Connor McDavid just became the first player in EA Sports NHL history to earn a 99 OVR rating. EA Vancouver is bringing the 99 Club to its hockey franchise for the first time with NHL 27, and there was really only one logical choice to kick things off.
McDavid jumped from a 97 OVR in NHL 26 to the very top of the ratings system. The Edmonton Oilers captain led the NHL in scoring again in 2025-26 with 48 goals, 90 assists, and 138 points across all 82 games. His career totals now sit at 409 goals, 811 assists, and 1,220 points in 794 games, with multiple Hart Memorial and Art Ross Trophies on his shelf. A 99 was overdue.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
Connor McDavid asked for this
The 99 Club has been a fixture in Madden NFL for years, but it never existed in the NHL series until now. When EA revealed his NHL 25 rating at 97 back in September 2024, McDavid openly questioned why the NHL series didn’t hand out 99s as Madden does. Two years later, EA has finally obliged.
According to EA’s blog post, a 99 OVR is reserved for players who demonstrate mastery across almost every facet of the game. In NHL 27, that means speed that creates separation off the rush and puck control that lets him weave through traffic without losing a step.
Anyone who has played as McDavid in past NHL games already knows how dominant he is on the sticks. A 99 just makes it official.
Despite the individual dominance, McDavid is coming off a frustrating team finish. The Oilers were bounced in the first round of the 2026 playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks after back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final the two seasons prior. The regular season numbers speak for themselves, but he’s still chasing a Stanley Cup.
What else is coming in EA Sports NHL 27?
Additional player ratings are expected to roll out throughout the week. EA Sports NHL 27 features San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini on the cover and introduces Connected Franchise, a new mode that lets 32 human-controlled teams compete in a shared online league.
About EA Sports NHL 26, we said…
“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.”
With the addition of the 99 Club and Connected Franchise this year, it looks like EA is trying to take things a step further.
EA Sports NHL 27 launches September 11, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with Early Access for Deluxe Edition owners starting September 4. EA Play members can jump in the same day with a 10-hour trial.
