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EA Sports player ratings: NHL 19 ranks five Capitals players in top 50

By Brennin Weiswerda

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August 28, 2018 5:36 pm

EA Sports has released the rankings for the top 50 players in the soon to be released NHL 19. Five Washington Capitals player made the list, with Conn Smythe winner Alex Ovechkin placing third overall.

Braden Holtby is the third highest ranked goaltender after Carey Price (5th) and Sergei Bobrovsky (11th). Ovechkin is still the highest-ranked left winger. Despite a breakthrough season, Evgeny Kuznetzov did not break the top 30 (32nd). John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom both received ratings of 88, placing them 41st and 42nd respectively.

If it seems like the overall player rankings are lower this year, it’s because they are. EA Sports wanted to make more room for growth during the season. Connor McDavid is the only player at 94, Sidney Crosby is alone at second with 93, and Ovechkin ties with only Drew Doughty and Carey Price with 92. Cover athlete PK Subban received an 88.

Here’s how EA Sports explains the rankings for the Capitals who made the list:

42. Nicklas Backstrom – 88

Make no mistake about it, Niklas Backstrom [sic] has proven himself to be a force at the center-ice position as one of the top 5 premier passers in NHL 19. His stats indicate he can contribute at a point-per-game pace, and the durable Swede has stayed healthy through his 10-year career, missing just a handful of games due to injury. Having won the Stanley Cup last year, there’s no doubt that Backstrom will have a spring in his skates with an 88-overall rating this season.

41. John Carlson – 88

Sizeable and highly-skilled, John Carlson mixes a shutdown style with offensive prowess, a toolbox that contributes to his overall rating of 88. Carlson’s well-rounded game and high hockey IQ have helped him achieve greatness with the Washington Capitals – namely winning last year’s Stanley Cup.

32. Evgeny Kuznetzov – 89

As the leading scorer in last year’s playoffs, playmaker Evgeny Kuznetsov’s 32 points were critical in helping the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup. Known for his offensive prowess and a brash style of play, his bird-walk goal celebration is famous league-wide, and the versatile center/right winger can contribute in multiple ways as one of the top 10 fastest skaters in NHL 19. With an 89-overall rating, Kuznetsov is sure to be a force this year.

12. Braden Holtby – 91

Three-time All-Star and 2016 Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby backstopped the Washington Capitals to hockey’s greatest achievement last year when they won the Stanley Cup. Playing with a Hybrid style, Holtby’s overall rating of 91 puts him in elite territory as one of the game’s top three goalies.

3. Alex Ovechkin – 92

Already one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history, last year Alexander Ovechkin captured the one prize that had eluded him, the Stanley Cup. Ovechkin’s mixture of size and skill equals a uniquely-gifted player, one with first-class ratings like 94 wrist shot power and 95 slapshot power in tandem with a body checking rating of 91. All of these help Ovechkin contribute on multiple fronts, and having led the league in goal scoring seven times, Ovechkin is NHL 19’s best Sniper.

The same five Capitals who made the list for NHL 17 are back again.

The changes from last year’s NHL 18 show that Nicklas Backstrom has slid from 17th to 42nd, Holtby has gone up from 15th to 12th, and Ovechkin has gone up from 5th to 3rd. (In NHL 18, Kuznetzov and Carlson fell off the list completely.)

NHL 19 is loaded with new features, with outdoor games, customizable clothing, 1v1, and NHL Legends. The game will be available worldwide on September 13th, but preorders can be placed now.

Photos: EA Sports

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