“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 Johnny Gaudreau’s name 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 their December 2024 game against each other. Many fans thought EA would also honor Johnny Hockey, making him the cover athlete.

It wasn’t an unrealistic ask, either, seeing how much hockey fans loved the 31-year-old. In June of this year, Meredith Gaudreau became the one who handed her late husband’s Blue Jackets teammate Sean Monahan the Masterton Trophy. So even a year after his untimely passing, the league and fans continue to honor the NHL winger at every opportunity.

A third name emerged alongside Johnny Gaudreau

Talking about the league and the fans honoring Johnny Hockey at every opportunity, even Team USA did the same in May. After winning the 2025 IIHF World Championship trophy and breaking a 92-year drought at the tournament, USA Hockey dedicated the win to the former Flames star. Team USA had already kept No. 13’s jersey in the locker room, and winning only made it more special.

“This gold goes to him and the legacy that he’s paved,” Team USA goalie Jeremy Swayman said after the final. So it’s no wonder fans thought EA would honor what the people wanted. “I can’t believe they didn’t have Johnny and Matty on the cover of this game,” commented one fan in disbelief. Meanwhile, others floated the idea of two cover athletes, and the other wasn’t Tkachuk.

“Johnny on the cover and Ovi on the deluxe edition would have done it for me,” commented one hockey fan. While EA hasn’t released a Deluxe edition for NHL 26 yet, some fans thought Alexander Ovechkin should’ve been EA’s other logical pick. After all, Ovechkin surpassed none other than ‘The Great One’ Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record.

Plenty of fans thought Ovechkin also deserved a spot on the cover. “Yes, they did,” one fan commented, saying Electronic Arts made a mistake choosing Matthew Tkachuk. “They also could’ve used Ovi,” the fan added. And it’s not like EA Sports doesn’t do multi-athlete covers. Take the upcoming edition of EA Sports FC, for example.

The EA Sports FC 26 cover will feature generational talents Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala together on the cover. So it’s no wonder that fans didn’t just want Johnny Gaudreau but Alexander Ovechkin, too. Even those who supported Matthew Tkachuk as the cover star thought EA should’ve honored the late NHL icon. “Tkachuck is a gamer, and he’s certainly earned it, but this would have been a nice tribute,” explained one fan. Yet what do you believe? Did EA fumble the puck with this one?