Did Matthew Tkachuk’s Selection Create an NHL 26 Snub?
Ovechkin scored goal No. 895 for the Washington Capitals to break Gretzky’s league record this past April. As such, many fans expected him to be on the cover over Tkachuk.
“I thought for sure it would be Ovechkin,” one fan said on X.
I thought for sure it would be Ovechkin
— Toaster🇺🇲 (@Toaster_2112) August 4, 2025
“Should’ve been the 895 slide,” another said.
“Should have been Gaudreau or Ovechkin or even Macklin… horrible decision,” another league fan said on social media.
Should have been Gaudreau or Ovechkin or even Macklin… horrible decision
— Leo (@sticksandhey) August 4, 2025
Should’ve been the 895 slide pic.twitter.com/rg7yZQr8ot
— connor bedard enthusiast (@cubbie_179) August 4, 2025
“Not to take anything away from Matthew Tkachuk but how you not going to put the biggest moment of last year Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s goal scoring record as the cover,” another said.
Not to take anything away from Matthew Tkachuk but how you not going to put the biggest moment of last year Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s goal scoring record as the cover
— ryan (@slessdog_07) August 4, 2025
“How is it not ovi after breaking the record and may be the last game he’s in ?,” one fan also asked.
“They could have honored johnny hockey or put Ovi on the cover for breaking Gretzky’s record but nah put a POS on the cover,” another said.
How is it not ovi after breaking the record and may be the last game he’s in ?
— Logan VanSickle (@lvs7588) August 4, 2025
They could have honored johnny hockey or put Ovi on the cover for breaking Gretzky’s record but nah put a POS on the cover 🙄🙄
— A&W (@Alextatar_) August 4, 2025
During the NHL’s release on Tkachuk getting the cover, the league detailed that Tkachuk was tied for the Panthers’ lead in points (23; eight goals, 15 assists) throughout the postseason that culminated in the team’s second consecutive championship. Additionally, the elder Tkachuk brother has reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of his first three seasons with Florida.
