Lightning’s Kucherov named top rated right wing in EA Sports NHL 26

One of the top players in the real world is one of the best players in the virtual one.

On Tuesday, EA Sports revealed the top 10 right-wingers for NHL 26. The name at the top of the list is Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.

Kucherov is coming off a dominant 2024-25 season, during which he was quietly one of the best players in the game. He reached the 100-point mark for the third year in a row, and the fifth time in his career. His 121 points helped him win a second straight Art Ross Trophy, down from his 144-point performance in 2023-24, and the third of his career. The Russian winger was also awarded the Ted Lindsay Award for a second time.

Kucherov is rated 96 in the latest installment of the biggest hockey video game franchise of all time. He’s trailed closely by Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak, who has a 94 rating. Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantatan and Florida Panthers star Sam Reinhart are tied for third with ratings of 93. William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs) and former teammate Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights) are tied for fifth with 92 ratings. Utah Mammoth star Clayton Keller is rated 90, good for seventh on the board, while Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings), Kirill Marchenko (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Mark Stone round out the top 10 with 89 ratings.

EA Sports player ratings help set the quality of each player in the league, which in turn affects abilities on the ice during gameplay, along with how well they perform during modes like 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.