NHL 23, the latest video game collaboration between EA Sports and the National Hockey League, will be released on October 14 and can be preordered now.

Thursday, EA Sports released the first trailer of the game. The 1:42 video features cameos by cover athletes, Trevor Zegras and Sarah Nurse, and is inspired by Twitch streaming and online gaming.

According to a release from EA Sports, the Frostbite engine returns for a second straight year “bringing whole new levels of visual immersion to the game.”

The release continues, “From electrifying new OT Winner, Hat Trick and Shootout celebrations that will hype you up, to raucous stadiums with overhauled levels of Crowd Awareness and Moment to Moment Reactions, NHL 23 has the most authentic in-game atmosphere in franchise history. A whole new series of Last Chance Puck Movement gameplay animations add even more excitement to the game, with over 500 new Stumble Action animations, loose puck plays, and enhanced goalie AI.”

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reports that the way the crowd interacts in games is enhanced and more intuitive. “The crowd will respond based on the actual game situation,” Wysh said in a tweet. “A blowout at home? You’ll be booed off the ice. Crowd will get louder and louder during a long cycle in the attacking zone.”

Hat trick celebrations will also feature a lot more hats.

Footage of Digi Alex Ovechkin, which is usually a hallmark of every NHL video game trailer, was not included in this year’s video.

ALL CAPS are Greater Together in #NHL23

Watch the full @EASPORTSNHL reveal trailer at the link ⬇️

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) August 25, 2022

How does the game look to you? Are you buying?

Here’s the press release from EA Sports and the NHL:

EA SPORTS NHL 23 Brings Players Together with Most Socially Connected Chel Experience Ever and Adds Women’s Players to Ultimate Team, Coming October 14
First Woman on NHL Cover as Team Canada’s Sarah Nurse Joins Anaheim Ducks Phenom Trevor Zegras; The Most Customizable NHL Game Yet Becomes Even More Accessible for Fans of the Franchise

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Aug. 25, 2022 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) is bringing hockey fans together with EA SPORTS™ NHL® 23, the most authentic and immersive NHL game ever, coming to current-gen consoles PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as PlayStation®4 and Xbox One on Oct. 14, 2022. NHL 23 is greater together and will bring an all-new level of social play never before seen in the franchise when cross-platform matchmaking comes to the game in November 2022, allowing matchmaking between players of the same platform generation in World of Chel and Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). Powered by the Frostbite™ engine, NHL 23 brings fans new levels of authenticity with gameplay improvements that include over 500 new last chance playmaking animations, living arenas and atmosphere, deep franchise-mode customization and new ways to play HUT, including the addition of IIHF Women’s National Teams in HUT, allowing the best women’s and men’s players in the world to compete on one lineup.

EA SPORTS has also revealed two cover athletes for NHL 23 that represent an exciting new generation of hockey talent—Anaheim Ducks phenom Trevor Zegras and Canadian professional hockey and women’s national team member Sarah Nurse, the first woman to grace the cover of EA SPORTS NHL.

“It is such a tremendous honor to be the first woman on the cover of the EA SPORTS NHL franchise,” said Sarah Nurse of Team Canada. “Hockey is really for everybody and I’m excited that NHL 23 is celebrating the diversity and inclusivity of the sport. I hope that the increased representation of women in such a prominent game will inspire young girls everywhere to know that there is a place for them in hockey.”

“As someone who has played EA SPORTS NHL since I was kid, it is a dream come true to be on the cover this year with Sarah,” said Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks. “I can’t wait to play this year’s version with my friends and teammates, and I am equally excited to see fans unleash my Michigan flip pass, which the team at EA SPORTS has managed to get into the game.”

In a historic first, IIHF Women’s National Team members can now play alongside men in a Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) lineup, allowing players to make their dream team of the sport’s best players. After their introduction last year, national teams will continue to play a prominent role in NHL 23, as national team players will have both base and master items incorporated into HUT events. In addition, players can now compete in a variety of new rotating game themes in HUT Rivals. NHL 23 also introduces three additional tiers of HUT Rivals Rewards based on win or win streaks.

“With teamplay as its heartbeat, the NHL franchise has always been best when played with friends, and this year’s edition will bring players together in whole new ways,” said Mike Inglehart, Creative Director at EA Vancouver. “From the ever-growing presence of women players in the game to the coming introduction of cross-platform matchmaking, NHL 23 reflects hockey’s expanding fanbase and emphasizes that it is a sport best experienced together.”

For the second year, the EA SPORTS NHL franchise returns to the legendary Frostbite™ engine, bringing whole new levels of visual immersion to the game. From electrifying new OT Winner, Hat Trick and Shootout celebrations that will hype you up, to raucous stadiums with overhauled levels of Crowd Awareness and Moment to Moment Reactions, NHL 23 has the most authentic in-game atmosphere in franchise history. A whole new series of Last Chance Puck Movement gameplay animations add even more excitement to the game, with over 500 new Stumble Action animations, loose puck plays and enhanced goalie AI.

NHL 23 will solidify itself as a best-in-class social experience with the introduction of cross-platform matchmaking, currently planned for November 2022. The launch of cross-platform matchmaking across same-generation consoles for World of Chel and HUT will shorten queue times and create fewer player pools to ensure players will have more options to face off. More information can be found here.

Franchise Mode returns to NHL 23 with unprecedented levels of league customization, bringing an all-new level of versatility to the game, including adjustments to the numbers of teams, games played, divisions, conferences, playoff rounds, league salary cap and more.

EA SPORTS NHL is continuing to offer HUT content migration to ensure a smooth experience for players across console generations. Following a November update, players who start playing NHL 23 on PlayStation®4 or Xbox One will be able to transfer their HUT Team value and progress to the next generation of their respective platforms in PlayStation®5 or Xbox Series X|S.

Fans that pre-order NHL 23 will get a variety of bonus in-game content. The EA SPORTS NHL 23 X-Factor Edition includes the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 or Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, three days of early access, 4600 NHL Points, one HUT X-Factor Player Choice Pack, HUT X-Factor Power-Up Starter Pack, X-Factor Women’s HUT Choice Pack, five World of Chel X-Factor Zone Ability Unlocks, two Be A Pro X-Factor Slot Unlocks and XP Boost and Bonus Trait Points, and a signed Sarah Nurse World of Chel Jersey. All pre-order editions and information can be found here.

EA Play members can get more out of NHL 23 with three days of early access, and member-only rewards throughout the season. Visit the EA Play website for more information.

Developed by EA Vancouver and EA Bucharest, EA SPORTS NHL 23 will be available on Oct. 14, 2022 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. For more information on EA SPORTS NHL, visit http://www.easports.com/NHL.

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Headline photo: NHL 23 cover courtesy of EA Sports