One of the National Hockey League’s premier scorers is among the best players in the world, both in real life and in the video game landscape.
On Wednesday, EA Sports released its top 10 highest-rated centres in NHL 26, the 35th edition of the premier hockey video game franchise. Among the stars of the show, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is tied for fifth with an overall rating of 94.
McDavid sits alone at 97 OVR in #NHL26.
Matthews, MacKinnon, Draisaitl… who’s closing the gap?
See more Ratings: https://t.co/1ZOOUJeVAz pic.twitter.com/tTHi8pov5m— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 27, 2025
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Matthews is tied with longtime Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel. All three of them trail Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid, who’s the No. 1 overall player in the new game with a 97 rating. Matthews is also tied with Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov for the eighth-highest-rated player in NHL 26.
This year’s score is a slight step down for Matthews, who had an overall rating of 95 in NHL 25.
Among the 27-year-old’s specific attributes, his wrist shot power stands out, as that skill has a 95 rating, with an accuracy of 94. The sniper from Arizona also has a slapshot power of 92, with 93 accuracy. Matthews also has an impressive 94 rating for puck control, with his deking also up to a 93. Along with his offensive gifts, Matthews possesses a defencive awareness rating of 92.
Matthews is one of two Leafs in the top 20 of this year’s game. Forward William Nylander, ranked as the fifth-best right-winger, is tied for 19th with an overall rating of 92.
The 2024-25 season wasn’t an easy one for Matthews. Injuries led the Leafs’ star to miss 15 games during the regular season, scoring a career-low 33 goals, with his 78 points being his lowest production in a “normal season” since the 2018-19 campaign. Matthews managed to score 11 points in 13 appearances during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
EA Sports player ratings help determine the quality of each player in the league, which in turn affects their abilities on the ice during gameplay, as well as their performance in modes such as Season, Franchise, and Be a Pro.
NHL 26 will be released on Sept. 12 on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition can gain early access as early as Sept. 5.
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