Auston Matthews named NHL 22 Cover Athlete

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar center Auston Matthews was named the cover athlete for EA Sports NHL 22. This is the second time the young center has been featured on the cover of the NHL video game franchise, the first being on NHL 20. Some people are outraged with the fact that Matthews has been featured on the cover twice in the past three years, skipping out on players like Carey Price, Nathan Mackinnon, David Pastrnak and more. However, it makes sense for the reigning Maurice Rocket Richard trophy and the best player on the most popular team to be on the cover.

Regardless of who is on the cover, NHL 22 is set to be an exciting game with several new features announced during the trailer. The first being the upgraded Frostbite engine that will improve the quality of the gameplay, produce higher frame rates, introduce high dynamic range lighting and much more. NHL 22 now joins FIFA and Madden as sports games with Frostbite. On top of that, NHL 22 will have x-factors that add unique skills and abilities for the top players in the league. For example, cover star Auston Matthews’ x-factor is the “Shock and Awe” which showcases his quick and effective shot. 

Overall, NHL 22 looks like a very intriguing game with many new and exciting features.