NHL 24 Cover Athlete: Who should be on the cover?

One of the most interesting topics for discussion when it comes to sports games is surely the cover athlete. Considering the previous 2022-23 season, we’re going to discuss the NHL 24 cover athlete and who should be on the cover.

We already know who will make the cover of EA FC 24, Madden 24, and NBA 2K24. For the previous edition of the game, EA Sports included Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras alongside Sarah Nurse, the first woman to appear on an NHL game cover.

For NHL 24, the developers could go with a veteran, a young skater or another surprising candidate. Here we are going to discuss a potential NHL 24 cover athlete. Also, make sure you follow other NHL 24 news.

Latest news- EA Sports reveals everything about the title

To the joy of the NHL community, EA Sports has revealed all the details about NHL 24. It announced plenty of new features, the revamping of old ones, and some massive gameplay.

Among the new changes announced plenty are gameplay related. NHL 24 has a new passing system, a new feature called Exhaust Engine, and a new control layout.

HUT also announced some new and exciting changes, while the Cross-Play system didn't change that much. One thing is certain, these changes have vastly improved the players' gaming experience and immersion.

NHL 24 cover star revealed

EA Sports has finally announced the NHL 24 cover star. This year, the face of the game will be non-other than Stanley Cup champion, and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Cale Makar.

He wasn't among our predictions, but Makar makes total sense as the face of NHL 24. Makar is a great player, loved by fans, and symbolizes everything people love about Hockey.

At only 24 years old, Makar is the present and future of the NHL. So, it seems fitting that Makar is the cover star for NHL 24.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

This isn’t surprising given Connor McDavid is the best player in the NHL. The Edmonton Oilers centre was already the NHL 18 cover athlete, but EA Sports are not afraid of repeating a player on the cover of their games.

McDavid had a monstrous season in 2021-22 when he tallied 123 points (44 goals and 79 assists). His numbers were even better last season. McDavid joined a 150-point club after registering 153 points (64 goals and 89 assists) and became the first skater to have 150+ points since Mario Lemieux in 1996-97! Connor’s 64 goals is the highest number since Alexander Ovechkin’s in the 2007-08 campaign.

After such a heroic season, McDavid won numerous awards, such as the Art Ross (5th-time winner), Ted Lindsay (4x winner), Rocket Richard (1x winner), and the Hart Trophy (3x winner). That’s why he is our strongest candidate for the NHL 24 cover athlete.

Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils

EA Sports weren’t shy of selecting a young star for the cover of their games. Jack Hughes fits the bill. The former No. 1 overall pick is the leader of a young generation of the New Jersey Devils and helped the team to improve from 63 points in the 2021-22 season to 112 points in the previous campaign. The Devils made the playoffs, while Hughes tallied 99 points with 43 goals and 56 assists, setting the franchise’s new record for points in a single season, previously held by Patrik Elias (96 PTS) from the 2000-01 season.

Undoubtedly, Hughes has the quality to go 100+ next season and perhaps take his team a step forward in the Stanley Cup quest. The future is bright for the Devils, and if Hughes becomes the NHL 24 cover athlete, he’d be the first Devils to do so since legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur, who was the face of the NHL 14.

Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

One of the most physical forwards in the NHL, Matthew Tkachuk, was one of the biggest reasons the Florida Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. They weren’t even candidates to reach playoffs but entered it as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Tkachuk led the Panthers in a series win over the Boston Bruins, the team with the best regular season record in NHL history. They later defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes, but the Vegas Golden Knights stopped them in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Tkachuk recorded his career-best 109 points (40 goals and 69 assists); the second straight season he accumulated 100+ points. Although his team didn’t win the title last year, EA Sports like to include young, dominant players as their cover athletes. Matthew is surely a candidate to be the NHL 24 cover athlete.

Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights

Talking about a title winner, Jack Eichel did it with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. It was the first Stanley Cup in the franchise’s history and first-ever playoff appearance for Eichel. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Buffalo Sabres.

Over two seasons in Las Vegas, Eichel played in 101 games, registering 90 points (41 goals and 50 assists). During the Stanley Cup quest last year, Eichel tallied 26 points (six goals and 20 assists) in 20 games. The superstar centre overcame his injuries and led the Golden Knights to the title with clutch displays in the postseason. That’s why he should be a legitimate choice for the NHL