NHL All-Stars Who Have Never Been on the Cover of an NHL Video Game; Part 1

Get ready to discover five NHL players who have never graced the cover of an NHL video game. Prepare to be surprised by this lineup of talented players who have never received this honor.

This will be a two-part series here on The Hockey News Gaming site with a part two to come at a later date.

There is a long list of future Hall of Famers who have never been on a cover. Some are slowly nearing the end of their careers, some are in their prime, and we have a few goalies who deserved to be cover athletes at some point.

Sidney Crosby

The first and biggest name on our list is one of the greatest players of all time — Sidney Crosby.

Crosby is a very private person outside of the rink so it makes sense that he has never been on a cover during his luscious career. EA Sports you have to think has approached him before asking him to be a cover athlete for their game, which he probably declined.

A three-time Stanley Cup Champion (2009, 2016, and 2017), two-time Art Ross, Conn Smythe, Ted Lindsay, Hart, and Rocket Richard Trophy winner. 1,004 career assists and 1,596 points in 1,272 career games. There is no reason for him not to be on the cover of an NHL game unless he declines to be.

Nikita Kucherov

There’s still lots of time for Tampa Bay Lightning superstar forward Nikita Kucherov to be a cover athlete, as the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner is one of the league’s deadliest players.

You think Kucherov putting up 66 points in 48 playoff games en route to winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 would’ve sealed the deal and put him on the cover for NHL 21 or NHL 22? Instead, EA Sports had Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews make their second appearance on the cover.

The same could be asked regarding Kucherov as we mentioned with Crosby. Does Kucherov want to be on a cover and go through the press and photoshoots it comes with? He’s not a very vocal guy — outside of when he beat Montreal in the Cup Finals and the beers were flowing — and he may not care to be a cover athlete.

Alas, his career and accolades absolutely warrant him a spot on the cover of an NHL video game. On top of those two Stanley Cups, he’s won the Art Ross Trophy twice, won the Hart in 2019, and was the runner-up for the Conn Smythe in 2020 and 2021.

Erik Karlsson

Crosby’s teammate in Pittsburgh, Erik Karlsson, has been a surprise omission from being a cover athlete. The Swedish defenseman is among the top offensive blueliners in the league, a position he has held for more than ten years. No defenseman has recorded more points (791) and has a higher point per game (0.84) than him from 2010 to 2024.

Karlsson was the conductor of the Ottawa Senators’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017. He doesn’t have much playoff experience — only 67 games and six playoff seasons in his 15-year career — which could be a reason for never being on the cover, along with his at times questionable defensive play.

However, he’s a three-time James Norris Trophy winner (2012, 2015, and 2023), and was the runner-up for the award in 2016 and 2017.

Victor Hedman

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman has been regarded as one of the NHL’s most well-rounded defensemen for nearly a decade now. During the 2022-23 season, it looked like age was starting to catch up to him, but he turned back the clock last season and showed that age is just a number for the towering Swedish blueliner.

Hedman has been to three Stanley Cup Finals and won two with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020 and has been nominated for the James Norris Trophy six times, winning its honors in 2018.

From 2010 to 2024, he has the third-most points amongst defensemen (708), and the third-best plus/minus rating (plus-178). Additionally, his 117 playoff points in that frame are 37 more than the second most (Cale Makar with 80 but in 93 fewer games!).

Marc-Andre Fleury

Only two goaltenders have ever had a solo cover on an NHL video game. Florida Panthers John Vanbiesbrouck was the first on NHL 97 and the last was Martin Brodeur on NHL 14. But how has Marc-Andre Fleury never been on the cover?

Related: Marc-Andre Fleury’s career ratings in EA NHL games

Fleury doesn’t have the accolades like Brodeur, but how many times have you heard a young goalie today say that their favorite goaltender growing up to watch was The Flower? He’s been a beloved player for ages and his fun personality off the ice would have provided endless ideas and content for EA Sports during their push to sell copies of their game with him on the cover.

There’s no doubt he’s a Hall of Famer when his career ends. A three-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins alongside his buddy Crosby and has recorded the most games played (1,004) and wins (557) from 2005 to 2024. Fleury surprisingly has won only one Vezina Trophy in his career (2021 with Vegas), which is the only time he has been nominated for the award.

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