NHL 27: Celebrini on the cover, online GM Connected, and a new commentary team

Is this a buy or a skip year?

NHL 27 has been detailed by Electronic Arts, and we’ve got all you need to know about this iteration below, including details of a new online GM Connected mode, a new commentary team, and cover star Macklin Celebrini.

And no, before you ask: it’s not coming to Windows PC this year.

GM Connected returns… as an online-only mode

The much-requested GM Connected mode makes its return to the NHL franchise this year, though only as an online mode. That’s right — you can’t play against the CPU, or trade with the CPU. Everything is online.

“Create a league with friends, manage your roster, and compete head-to-head across a full online season with up to 32 human-controlled teams, flexible settings, schedules, and commissioner tools,” EA said of the mode.

Perhaps needless to say, players aren’t thrilled with the online revelation.

“Dead on arrival,” wrote Wisdumb27 on Reddit. “Several friends of mine who haven’t bought an NHL game since 2015 were hyped when they heard the news today and were ready to jump back in for GM Connected, now almost everyone is agreeing it’s not worth it and we should wait 1-2 years for this game mode to mature.”

“You can’t play games against the CPU? No trades against the CPU,” Wisdumb27 continued. “Possibly only a single season, meaning no off-season for contract negotiations, drafting, free agency, etc? What is even the point?”

A new commentary team in Darren Pang and John Buccigross

NHL 27 will finally change up its commentary team, dropping previous years’ hosts in favour of two new ones.

“A new commentary team featuring ESPN play-by-play voice John Buccigross and former NHL goaltender Darren Pang brings fresh perspective, energy, and insight to every game,” EA said today. “Updated play-by-play and analysis better capture the speed and emotion of hockey, with more natural reactions, improved flow, and deeper breakdowns that reflect what’s happening on the ice.”

A new set of visuals — highlighted in the image above — will accompany the new commentary.

“A refreshed broadcast package gives every game a cleaner, more modern feel, with new graphics, updated camera work, and sharper on-screen storytelling before puck drop, between whistles, and during highlights,” EA said of its new presentation.

Macklin Celebrini is the NHL 27 cover star

As revealed previously, Canadian-born San Jose Sharks player Macklin Celebrini will feature as the cover star of NHL 27, becoming the youngest-ever player to grace a cover.

“I thought it was amazing. I loved it,” Celebrini said — a man of few words — of the honour to ESPN. “Fairly simple process: They just sent it to me and I was just like, ‘Yeah, it looks good.'”

Celebrini will be featured in his white away jersey on the NHL 27 Standard Edition cover (see top), and his teal home jersey on the NHL 27 Deluxe Edition cover (see below).

Special editions, pre-orders, pricing, and early access details

As you’d expect from its two covers, there are two editions of NHL 27 available from 12 September, though the Deluxe Edition (as usual) provides a week of early access from 5 September.

The Standard Edition is priced at $109.95 AUD and comes with a Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) Player Pack, 500 NHL Points, and 2x World of Chel (WOC) Double XP Tokens.

The Deluxe Edition is priced at $149.95 AUD, and alongside a week of early access comes with 4600 NHL Points, a HUT Icon Choice Pack, a HUT Heroes Choice Pack, a HUT NHL Player Pack, a HUT Fan Choice Pack, “and more”. The Deluxe Edition will also offer two pre-order bonuses exclusive to the edition: a Celebrini WOC Limited Loadout, and a HUT New Wave Celebrini Pack.

EA’s detailed all these features, and more, in a new video — it’s above.

Players can expect NHL 27 from 1.00 am AEST on 12 September here in Australia; the title will be available on Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PS5.