Two generations of Tkachuks are on the Deluxe Edition cover of NHL 26

PublishedAugust 6, 2025 5:00 PM EDT•UpdatedAugust 6, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

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After back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, it’s high time that a Florida Panther was back on the cover of a video game, and that is happening as it was recently announced that Cats star Matthew Tkachuk will be on the cover of this year’s game.

However, considering he comes from a legendary American hockey family, EA Sports has unveiled a very cool deluxe edition of the game.

First, let’s take a look at the game. Sports video games are always weird because they come out every year, so you typically see marginal changes and upgrades to the previous one. That said, I usually put myself on an every-two-years-or-so schedule, and since the last one I bought was NHL 24, I might be on the hook for this puppy.

Lots of cool stuff in that trailer. You’ve got plenty of big names, some PWHL action, and even Mitch Marner in Golden Knights gear.

Could’ve done without Sidney Crosby going top-shelf on my Flyers, though. That was uncalled for.

It’s looking like a solid entry into the NHL series, and perhaps when I’m done crushing my fiancée’s dreams of winning Mario Kart: World races, I’ll scoop up a copy.

Speaking of which, that trailer unveiled the special deluxe edition, which features Tkachuk, along with his brother, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, and his old man, Keith Tkachuk.

That’s pretty damn cool, and a well-deserved honor for Keith, who is somehow criminally underrated. He should probably be a Hall of Famer, but I guess this video game cover will have to do for now.

This is the second year in a row that EA Sports has offered a special edition of the game focused on family. Last year, brothers Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils were on the cover of NHL 25, depending on which region the game was sold in.

A deluxe edition of the game featured both of them, plus their third brother, Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, on the cover.