Who is on the cover of NHL 23? EA Sports reveals Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, Team Canada’s Sarah Nurse as cover athletes
EA Sports has announced that the cover athletes for the upcoming game will be NHL 23 Ducks forward Trevor Zegras and Canada National Team forward Sarah Nurse.
It’s a historic cover as Nurse is the first female hockey player to appear on a video game cover of the NHL franchise.
“It’s such an honor to be the first woman to cover the EA SPORTS NHL franchise,” said Nurse. “Hockey truly is for everyone, and I’m excited that NHL 23 celebrates the diversity and inclusiveness of the sport. I hope that having greater representation of women in such a prominent game will inspire young girls everywhere to know that there is a place for them in hockey.”
Nurse comes from the sensational 2022 Olympics, where she set two new Olympic records for most points (18) and most assists (13) in a single tournament en route to Canada’s gold medal win.
Alongside her on the cover is Zegras, the Ducks’ rookie sensation who ignited the hockey world last season not only with his two goals in Michigan but also with his Michigan assist.
“As someone who has played EA SPORTS NHL since I was a child, to be on the cover with Sarah this year is a dream come true,” said Zegras. “I can’t wait to play this year’s version with my friends and teammates, and I’m just as excited to see the fans unleash my Michigan Flip Pass put into play by the team at EA SPORTS.”
MORE: Who can return to play at World Juniors 2023?
The rest of the game details will be released on Thursday, August 25th. Learn more about the NHL 23 cover and past cover athletes here.
Who is on the cover of NHL 23?
Trevor Zegras
Zegras is a forward for the Ducks who just finished his rookie season. He finished second in the Calder Trophy voting, second among rookies with his 61 points, second place 23 goals, and third place 38 assists. Zegras’ point total was second with the Ducks while leading the team in assists.
The 21-year-old is known for his sensational hands and the dekes he can pull off with them. The highlight of his 2021-22 season was an incredible assist when he picked up the puck from behind the net and turned it up and towards his teammate Sonny Milano, who smacked the puck into the net in mid-air.
We’ve seen the lacrosse goal BUT have we ever seen a lacrosse assist THAT!? 😳🚨
trevor Zegras. Wow. pic.twitter.com/5WYgoktQWW
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) December 8, 2021
He also successfully scored two goals for Michigan last season, picking the puck up with his blade and whipping it into the net lacrosse-style.
I have to see it: TREVOR ZEGRAS MICHIGAN ALERT 🚨 🤯
Presented by @Charmin | #EnjoyTheGo pic.twitter.com/GcAO5Z99d7
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 28, 2022
Trevor Zegras with another goal for Michigan. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/Ucl0tL9ku6
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) April 2, 2022
At a time when the game of hockey is modernizing and focusing on skill and speed rather than brute force, Zegras is at the forefront of creativity on the ice. It’s a movement that has taken over youth hockey across the United States.
Sarah nurse
Nurse is a member of the Canada women’s national ice hockey team. As previously mentioned, she was a key factor in the team’s success in Beijing last February, leading the tournament in points and assists in a historic performance at the Olympics. She is also an independent member of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association.
The 27-year-old is also committed to diversity and inclusion in hockey. As a black athlete in a sport mostly dominated by white men, Nurse has become someone girls can look up to.
“I put myself back when I was five or six years old, you know, I could never see (diversity in hockey), so I think what makes me so proud and happy about these different forms of representation is just that fact that kids can see that nowadays,” Nurse said after the Olympics.
Nurse is part of an extensive sports family. Her uncles are Donovan McNabb, a former NHL quarterback, and Richard Nurse, a wide receiver in the CFL. Richard’s children are Darnell and Kia Nurse. Darnell is a defensive tackle with the Oilers and Kia is a point guard for the NBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
Who has been on previous NHL covers?
Not only is NHL 23 the first cover to feature a female player, but it is also the first time a cover has featured two athletes since NHL 96, when it featured an image of Scott Stevens and Steve Yzerman.
NHL 16 was supposed to feature both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, however Kane was removed from the cover prior to release.
Game | Year | Cover Athlete(s) |
---|---|---|
NHL Ice Hockey | 1991 | Glenn Healy |
NHLPA Hockey ’93 | 1992 | Rod Brind’Amour, Mike Richter, Randy Moeller |
NHL ’94 | 1993 | Tomas Sandstrom, Andy Moog |
NHL 95 | 1994 | Alexei Kovalev, Kirk McLean |
NHL96 | 1995 | Scott Stevens, Steve Yzerman |
NHL 97 | 1996 | John Vanbiesbrouck |
NHL 98 | 1997 | Peter Forsberg |
NHL 99 | 1998 | Eric Lindros |
NHL 2000 | 1999 | Chris Pronger |
NHL 2001 | 2000 | Owen Nolan |
NHL 2002 | 2001 | Mario Lemieux |
NHL 2003 | 2002 | Jarome Iginla |
NHL 2004 | 2003 | Dany Heatley, Joe Sakic |
NHL 2005 | 2004 | Markus Naslund |
NHL 06 | 2005 | Vincent Lecavalier |
NHL 07 | 2006 | Alexander Ovechkin |
NHL 08 | 2007 | Eric Staal |
NHL 09 | 2008 | Dion Phaneuf |
NHL10 | 2009 | Patrick Kane |
NHL11 | 2010 | Jonathan Tows |
NHL12 | 2011 | Steven Stamko |
NHL 13 | 2012 | Claude Giroux |
NHL14 | 2013 | Martin Brother |
NHL 15 | 2014 | Patrice Bergeron |
NHL16 | 2015 | Jonathan Tows |
NHL 17 | 2016 | Vladimir Tarasenko |
NHL18 | 2017 | Connor McDavid |
NHL 19 | 2018 | PK Subban |
NHL20 | 2019 | Austin Matthews |
NHL21 | 2020 | Alexander Ovechkin |
NHL22 | 2021 | Austin Matthews |
NHL23 | 2022 | Trevor Zegras, Sarah Nurse |