EA Sports has officially revealed the biggest changes to Hockey Ultimate Team in NHL 26, and it's shaping up to be the most ambitious update in years.
From new offline experiences to a reworked ranked system and clear seasonal structure, Ultimate Team is redesigned to feel more strategic, rewarding, and more tied to actual hockey.
Continue with our guide as we break down what's new in NHL 26 Ultimate Team.
Main Menu Refresh
The first major change players will see is a completely redesigned main menu. This year's redesign makes navigation quicker, clearer, and more customized than the previous one, which many users felt was cluttered and slow.
Your top players now feature on the home screen, and popular features like lineup editing and rewards tracking are easier to access. The fan-favorite Wildcard lineup screen was again revived by community feedback and integrated into Edit Lines for improved roster clarity and chemistry visualization.
Cup Chase - A New Offline Experience
For years, HUT players have wanted a per-single-player option, and NHL 26 is delivering it with Cup Chase.
Cup Chase is an 18-game offline season capped off with playoff rounds, each best of three. Every win will bring you closer to the trophy, while every loss will raise the stakes. Unlike traditional grind modes, Cup Chase will run at your pace without leaderboard pressure or weekly resets.
Both casual and competitive players can find their sweet spot with the difficulty settings, and rewards are linked to a distinct advancement path. Best of all, Cup Chase progress also contributes to the overall XP path, ensuring you're always moving forward.
Ranked Play - Competitive with Purpose
The NHL 26 ranking system has also been overhauled to be more equitable and reliable. Matchmaking floors guarantee that you won't go back down after reaching a milestone, and divisions now offer straightforward advancement, which reduces the annoyance of losing streaks.
Transparent ladders make it clear what you're after, and in each game, you will add rewards and progression. When you advance to the Qualification Division, you'll be able to access HUT Champs, the highest level of competition with exclusive rewards.
At the very top sits Ultimate Rank, offering a unique season-specific jersey that marks you as one of the best players in the world.
Team Building and Salary Cap Strategy
Roster construction in HUT 26 is getting more strategic thanks to new combinations and a salary cap system.
- Combinations: Bonuses activate when linking players by team, nationality, or card type, rewarding creative lineups.
- Salary Cap: Every card has a cap hit, pushing you to balance stars with role players instead of stacking lineups with only the highest-rated skaters.
This system maintains the uniqueness of each roster while making lineup creation more tactical.
Seasonal Programs
Content delivery has been restructured around consistent core programs:
- Captains - Season-long leaders from a pool of stars.
- Heroes - Franchise-defining players.
- Icons - Legends and Hall of Famers.
- Rookies - Emerging talent and young stars.
Programs roll out in multiple drops across the season, ensuring players remain relevant longer. Alumni items have also been elevated into their own card type, making them stronger from launch.
Early Access and Chel Weeks
The HUT grind starts early this year with Fresh Ice, a limited-time Early Access event that launches before global release. Your squad will have a solid foundation thanks to Fresh Ice's objectives, moments, and rewards. Deluxe Edition owners will also receive a unique player item.
This comes along with a brand new live content system called Chel Weeks. Each week, it introduces daily drops across five days, tied to a theme such as Cult Superstars, players beloved for their grit, energy, and favorite status. You can expect themed buildable items, Spotlight players, objectives, and even community votes shaping the content.
Chel Weeks will bring rhythm and consistency to Ultimate Team, all while keeping players engaged with reasons to check in daily and weekly.
Stay tuned to RealSport101.com for updates, trailers, and official news on NHL 26.