EA Sports NHL 22 to have New York Rangers’ player on cover

For the first time since 1995, EA Sports will have a player from the New York Rangers on its cover. Alexei Kovalev was the last player from the Rangers to do so.

Earlier today, the company released a teaser trailer for NHL 22 that showed the Rangers’ center ice logo and a quick glimpse of the player, but the viewer cannot see the back of his jersey. The official trailer will be revealed on August 19th at 11 A.M. Eastern Time. From there, we will find out who exactly he is.

One major detail that fans are able to catch is the fact that the player has a right-handed shot. Therefore, it surely means that players like Alexis Lafrenière and Chris Kreider aren’t in the running. Yet, that is not all too surprising, as Lafrenière is just getting his career started and Kreider is not the most marketable of players.

When looking at the righties on their roster, it is clear that the Rangers have three realistic possibilities for the cover. Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad are all are worthy candidates. They each are fantastic hockey players who are integral pieces of the team. Jacob Trouba is a very solid defenseman, but much like Kreider, he is not a big enough name to warrant the cover.

Let’s take a look into each player in alphabetical order by last name and then make a final prediction.

Adam Fox

Adam Fox emerged as a legitimate top-pair defenseman this season, so he automatically is a possibility in theory. The 23-year-old had five goals and 47 points in 55 games. He was just one point behind Tyson Barrie for the league lead among defensemen. Yet, what was even more impressive about Fox was the fact that he still was extremely dependable when it came to his defense. All of this is what made him win the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

This type of season alone makes Fox a potential candidate for the cover. It sometimes is hard to remember that he is heading into only his third NHL season with how much poise and overall skill he possesses. He is becoming an immensely popular name in the league too because of this.

In 125 games so far, he has 13 goals, 76 assists and 89 points. Those are some pretty impressive point totals for a young defenseman with that amount of overall experience.

Artemi Panarin

Since entering the NHL during the 2015-16 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Artemi Panarin has been a star. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie and has not slowed down since. With the Rangers, however, he has taken his game to an entirely new level and is easily one of the top talents in the entire sport.

During his first season with the Rangers, Panarin scored 32 goals and had 95 points in just 69 games. Had he played an entire 82-game campaign, he easily would have hit the 100-point plateau at that pace. He also was still dominant this season, as he scored 17 goals and had 58 points in just 42 games. He is the best offensive player on the roster, so naturally, he is a definite possibility to be on the cover.

When looking at his production during his entire career, it is apparent that he’s been the most successful out of the bunch offensively. In 433 games between the Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Rangers, he has scored 165 goals and recorded 473 points. Those are immensely impressive statistics and there’s only more to come.

Mika Zibanejad

Over the last three seasons, Mika Zibanejad has blossomed into a true first-line center with the Rangers. It is exactly why the Rangers will need to extend him as soon as possible. With the team last season, he scored 21 goals in his final 29 games after a very tough start to the year. He would end up having 24 goals and 50 points in 56 games.

His 2019-20 season, though, is enough for him to receive real consideration in my opinion. In 57 games, he scored a whopping 41 goals, while also having 75 total points. It is hard to find a center who can score as much as Zibanejad when he is on the top of his game. It is exactly what has made him turn into such a real talent.

In 604 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators and Rangers, Zibanejad has 200 goals, 234 assists and 434 points. However, it is important to remember that he was a late-bloomer when it came to becoming a legitimate first-line forward.

Final prediction

Any of these three would be acceptable to see on the cover, but at the end of the day, Panarin seems the most likely. Another key detail from the teaser is that the skater is wearing CCM skates, which he uses. Fox and Zibanejad, on the other hand, sport Bauer skates. This is all confirmed by Gear Geek.

If the game is 100% accurate with the equipment players use, Panarin will be the guy. Yet, when seeing as how they focus on the player’s skates, it seems as though that they are purposely giving us that hint.

Out of the three, Panarin is arguably the most recognizable and popular, so it ultimately would make sense if it officially comes into fruition. We will find the truth out in just two days.