REVIEW: ‘NHL 26’ Is Hockey At Its Best

While franchises like EA Sports College Football and EA FC are taking center stage, they aren’t the only sports games available. The NHL franchise has held a special, if sometimes contentious, place in the hearts of hockey fans everywhere for years. NHL 26 attempts to continue the series’ growth and give players the best hockey experience possible.

The biggest update in NHL 26 is the new ICE-Q 2.0 system. This gameplay overhaul brings the hockey to life in a way no NHL has done before. NHL 26 utilizes real-life hockey data, along with an innovative technological approach, to create an incredibly authentic experience, down to the most minute detail.

This shows itself in the slight movements that players make. Watching some of the best players in hockey, like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, move as fluidly as they do in real life is breathtaking. And it is not just them. Even players deep down the roster in NHL 26 have unique styles that make them all feel lifelike.

NHL 26 features a smarter CPU and new animations, changing the way players approach their offense.

But where ICE-Q 2.0 shines the most is in the goaltending changes. Goaltending in NHL games has always been a bit of a joke. Learn the right deke move and you can guarantee a goal every time. Thanks to new animations and a smarter CPU, goalies are much more likely to move like real goaltenders. This completely changes the way players need to approach offense.

If you were already an offensive whiz, these changes will be noticeable straight away. It takes time to adapt to the new system, but there are significantly more avenues of attack now instead of following one or two tried-and-true methods. This helps every game of NHL 26 feel distinct, whether playing against the computer or a friend online.

X-Factors have been expanded in NHL 26 as well, adding another dimension to pay attention to with individual players. These unique skill boosts are specific to each player, including created players in the Be A Pro career and World of Chel. They tend to make the biggest difference in Chel, but they are worth paying attention to and diving deep into finding the best setup regardless of game mode.

Presentation in NHL 26 has undergone some minor changes.

Alongside these gameplay changes, the presentation in NHL 26 has seen a few tweaks. In-game data presentation makes it easier to see how your best players operate, allowing players to understand the nitty-gritty of the hockey experience. The stadium experience is still relatively lacking, unfortunately, but the added date analytics during the game is a nice bonus.

It would be nice to see improvements in stadium moments, such as the use of licensed music, which have become staples at many arenas. The commentary is also hit-or-miss in NHL 26, although the PWHL commentary is much better and is now on par with the NHL side. Hopefully, the moments that happen off the ice can be improved to match the excellent experience on the ice.

Speaking of the PWHL, the women’s hockey league is here from the start after showing up as a mid-year update in NHL 25. The rise in popularity for women’s hockey isn’t quite to the same mainstream level as the WNBA. However, it is still growing significantly, and being able to see that translate to the video game world is refreshing. The gameplay is more technical than physical, too, matching the way the PWHL and NHL are different.

Improvements to X-factors and gameplay make the Be A Pro NHL 26 experience more authentic.

Be A Pro has been overhauled in NHL 26, with the starting experience changed and new scenarios that make the journey from prospect to legend more enjoyable. The improvements to X-Factors and gameplay also help, adding more authenticity to the experience.

Players start as a young prospect playing in the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, and their performance influences the direction their career will take. Meeting certain milestones in this introduction, as well as during the NHL preseason after the draft, will determine whether a player starts in the NHL or in the AHL. 

The active chapter challenges and the “form score” system help players understand what they need to do to maintain their top level. The form score is somewhat inconsistent, which can be frustrating at times, but overall, it is a helpful system that should continue to improve over the course of the following year. Metrics affect playing time, so knowing exactly what to expect would be a huge help.

Franchise mode in NHL 26 is precisely what players would expect.

It would be nice to start a little lower down the ranks, since Pro career ratings tend to start on the high side. It is relatively difficult to get relegated to the AHL to start your career if you have a basic understanding of hockey. More of a challenge would make this game mode truly special, but for now, there is still plenty to enjoy.

World of Chel is a fun way for players to take their individual characters online to compete against friends or random opponents. It focuses much more on individual skill, but coordination with teammates is still essential. I found myself spending more time in Chel than usual, thanks to the improved gameplay, making it easier to get a handle on how my player would operate in online play.

Franchise mode in NHL 26 is precisely what players would expect, without any major changes to write home about. It isn’t the most extensive management simulator, but it can still be plenty of fun to take your favorite NHL team to the Stanley Cup Final and win it all. It makes sense that this mode didn’t see the same level of upgrades as Be A Pro, but it could use a fresh coat of paint in a future iteration. 

Hockey Ultimate Team is also back, and fans of the mode will find plenty to enjoy. New season structures give players more to do with a new, dynamic experience that makes every match-up matter. I’m not the biggest Ultimate Team fan, but the few games I did play were still enjoyable thanks to the gameplay tweaks. This mode will always be hit-or-miss depending on player preferences, but those who enjoy it will be satisfied.

NHL 26 brings new gameplay changes that bring hockey to life in a way that is better than ever. There are still some things to be ironed out, a typical issue for yearly sports releases, but there is a lot of fun to be had for hockey fans everywhere.

NHL 26 releases September 12th on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.