Hockey is a sport that comes to life in a competitive team-based gameplay experience. Whether it’s through speed, skill, or physicality, every player makes an impact on the ice no matter what position they play or their role on the team. So grab some friends and jump into either 6 v. 6 Online Team Play, Online Couch Co-op, or the re-imagined EA Sports Hockey League and prove that great individuals can’t beat a great team.

Sharpen those skates and grab your buddies because the EA Sports Hockey League is back! This fan-favorite online team mode has been re-imagined and lets you choose specialized player classes to deliver a balanced competitive experience on the ice. Player skill and your ability to play as a team will now be the determining factor in who wins and loses hockey games.

Play online with up to twelve skaters including user controlled goalies. Using real-world NHL rosters you can compete in ranked drop-in games against players from around the world or invite your friends to a private OTP session before you step into EA SPORTS Hockey League. The perfect way to play when you and your friends want to jump on the couch, join forces and play some drop-in hockey online. It’s the best place to practice your team play skills before playing OTP or EASHL.

The EA Sports NHL 16 Stanley Cup Playoff Simulation predicts that the Washington Capitals will defeat the San Jose Sharks in seven games in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, bringing home the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup Championship since the team was founded in 1974. Home-ice advantage helps lift Washington to a close 4-2 victory in game seven, with Justin Williams scoring a go-ahead goal in the third period before Alex Ovechkin seals the deal into an empty net in the game’s dying seconds. Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby caps a historic regular season to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Other major storylines from the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs include:

• Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby’s Conn Smythe Trophy win is supported by an astounding postseason performance with 16 wins, a 2.10 GAA, .933 SV% and three Shutouts. Captain Alex Ovechkin helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup®, scoring 25 points in 25 games, including 15 goals and 10 assists.
• Despite falling short of their first Stanley Cup® Championship, the San Jose Sharks had a memorable playoff run as they knocked off two Pacific Division rivals, the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks, before defeating defending Stanley Cup® Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, in the Western Conference Final.  
• The Florida Panthers surprised many by defeating the New York Islanders and state rival Tampa Bay Lightning en route to the Eastern Conference Final. Hockey legend Jaromir Jagr continues to show everyone that age is just a number as he led the Panthers in playoff scoring with six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 20 games.

Whether you’re an armchair GM, want to live out your NHL pro fantasy, or build your ultimate dream team, NHL 16 will deliver a single-player game mode for every type of hockey fan - each with new features that you’ve never seen in EA Sports NHL.

Being a GM is about more than just getting the best players, it’s about getting the right players to play well together. Each player on your NHL and AHL team has a different personality that you will have to manage. Deal with trade demands, teammate relationships, and much more by calling team meetings or adjusting your roster to directly affect your team’s on-ice performance.

The way you play dictates the type of player you will become in an all-new Be a Pro progression system. On-ice actions directly influence attributes earned, ensuring that your Pro will reflect the way you play. Sim to your next shift and the ability to work your way up from CHL rookie to an NHL Superstar also make a return in NHL 16.

The most played mode in the NHL series gets even better. Improved player management and the introduction of HUT Single Player Seasons gives you another way to hone your skills before jumping online with HUT Online Seasons or challenging your friends with the Play a Friend feature.

Whether you’re new to the NHL series and looking for pointers or are a grizzled veteran trying to perfect your game, this new training tool will help sharpen your offensive and defensive skills no matter your talent level. Visual aids project shooting targets, passing lanes, open teammates, and more.

Whether you play as a forward, defenseman or goalie, NHL 16 delivers a balanced gameplay experience that makes every position on the ice meaningful to team success. With gameplay innovation on offense and defense, players have new tools to not only score goals, but to prevent them as well.

Utilize a new skating tool that allows you to make refined movements with your skater in any situation. On defense quickly jump into passing lanes and intercept the puck, or walk the blueline on the power play and open yourself up for that one-timer in the offensive zone.

The ability to quickly control a pass or corral a loose puck can be the difference between generating a scoring chance and getting leveled. New puck pickups result in smoother transitions when receiving the puck no matter what your position, giving you more time and control to make your next move. NHL 16 brings the game to life with distinct arena atmospheres, the most realistic players yet, and a story-driven commentary package to pull you into the energy of the game like never before.

Best in class arena authenticity gets even better with the inclusion of authentic arena effects and props including team specific celebrations, mascots, chants, and even signature props like the Lighthouse at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota.

Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, and Ray Ferraro are back and now call the game with even more emotion. Hear Doc’s voice rise and fall with the action on the ice and get analysis from Eddie & Ray on the peaks and valleys of a NHL season. An expanded NBC SPORTS broadcast package and new pre-game intros brings the drama to life in more ways than ever before.

Enhanced facial features and new equipment details synonymous with the league’s top players adds another layer of player authenticity. Use these new equipment elements to customize your own created character giving them a unique look, from custom stick tape, colored skate laces, tinted visors, and more.

One of the oldest and most iconic traditions in hockey has arrived. With accurate representations of beard patterns, length, thickness, and growth rates for individual players, the road to the Stanley Cup just got hairier.

NHL  16 Game Modes

• Play Now
• Be A Pro
• Be A GM
• Season Mode
• Practice Mode
• Playoff Mode
• NHL Moments Live
• Hockey Ultimate Team
• EA Sports Hockey League
• Online Team Play
• Online Versus