“He’s a tone-setter, a leader, and now a cover star. Matthew Tkachuk is the face of #NHL26,” the National Hockey League announced on social media. Alongside that bold caption was the cover image of the EA Sports NHL 26 video game, featuring the Florida Panthers star. The image captured back-to-back Stanley Cup winner and Johnny Gaudreau’s former teammate hoisting the trophy like the champion he is. But this is Tkachuk we’re talking about.
Whether it’s his scrappy style of hockey that sets the tone for the Panthers’ physically intense game or his unapologetic nature, Tkachuk has his fair share of fans and haters. That immediately became apparent after the NHL 26 news surfaced. While fans agreed with EA’s choice for the cover athlete, almost an equal number of fans started taking jabs, and one name, Johnny Gaudreau, emerged as a favorite.
Fans even started recreating the cover with Gaudreau. Naturally, social media pages caught wind of the conflicting sentiments and asked fans directly to get a clearer picture. “Did EA Sports make a mistake not putting Johnny Gaudreau on the NHL 26 cover?” Gino Hard posted on X, and the fans flooded the comments section. Once again, Matthew Tkachuk’s late Calgary Flames teammate emerged as the clear favorite alternative.
“Big mistake, felt like everyone wanted him on the cover. No idea why they didn’t,” one NHL fan commented on Gino Hard’s post. While Gaudreau’s former teams, the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, paid an incredible tribute to Johnny Gaudreau and his brother in December 2024. Many fans thought EA would also honor Johnny Hockey, making him the cover athlete.
Did EA Sports make a mistake not putting Johnny Gaudreau on the NHL 26 cover?
(h/t @norrie1313) pic.twitter.com/tJsPxuZqvP
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) August 5, 2025
This story is developing…
The post Fans Back Late Johnny Gaudreau’s EA Sports Cover Talk Amid Matthew Tkachuk Backlash appeared first on EssentiallySports.