NHL 2026, a review of a new chapter between innovation and stagnation

EA Sports' NHL series has a long and complex history, debuting in 1991 on Sega Genesis. For decades it dominated the hockey simulation market, but in recent years it has faced a growing wave of criticism from the community: forums and social media have voiced concerns and complaints focused particularly on the stagnation of historical modes, which remained almost unchanged for several editions, recurring bugs, and the frustrating perception that annual titles were little more than roster updates – a fairly common situation in sports titles.

This led to a collapse of trust and the belief that the studio was not listening to feedback, leaving many players with a bitter taste. With NHL 26, it seems EA Vancouver has finally gotten the message, choosing to focus its efforts on targeted renewal rather than a series of small, irrelevant changes. While this change of course is evident and commendable, the final result presents both light and shadow, a mix of significant innovations that show brilliant potential and shortcomings that prevent the title from achieving a total victory.

First steps in the franchise

For those new to the series, navigating NHL's various game modes can be a bit complicated, as the title offers a wide variety of both online and offline experiences. Beyond the simple Quick Play, which allows you to jump straight onto the ice with updated teams and rosters, the heart of the game is divided into three main pillars.

Franchise mode: the ideal experience for those who dream of stepping into the shoes of a general manager. In this mode, you don't directly control players on the ice, but rather make all decisions off the rink: managing the roster, negotiating contracts, making trades with other teams, preparing for the draft, and developing young talent. The goal is to build a winning team over multiple seasons. It's a deep and complex managerial simulation experience that requires patience and a long-term vision.

Be a Pro mode: focused on the career of a single player. Here you create your alter ego, choose their role, and guide them on the path to becoming a superstar. The mode starts from junior championships or minor leagues, with the ultimate goal of reaching the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup, and earning individual awards. Every game, practice, and interaction with teammates and coaching staff helps shape the athlete's journey and legacy.

The third and final pillar is multiplayer, divided into competitive and cooperative modes. Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) is one of the most popular, a kind of "fantasy hockey" where you build your dream team by collecting player cards, obtainable through packs or from the market. In HUT, you can challenge other players online or the Artificial Intelligence in various modes to improve your team and climb the rankings. Finally, there's World of Chel (WoC), an online hub that includes various gaming experiences where you can create your customized character and play with friends in various formats, from 3 vs 3 street games (Ones, Threes) to 6 vs 6 challenges in a full arena (EASHL).

Each of these modes is a different expression of the experience; however, the true test of the game lies in what happens on the ice. For this reason, it is essential to analyze the mechanics and how they evolve in NHL 26.

More realistic gameplay but with some hitches

The beating heart of NHL 26 is undoubtedly the new ICE-Q 2.0 system, an evolution that draws heavily from real NHL EDGE data. The goal is ambitious: to ensure that superstars are not just a collection of high statistics, but that they move, skate, and make decisions on the ice in a way that is faithful to their real-life counterparts. Artificial intelligence, for example, doesn't just react to a command, instead trying to anticipate opponent movements and close spaces based on real positions and habits – and for the most part, the result is tangible and impressive.

Players like Connor McDavid or Jack Hughes have insane acceleration, and at the same time, you can clearly perceive the difference in their ability to create separation from defenders with their first steps, executing quick cuts that were not so evident in the past. Animations are fluid, shots seem more dynamic and harder for goalies to read, and players with a physical playstyle, like Nathan MacKinnon, use their power to open lanes and force opponent errors, with more realistic collision animations that affect puck control. This translates into a more authentic and unpredictable game feel, where individual talent and physicality can truly change the outcome of a game, just as it happens in reality.

That said, the physics engine is still not perfect and presents a series of inconsistencies that can break immersion. I encountered rather annoying and inexplicable problems, such as sticks breaking with absurd frequency even after a trivial touch, leaving the player disarmed in crucial situations. There is also a certain chaos in defensive phases, where AI positioning can be lacking, with defenders getting lost or not covering spaces logically, opening the way for dangerous opponent opportunities.

Even goalies, despite having new animations and an enhanced Goalie Crease Control System, still show bizarre shortcomings that make their behavior inconsistent. In some cases, they are capable of spectacular and miraculous saves, but in others, they seem inexplicably clumsy or late, conceding goals that should be routine. The X-Factors system, enhanced and with more evident in-game effects, adds a crucial layer of strategy, making every superstar a true weapon. An example is Evander Kane's shot, whose "Rocket X-Factor" can stun the opposing goalie if the shot is perfect.

Compared to NHL 25, the general gameplay feels more fluid, responsive, and meaningful, although the leap is not so drastic as to revolutionize the experience for more seasoned players. The fluidity is particularly noticeable in transitions between different actions: the shift from fast skating to a one-timer, or from a change of direction to a check, is more organic and less robotic. Even the puck physics, despite some imperfections, seems less "guided" and more realistic, with bounces and deflections that require quicker reflexes.

The dynamic presentation, which represents a true highlight of this edition, elevates the experience to a higher level, not limited to mere graphics but pushing towards intelligent data integration. Real-time statistics, such as shot speed or time spent in the offensive zone, appear as overlays at crucial moments, offering immediate and relevant feedback on the action just completed. The detailed and clean "broadcast-style" graphics perfectly simulate a television broadcast, with boxes showing a player's data during a hot streak or the success percentages of a power play.

The commentary, then, is a step forward compared to its predecessors: it doesn't stop at generic lines, but rather makes clever use of references to seasonal statistics and player trends, thereby creating a narrative that dynamically adapts to the course of the game. If a player scores a goal after a long dry spell, the commentators highlight it, enriching the context and making each goal more significant. It's an experience that faithfully attempts to imitate what is seen on TV, enriching every moment with data and narration and offering avid fans an additional layer of immersion and detail.

The pinnacle of Be a Pro and the stagnation of Franchise

Be a Pro mode is the true star of NHL 26 and the update the community has been waiting for for years. After the stagnation of previous chapters, it is now a completely revamped experience, no longer a simple list of games but a true branching story. The narrative is deeper, with a chapter system that follows the character from the World Junior Championship semifinals to a professional career. Press conferences are finally animated with realistic voices, and responses have direct consequences, influencing reputation, ice time, and relationships with the media and management. If you perform well, you receive praise and opportunities; if you disappoint expectations, you are put under pressure or even demoted to the AHL. This level of determination makes the climb to stardom more engaging and rewarding, with an experience that truly feels your own and shaped by your choices.

To give a more concrete idea, imagine being in your first NHL games. The coach questions you about your performance, and you have the option to respond with confidence, humility, or even arrogance. A measured response might earn you the coach's trust, leading to more ice time and a role on the power play, while an overly bold statement could land you on the bench if you fail to back it up. Similarly, interactions with the media are no longer a mere dialogue exercise, but a true mirror of your public image: shy or rude behavior can alienate journalists and fans, while a well-done interview can increase your popularity and unlock sponsorship deals.

The mode is structured around a series of objectives, both short-term and long-term, that dynamically adapt based on your performance. Early in your career, you might have a simple goal like "improve your face-off percentage" or "score 5 goals in 10 games." If you fail, your coach might cut your ice time or, in the worst cases, decide to send you to the AHL to "gain experience." Conversely, if you exceed expectations, you might receive praise that translates into an opportunity to play with the best on the team or even a promotion to a more important role. This constant evaluation and immediate feedback make every game a crucial moment and imbue every choice with significant weight, transforming your career into a personal and ever-evolving story, where success is never guaranteed and failure is always around the corner.

Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) receives significant and targeted updates aimed at making the experience more strategic and less frustrating. Player Combinations are introduced, offering bonuses based on your team's construction, adding an extra layer of strategy. In addition to fielding the strongest players, you now also have to consider their synergy: for example, stacking players of the same nationality or card type can unlock boosts for the entire line, such as improved passing accuracy or increased skating speed. This encourages players to build a more cohesive and thematic roster, rewarding creativity in team composition. Another example could be a combination of defensive players that increases their ability to steal the puck or block shots, transforming your defensive line into an almost impenetrable wall.

The new HUT Seasons mode offers a structured and more rewarding competitive experience, with a "matchmaking floors" system that prevents you from being relegated once you reach a certain division. This is a monumental change that removes the constant pressure that plagued players in the past. Now, if you reach Division 5, you know you're safe and can afford to experiment with new formations or tactics without fear of plummeting in the rankings. This system makes the climb more rewarding and encourages players to push beyond their limits. The offline "Cup Chase" mode has also been added for players who prefer solo play, a series of tournaments against the AI with specific objectives and unique rewards, offering a valid alternative to the online grind for earning packs and coins.

The big disappointment, however, is Franchise mode. Unfortunately, it has not received any significant updates compared to NHL 25, leaving the core of the management experience in a state of chronic stagnation. The lack of new features is a sore point that undermines the long-term value of the game for fans of the genre, proving to be less refined than Be a Pro and HUT, on which more work was decided. For players who enjoy simulating team management, negotiating contracts, or developing young talent, the mechanics have remained unchanged, making the experience familiar yet repetitive.

The scouting system is still basic, lacking detailed scouting reports or a true sense of discovery that would make the draft exciting. Similarly, trade logic is often illogical and predictable, allowing the player to exploit the AI with trades that would never happen in real life, such as acquiring talent at ridiculously low prices. The progression of young talent offers no surprises: it's a predictable path based solely on statistics, without the sense of risk and reward that characterizes the growth of a true athlete. In essence, the core of the managerial experience has not evolved, transforming a potential pillar of the game into a missed opportunity and an experience that does not keep pace with the other improvements made in this new chapter.

Technical solidity

From a technical standpoint, NHL 26 presents itself as a solid, but not revolutionary, game. The graphics maintain high standards for the current generation, with well-defined player models that show considerable effort in replicating the physiognomies of the most recognizable superstars. Details such as custom logos on sticks and reflections on helmets are rendered with care. The lighting has undergone a slight, but appreciable, improvement, making the arenas more immersive and dynamic, while the effects of ice wear, with skate marks and streaks accumulating during the game, contribute to a sense of realism and match progression.

On the performance front, the frame rate is stable at 60fps: a fundamental aspect, almost a necessity, for such a fast-paced game that requires immediate reflexes. This ensures that every movement, every pass, and every shot is fluid and responsive, avoiding annoying drops that could compromise a decisive action. Animations, despite some sporadic uncertainties, are generally a step forward, with more organic and reactive movements. As for the soundtrack, it is not a strong point of the title, but it does its job with a selection of rock and electronic tracks that energize the atmosphere in the menus and during highlights, without being particularly memorable. It's a playlist that perfectly suits the frenetic pace of hockey, but it doesn't offer truly memorable songs or enough variety to stand out.