Not surprisingly, Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid leads all rookies in ratings for the upcoming NHL 16 video game from EA Sports.
McDavid, the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft this summer, has been given a player rating of 82. While this is high for a rookie, it is still far below top players like Sidney Crosby, who is the top player overall with a 96.
This is not McDavid’s debut in an EA NHL video game. As an OHL player, he has appeared before, but his top selection in the draft has prompted an upward revision in his rating this year. The draft’s No. 2 pick, Jack Eichel, as an NCAA player, has not appeared in the game before, and so he does not have rating yet.
The player ratings, compiled from over 20 individual skill rankings, are done with the help of pro scouts. They have come to be closely watched by industry analysts, fans, and even the players themselves, who sometimes comment publicly on whether or not they feel their rating is correct.
After McDavid, the top rookies listed for NHL 16 are:
Emile Poirier, Calgary, 80; Oliver Bjorkstrand, Columbus, 80; Mackenzie Skapski, New York Rangers, 80; Ronalds Kenins, Vancouver, 80; Nick Ritchie, Anaheim, 79; Ryan Hartman, Chicago, 79; Ryan Pulock, New York Islanders, 79; Ivan Barbashev, St. Louis, 79; Connor Brown, Toronto, 79; Jake Virtanen, Vancouver, 79; Madison Bowey, Washington, 79; Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg, 79; Nic Petan, Winnipeg, 79; Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg, 79; and Shea Theodore, Anaheim, 78.
Erie centre Dylan Strome, taken third overall by the Arizona Coyotes, gets a 77. London Knights centre Mitch Marner, the fourth overall pick taken by the Maple Leafs, is a 74.
NHL 16 is due out Sept. 15th for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Check out our Hands-On Preview here.
SOURCE: EA Sports NHL 16 Player Ratings