With the upcoming release ofEA Sports NHL 26,players are starting to get excited about what the game has to offer. EA has started revealing more details about pre-order bonuses and other new features of the upcoming release, and players finally got a glimpse at the official cover image for the Deluxe Edition ofNHL 26.
TheNHL 26Deluxe Edition coverfeatures the Tkachuk brothers alongside their father, three hockey icons who spent a good portion of their lives in the legendary sports town of St. Louis, Missouri (viaNHL.com). Meanwhile, Matthew Tkachuk alone graces the standard cover of the game. Along with the cover athlete reveal, pre-orders for the game are open, with links to digital storefronts available on the officialEAwebsite.
NHL 26 Deluxe Cover Features Three Icons From St. Louis, Missouri
The Tkachuck Family Are Legends In STL
While Matthew, Brady, and Keith Tkachuk all play/played for different teams,St. Louis holds them in high regard as hometown legendsin the hockey world. Keith Tkachuk, father ofMatthew and Brady, played on the St. Louis Blues from 2001 to 2010 (with a slight break in between with the Atlanta Thrashers).
The brothers were both raised in Creve Coeur, a suburb just outside St. Louis proper, with the youngest brother Brady playing on the St. Louis AAA Blues U16 team long before winning back-to-backStanley Cup championshipswith the Panthers over the past two years.
According to an interview with NHL.com, Brady Tkachuk had this to say about the family cover:
“Growing up, Matthew and I dreamed of playing just like our dad. Even now, his influence on how we play and prepare remains huge. It’s an honor to be featured on the cover, and having him standing alongside us makes the whole thing even better.”
Seeing Hometown Heroes On The NHL 26 Cover Is A Big Deal For STL
St. Louis Prides Itself On Its Sports Icons
St. Louis prides itself on two very important things: sports and beer. Any NHL player who came from STL or even played for the Blues in some capacity willget a warm welcome in the townand will have a hard time paying for drinks out of their own pocket.
The Tkachuck family, however,holds a very special place in STL’s heart. Their collective success is a testament to how a great sports town like St. Louis can contribute to and provide a strong foundation for a player’s larger career, and their inclusion onNHL 26is a worthy follow-up toNHL 25’s cover.
One great thing about St. Louis is thatthey’ll continue to cheer on their hometown boyseven as they go on to play for rival teams, evidenced by Pat Maroon’s warm welcome home at the end of last season, where he announced his retirement for good after playing his final season with Blues arch-rival, the Chicago Blackhawks.
St. Louis is an incredible sports town that will always show love for their hometown legends, and to see three St. Louis natives on the Deluxe EditionNHL 26cover will certainly be a huge deal to any Blues fan or hockey fan from St. Louis, present company included.
