EA Sports know how to get NHL fans talking every September, and this year is no different.
The company dropped its first look at NHL 26 earlier this month, showing off teaser gameplay and revealing the cover art. Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk grabbed the spotlight for the regular edition cover, while the deluxe edition featured the entire Tkachuk family.
Fans quickly started debating whether Tkachuk belonged at the top of EA’s left winger ratings for the latest game, but the official rankings brought a surprise.
How Top 10 LWs List Shapes Up In EA Sports’ NHL 26
Tkachuk has been a huge part of the Panthers’ playoff runs, including both of their Stanley Cup wins, which led to his cover athlete selection. When EA Sports tweeted out their top ten left winger overalls for NHL 26, most people expected Tkachuk to lead the pack.
But he ended up ranked second with a 93 overall. Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov took the number one spot, pulling in a 94 overall. This isn’t Kaprizov’s first time near the top, as last year he was rated second with a 93 overall. Tkachuk’s rating stayed steady at 93, but he moved up from third to the second spot compared to last year.
Artemi Panarin dropped from a 95 overall last year to just 92, sharing the number three slot with Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor. Connor’s rating didn’t change from last year’s 92, but his actual rank improved from fifth to fourth. Although most of the top five remained the same, Dallas’ Jason Robertson fell out of the top ten entirely.
Kaprizov is the top Left Winger in #NHL26. Ranked ahead of Tkachuk 👀 Agree or disagree? pic.twitter.com/Tbg2ojeLmx
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 26, 2025
Looking further down the list, Jesper Bratt from the New Jersey Devils landed fifth with a 91 overall following a season where he racked up 88 points in 81 games. Last year, his rating was 89, ranking ninth, so that’s a solid jump for Bratt.
Behind him, Alex Ovechkin and Brandon Hagel are tied with 90 overalls, sharing the number six spot. Ovechkin made the top ten last year with an 89 overall, but this season, Hagel joins the elite group for the first time.
The next three spots saw Matthew Boldy of the Wild, Brad Marchand of the Panthers, and Jake Guentzel of the Lightning each get an 89 overall. Notably, Filip Forsberg and Kyle Connor, who each earned a 90-plus rating last year, both missed the top ten for NHL 26.
NHL 26 is set for a Sept. 12 release, with the deluxe edition hitting worldwide on Sept. 5.
