Auston Matthews will once again appear on the cover of EA SPORTS NHL 22, just two years after his first appearance.
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward's news was announced Thursday, along with the release of the game's official reveal trailer. "I grew up playing the game and it's really special to be on the cover in general, and to be on it again, I'm still just as excited," Matthews said during his cover shoot in Los Angeles.
Matthews joins Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews (NHL 11, NHL 16) and Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (NHL 07, NHL 21) as the only players who have appeared on the cover multiple times. The 23-year-old is entering his sixth season in the NHL and scored 41 goals in 2020-21 to win the Rocket Richard Trophy. "It's a huge honor and being on the cover, not once, but twice, it's truly humbling," Matthews said.
This year, the game features Superstar X-Factors, which integrates elite players' real life skills, and the Frostbite engine, which beefs up player likenesses and spatial awareness, as well as uniform details and stick interactions. NHL 22 will be available on Oct. 15 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. Watch: NHL 22 Official Reveal Trailer
