EA NHL players had a busy year, scoring over 1 billion goals and recreating gripping Stanley Cup matches between the Lightning and the Avalanche more than any others. These stats and more come from EA Sports’ year-in-gaming report for 2022, which gives an overview of trends and popular teams from across the NHL franchise.
The Lightning vs. the Colorado Avalanche was the most popular matchup of the year, hardly surprising given it was part of the gripping Stanley Cup finals. The Avalanche and Lightning were also the most popular teams, with the Maple Leafs and Oilers close behind.
Auston Matthews is the player who scored the most goals, and Canada was the top women’s national team, followed by the United States and Finland – all of which also featured prominently in NHL 23’s rankings.
In Ultimate Team mode, Auson Matthews again found himself as the most popular player, followed by Luke Prokop, Ethan Bear, and Charlie McAvoy.
And if you found yourself getting matches in NHL 23 more easily this year, it’s likely not a coincidence. Across the entire EA said that across the entire EA and EA Sports family of games, the publisher saw millions of new players join in, with 27 percent coming from Asia, 25 percent from Europe, and 12 percent from the United States.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
