Each season, EA Sports puts out their annual edition of their NHL video game, this season’s known as NHL 24. Although not as popular as EA’s other sport based games, NHL, or colloquially “Chel”, has something of its own cult following.
Among the points of interest are always the individual player ratings, dropping in tandem with a myriad of other lists of such nature as the NHL season lies on a not too distant horizon. Although the explosion of awareness around statistical data has changed and continues to change our ability to quantify player impact, these rankings provide a different attempt at objectivity. If nothing else, these ratings might broadly synthesise the court of public opinion.
Practically speaking, the game gives players grades in a multitude of areas: offensively, defensively, physically, and mentally out of 100, coming out to an overall player rating. In fact, these ratings only go to 99, meaning a rating of 100 in any one particular attribute or as an overall is impossible.
Let’s take a look at where each Edmonton Oilers ranks.
90+ rating
- Connor McDavid – 97
- Leon Draisaitl – 95
What else should we expect from two of the world’s finest? Connor McDavid remains the highest rated player at a symbolic 97, while Leon Draisaitl lags behind by the slimmest of margins at 95. The NHL video games are quite deliberate with such high ratings, as some of the best players in real life fail to crack a rating of 90.
In fact, after McDavid, Draisaitl is in a four way tie for the second highest in the game at 95, along with Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and David Pastrnak. Clearly this is rarefied air, but it is no surprise to see the supreme talents of McDavid and Draisaitl are well documented here.
85 to 89 rating
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 88
- Zach Hyman – 87
- Darnell Nurse – 87
- Mattias Ekholm – 87
- Evan Bouchard – 85
- Evander Kane – 85
As far as video games are concerned, players with a rating in the high 80s are great, worthy of top usage as a true starting goalie, a true top-four defenceman, or a true top-six forward, if not beyond. Perhaps an indication of the Oilers overall depth, having six players ranked in the high 80s, not including McDavid and Draisaitl, is quite formidable.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a great player, though coming off a career season likely has his rating more inflated than in years past. Although less heralded as a prospect, Zach Hyman is every bit as good a player as Nugent-Hopkins at this point, a fact which he has proven beyond doubt since signing in Edmonton.
It was not all good news for the Oilers last season, including for Evander Kane who logged a lot of time lost to injuries. A down season is sure to depress a players rating, especially with players into their 30s. There might be some doubt as to whether or not Kane’s best hockey is behind him, although he still brings a rare combination and quality of skills to the ice.
Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm come in tied for the highest rated defenceman on the team at 87. Evan Bouchard is not far behind at 85, after something of a breakout season in 2022–23. If nothing else, Bouchard will see his point totals inflated by his ascension to the top power play role, which alone could propel his rating to greater heights in the seasons ahead.
80 to 84 rating
- Stuart Skinner – 84
- Connor Brown – 83
- Jack Campbell – 83
- Cody Ceci – 82
- Warren Foegele – 81
- Brett Kulak – 80
- Mattias Janmark – 80
- Ryan McLeod – 80
Players ranked in the low 80s in the NHL video games are ideal for third lines, middle-six forward lines, third defence pairings, or backup goaltenders. They are good enough to contribute to the team in their own right, but can contribute to the team even more so by adding some synergy to their prospective linemates.
Both Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell find themselves here, essentially named as “1B” goalies or tandem options. With ratings of 84 and 83 respectively, they are unquestionably not among the league’s 10 best, but together they might be strong enough for the Oilers to succeed. Although most would prefer Skinner to Campbell, it would not be surprising to see a fairly even split between the two, and in fact the Oilers should not hesitate to favour a hot hand while they can.
Alternatively, Skinner has surpassed expectations for the past four seasons or so, and this year might be no different. If Skinner is able to continue a steep climb in effectiveness he might start pushing further up such rankings. There are bound to be some ups and downs, but Skinner has likely outperformed any ranking these video games have ever given him.
The Oilers depth at forward shines here, with four forwards rated in the low 80s. Warren Foegele represents a fairly consistent standard here at an 81, with newcomer Connor Brown rated a bit higher at an 83. Ryan McLeod continued to take positive steps, acquitting himself nicely as a full time third line centre last season, enough to earn an 80 rating. Perhaps surprisingly, Mattias Janmark earned an equal grade, after failing to make last season’s team out of training camp. Janmark is a reliable presence, and his consistency throughout the seasons likely helps his cause.
The Oilers have two defencemen in this bracket, Cody Ceci at an 83 and Brett Kulak at an 80. Both are quite well rounded, and are comfortable options on a quality blueline. Ceci might be rated a bit lower than his coaches would seem to think, as he has been entrusted with what is essentially a top pairing role for the duration of his time in Edmonton.
75 to 79 rating
Derek Ryan – 79
Philip Broberg – 79
Dylan Holloway – 78
Drake Caggiula – 77
Seth Griffith – 76
Lane Pederson – 75
Vincent Desharnais – 75
Players ranked in the 70s are essentially role players, fourth liners, or potential scratches, good for filling out the last pieces of a roster. Ideally, the healthy lineup of a true contender might have no players rated below 80, but in reality these players are crucial to victory in their own ways.
Most interesting are the ratings for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, two younger players who have yet to fully earn a regular lineup spot with the Oilers. Both got their feet wet, playing limited roles for most of last season, and have a lot of salient attributes. Both are big, fast, skilled, and generally have all the physical tools to have earned higher ratings, but have yet to prove themselves. These ratings illustrate their being on the cusp of this legitimate status, making for wonderful built-in x-factors for an Oilers team that is already fancied a legitimate contender.
On the other end of the spectrum is Vincent Desharnais. Although he was a rookie last season as well, Desharnais is in his late 20s. Because of this, many will write him off, as the rating might be an indication of here. Desharnais has his obvious limitations on the ice, but his contributions last season were undeniable, and had a profound effect on the Oilers overall game last season. Based on his work last season he deserves a much better rating than 75, one which is hardly worthy of a regular roster spot. If anything, this rating is a bet that Desharnais’ effectiveness last season will not be replicated.
Derek Ryan is an odds defying, play controlling, undersized, cerebral forward with positional flexibility. The veteran frequently plays above what is expected of him, even making himself indispensable to the Oilers third line in last season’s playoffs.
There is some hope for Lane Pederson as a fourth line centre, but he finds himself amidst some veteran journeymen in Drake Caggiula and Seth Griffith. Griffith is the least likely of the group to play in the NHL going forward, but will more than likely be the highest scorer in the AHL, a funny paradox. In truth, in a more limited role teams will try to look for certain traits, like aggressiveness or physicality of Pederson, or the speed and penalty killing of Caggiula.
Not included are some players hoping still to make the team out of training camp, or at least put themselves in good standing for any potential call ups in the future. This group of players left off of the video game’s default Oilers roster includes Raphael Lavoie, Xavier Bourgault, Markus Niemelainen, Philip Kemp, and PTO Adam Erne. These players are likely all rated in the 70s.
Putting together a lineup
To bring it all together it helps to visualise these ratings within the current lineup.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
