Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko headline top 10 rated Canucks in EA Sports NHL 26

We’re just a couple of weeks away from EA Sports releasing NHL 26, the 35th edition of the best-selling hockey video game of all time.

With vast improvements in artificial intelligence, Be a Pro, goaltender movements, and more, many are excited about how the new game will play.

Along with improvements in gameplay, the Vancouver Canucks have some of the highest-rated players in the new game.

Here are the top-10 rated Canucks in NHL 26:

1. Quinn Hughes (D, 95 overall)

To very few people’s surprise, Hughes is the highest-rated Canuck in the game. The team’s captain is the highest-rated left-handed defenceman in NHL 26, sharing a 95 rating with Colorado Avalanche defender and reigning Norris Trophy winner, Cale Makar.

Hughes is tied with Makar as the fifth-highest-rated player in the game overall, just a couple of points back of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, rated 97 overall.

Hughes’ passing, agility and offensive awareness are all listed at 97, while his overall speed and puck control are up to a 96 rating. Regarding his abilities in his own zone, Hughes has a defensive awareness of 93, but is just an 83 for shot blocking and 86 for stick checking.

2. Thatcher Demko (G, 88 overall)

Also receiving some high praise in the virtual world is Thatcher Demko. Even after a tough 2024-25 season, which saw the Vezina Trophy runner-up battle injuries and inconsistent play, he remains one of the highest-ranked goaltenders in the game. After possessing a 91 rating in NHL 25, Demko has been knocked down to an 88 rating, tied for eighth with Nashville Predators backstop Juuse Saros.

Of his attributes, Demko excels in his angles (92), while his rebound control and shot recovery each score 91.

3. Elias Pettersson (C, 87 overall)

The elder Elias Pettersson also saw his overall rating drop after a rough season. The Swede was a 91, tied for eighth among centremen, in NHL 25. This year, Pettersson is down to an 87, tied for the 99th-best overall. If he can have a bounce-back, healthy 2025-26 campaign, Canucks fans can expect that rating to pop up.

Pettersson only has a few attributes over 90, with his slapshot power (91) and wrist shot power (90) complementing his puck control (91) and deking abilities (90).

4. Filip Hronek (D, 86 overall)

Hronek may have had a slight bump from NHL 25, where the right-handed blueliner had an 87 rating, but there’s nothing wrong with where the Czech veteran is at now. An injury-riddled 2024-25 season has left many hoping that a healthier Hronek will have a bigger impact with the Canucks, potentially pushing the team back into playoff contention.

Hronek’s booming shot is being replicated in the virtual world, as his slapshot power boasts a 93 rating, complemented by a respectable wrist shot power of 90. Defensively, his awareness scored an 88 in the game, with his overall strength marked at an 87.

5. Brock Boeser (RW, 86 overall)

Remember a few months ago when we weren’t even sure that Boeser would be on a list like this? Regardless, fans are hoping that a new contract for the Minnesota native will lead to him rediscovering the scoring touch that led to Boeser notching 40 goals during the 2023-24 season. Boeser fell from an 87 rating in NHL 25.

Even to the naked eye, Boeser’s shot is one of his strengths. That’s highlighted in the new game, as his wrist shot power has increased to 93, with slap shot power and accuracy both reaching at least 90 ratings.

6. Conor Garland (RW, 86 overall)

The first of this group Canucks to have a bump in ratings, Garland is hoping he can continue to pile on the points in Vancouver. The winger from Massachusetts was an 85 in last year’s game, but his rating was bumped after posting 19 goals and 50 points in 81 games last season, Garland’s highest point total since the 2021-22 campaign.

Garland’s playmaking abilities are highlighted in the game, with a passing rating of 90 and offensive awareness of 89. He also has a high balance of 92, with acceleration and agility of 88.

7. Marcus Pettersson (D, 85 overall)

One of the defensive Petterssons on the Vancouver roster, Marcus, provided stability to the top-four amid unusual and, dare we say, uncomfortable circumstances when he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Given the fact that he’ll be starting the new campaign with the Canucks, Pettersson hopes to improve on what was a promising 2024-25.

Petterson’s defensive awareness is rated 92, proving what made him an exceptional penalty killer during his abbreviated season with Vancouver. His durability is rated at an 87, matching his endurance.

8. Jake DeBrusk (LW, 85 overall)

The highest-rated left winger on the team, DeBrusk is level with his score from NHL 25, the first edition featuring the Edmonton native on the Canucks roster. While the team around him didn’t have the best of seasons, DeBrusk scored a career-high 28 goals in 2024-25, with his 48 points being the second-best performance of his NHL career.

DeBrusk’s wrist shot accuracy and offensive awareness are his two best attributes, both rated at 90, with solid speed and acceleration scores of 87.

9. Filip Chytil (C, 84 overall)

Chytil struggled to stay healthy during the 2024-25 season. Even after he was dealt to the Canucks in late January, the Czech centre appeared in just 15 games with his new team. There’s plenty of optimism that, if healthy, Chytil can provide depth down the middle in Vancouver and find similar production that he had during his time with the New York Rangers.

Chytil’s speed is his most revealing attribute in NHL 26, as he has an acceleration of 90 and an overall speed of 88. He also has solid ratings for deking and puck control, both of which come in at 89.

10. Evander Kane (LW, 84 overall)

One of the biggest acquisitions by the Canucks this offseason, fans hope Kane brings a little more experience and secondary scoring to his hometown team. Coming off a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final with the Oilers, helping oust Vancouver in the second round in 2024, Kane knows what it takes to make a deep run in the postseason.

With scoring being his strong suit in the real world, Kane has 89 ratings for slapshot power, wrist shot power, and accuracy. He also has a body checking rating of 91, his strength and aggression scores sitting at 88 and 87, respectively.

Check out the video version of the top-10 Canucks rated in EA Sports NHL 26 here: