Well, here we are. Another school year is upon us, meaning The Puck Drop is back! While the NHL does not officially start until the midway point of October, there has been significant offseason news to digest.
On Aug. 22, the NHL and EA Sports announced that the trio of brothers composed of Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes will be the cover athletes of the NHL 25 video game.
While these siblings have not been in the league as long as some athletes were before gracing the beloved video game’s cover, they have taken their teams by storm through their own evolved way of playing hockey.
Quinn Hughes currently serves as the captain of the Vancouver Canucks. Since being named to this role, Quinn Hughes brought his team to playoff contention in the past season.
Quinn Hughes is a first-line defenseman for the Canucks, but still provides the offensive depth his team needs from the blue line. This past season, he notched 17 goals and 75 assists for 92 points.
Another important consideration is that he was named the 2024 Norris Trophy winner at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas. This prestigious award is given to the NHL’s top defenseman every year.
On the other hand, Jack and Luke both play for the New Jersey Devils. Even with the Devils being plagued by injuries and issues with goaltending, the siblings were integral members of the Devils for the 2023-2024 campaign.
Jack, an alternate captain for the Devils, is a force to be reckoned with on the face-off dot and around the crease. In his 2023-2024 season, he scored 27 goals and 47 assists, chalking up 74 points.
Luke, a defenseman for the Devils, was a Calder Trophy contender at the 2024 NHL Awards in Las Vegas. With the injuries the Devils suffered this past season, Luke was a constant the team needed, especially at the blue line. He is a physical, multi-faceted player, as well as a fast skater skilled with the puck on the offensive end.
When Luke was chosen by the New Jersey Devils as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NHL entry draft, the Hughes family made history, as they were the first American family to all be chosen in the first round of the draft.
The new ICE-Q gameplay system represents a foundational shift in how players will experience the game, with its deep intelligence giving them complete control of the ice.
Mike Inglehart, a senior game design director at EA Sports Vancouver
They make history again this month as the first brothers to be featured on the cover of an EA sports video game.
Inspired by the Hughes’ revolutionary hockey play, the video game is now generated by a logic-built system called “ICE-Q.”
“The new ICE-Q gameplay system represents a foundational shift in how players will experience the game, with its deep intelligence giving them complete control of the ice” said Mike Inglehart, a senior game design director at EA Sports Vancouver, to the NHL.
According to a press release from the NHL, “Next-Gen Vision Control skating allows players to walk the blue line, square up to the puck carrier, stay locked on goal and much more. The empowered AI helps players execute authentic plays with a refreshed playbook that improves power plays and opens the ice for better overall positioning and offensive opportunities.”
EA is also using new animations for players to have more realistic reactions and be more attentive to various game sequences.
This new edition is set to be the most coveted video this year after the recent addition of EA Sports College Football.
Should you wish to buy it, the game is expected to be on shelves on Oct. 4 for Play Station 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Jack and Quinn will each get their own covers, and then a Deluxe version will include all three brothers on the cover.