NHL 27 Player Ratings: Top Players and Team-by-Team Ratings

NHL 27 ratings at a glance

Connor McDavid is the highest-rated player in NHL 27 at 99 overall. That is the clearest answer in EA Sports' ratings database as checked on August 27, 2026. Nathan MacKinnon follows at 97 OVR, while the top tier also includes elite forwards and defensemen whose individual skills can feel very different even when their overall numbers are close. EA introduced the ratings through a five-day Ratings Week from August 17 through August 21, ending with its top overall reveal.

The most important distinction is that an NHL 27 rating is a video-game evaluation, not an official ranking issued by the National Hockey League. EA combines many attributes into one OVR number to help describe a digital player's quality. McDavid's official page, for example, pairs his 99 OVR with 99 passing, puck control and offensive awareness, plus 98 speed, acceleration, agility and deking. That profile explains much more about how he plays in the game than the headline number by itself.

Ratings are best read as a snapshot. The launch database reflects the rosters and evaluations available when EA published it, and later roster updates can change player-team assignments, attributes or OVR values. A trade can also make an older screenshot look wrong even when its rating was accurate on reveal day. This guide therefore uses the live EA pages as its factual baseline and labels the date of the check.

There is also a useful real-hockey sanity check. McDavid's place at the top fits his established scoring résumé, but readers looking for career production rather than controller performance should use our NHL all-time points leaders guide. Those are two separate questions: one asks how a player is modeled in a game; the other measures what happened on NHL ice.

NHL 27 itself is one entry in a long-running series. New players who want the release history and naming sequence can compare it with the EA Sports NHL games in order. For everyone else, the quick takeaway is simple: start with OVR to identify the elite tier, then inspect position, attributes and abilities before deciding who will actually fit your lineup or preferred style.

The highest-rated forwards, defensemen and goalies

Position filters make the NHL 27 ratings much easier to understand. At center, McDavid's 99 sits above MacKinnon's 97 and Leon Draisaitl's 96. The left-wing list begins with Kirill Kaprizov at 94, followed by Jason Robertson and Kyle Connor at 92. Those numbers establish the star tier, but the attribute columns show different tools: a fast puck carrier, a powerful shooter and a pass-first creator can produce similar OVR values through different combinations.

Defensemen

EA separates left and right defense. On the left side, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes are both 95 OVR, with Rasmus Dahlin at 93. Their identical headline number does not erase the profile beneath it: the live table gives Hughes 97 passing and 96 deking, while Werenski's displayed shooting numbers are 93 for both slap-shot and wrist-shot power. Cale Makar leads right defense at 95 OVR; Evan Bouchard is next at 91, followed by Adam Fox at 89 in the checked table.

That handed-side split matters when building pairs. A user who chooses only the two largest numbers may create an awkward depth chart or overlook a lower-rated defender with the specific skating, checking or shot profile needed beside an offensive partner. In play-now games, the best-rated defenseman is not automatically the best choice to take every risk. In Franchise Mode, age, role, potential and contract context can matter alongside the launch OVR.

Goalies

Andrei Vasilevskiy leads EA's goalie list at 94 OVR. Ilya Sorokin follows at 93, and Connor Hellebuyck is 92. Igor Shesterkin appears next at 91 in the live position table. Goalie rows should be read with their goalie-specific ratings, not the skater columns. The public table displays zeros in irrelevant categories such as deking or slap-shot power; those placeholders do not mean the game considers an elite goalie deficient at his actual job.

The positional lesson is practical: compare centers with centers, defensemen with the appropriate side, and goalies with goalies before making a decision. OVR is useful for an initial sort, but attributes and abilities explain why two players with the same OVR may perform differently in a user's hands. A player who relies on rush chances may value acceleration and speed, while a cycle-heavy approach can put more weight on puck control, passing, balance and strength.

Every NHL team's highest-rated player

The table below identifies the highest-rated player shown for each NHL club in EA's live database on August 27, 2026. It is a starting point, not a complete team rating. One superstar cannot reveal a roster's second-line depth, defense pairs or backup-goalie quality, and a later EA roster update can move a player or change the number.

Several patterns jump out. Edmonton owns the only 99 headliner, while Colorado and Tampa Bay each begin with a 97. A goalie leads the Islanders, Rangers, Capitals and Flames in this snapshot, so their “best player” row tells a different roster-building story than a club led by a center. San Jose's 95 for Macklin Celebrini also makes its top-end number look much stronger than a simple reputation-based team choice might suggest.

Use EA's team filter to inspect the full depth chart before choosing a club. Then keep game data separate from the real calendar: lineups, opponents and travel spots change the actual season. Our guide to this week's NHL schedule is the place to see who is playing, while this table answers who EA currently places at the top of each digital roster.

How NHL 27 overall ratings and attributes work

Read an NHL 27 player card in three layers: overall rating, individual attributes and special abilities. OVR is the fast summary. Attributes describe the component skills behind that summary. Abilities identify particular situations in which the player receives a distinctive gameplay advantage. EA does not disclose a simple public formula that lets readers recalculate OVR from the displayed columns, so treating it as a plain arithmetic average would be misleading.

Start with OVR, then locate the standout skills

OVR works well for separating broad tiers. A 95 generally signals an elite digital player, while an 85 suggests a useful but less dominant one. The next step is to ask how that total was built. McDavid's official card combines elite skating, puck handling and offensive awareness. A defenseman can reach a comparable range through passing, defensive awareness, stick checking and mobility. A goalie uses an entirely different set of save and positioning skills.

Forwards also require role-specific reading. A winger with excellent wrist-shot ratings may be the preferred finisher, while a center with better passing and faceoffs can make the entire line work. Physical attributes matter for users who protect the puck, forecheck and battle along the boards. There is no universally correct profile because control habits and line construction change the value of each skill.

Abilities and playbooks add context

EA's abilities are not decorative labels. The official Quick Pick description, for example, ties the ability to intercepting passes and expanded pickup or deflection range. McDavid's listed abilities include Elite Edges, Tape to Tape and Wheels, reinforcing a profile built around tight turning, passing and speed. Those effects tell a user where a highly rated player can create an especially noticeable advantage.

NHL 27 also gives all 32 teams unique playbooks and team tendencies, according to EA's gameplay material. That means roster strength is only part of team choice. A user's preferred forecheck, rush pattern or cycle can make one roster easier to operate than another with a slightly higher star rating. The sensible process is to test the playbook, examine line roles, and then decide whether the highest-rated players support that system.

Finally, platform questions are separate from ratings. A great roster does not solve compatibility, mode or release questions. Readers comparing the series' recent platform situation can use our NHL 26 platform guide as historical context, while checking EA's current NHL 27 product pages for the latest supported hardware.

Which teams are strongest for different ways to play

There is no single honest “best team” answer based only on one OVR column. Edmonton is the obvious starting point for users who want the game's only 99-rated headliner, and Colorado or Tampa Bay offer 97-rated stars. Yet EA's own NHL 27 materials stress that each club has a distinct playbook. The best team for a user is therefore the roster and system combination that creates repeatable chances without exposing weaknesses the user struggles to cover.

For speed and transition offense

Begin with a club whose headliner has elite skating and puck-moving attributes, then inspect the next two lines and first defense pair. McDavid's profile makes Edmonton an intuitive rush-offense choice, but one star cannot carry every shift. Test whether the supporting forwards can finish, whether the defense can make the first pass, and whether the default playbook gives enough support through the neutral zone.

For possession and structured play

Look beyond speed to passing, puck control, faceoffs, balance and defensive awareness. EA says its team playbooks include different cycle-versus-shoot tendencies, so a patient user should choose a system that rewards sustained zone time. A center-heavy club may feel more stable through the middle, while a defense-led roster can help keep possessions alive at the blue line. The better fit is the team whose lower lines can repeat the preferred pattern, not merely the one with the flashiest winger.

For defense and goaltending

The Islanders, Rangers, Capitals and Flames are led by goalies in the current team snapshot. That does not automatically make each the strongest defensive club, because a goalie rating says nothing by itself about skater depth or a user's ability to defend entries. Compare the top goalie with the first two defense pairs, checking mobility, awareness and puck-moving. A strong goalie can rescue mistakes, but a system that prevents cross-ice chances may matter more over a full game.

For Franchise and long-term leagues

Connected Franchise expands the decision beyond launch ratings. EA describes trades, free-agent bidding, lineup management, playbook changes and salary-cap requirements, so age, contract flexibility and roster balance become part of the challenge. A young team with a lower starting OVR can be a more rewarding project than an established contender. Conversely, a group seeking competitive games immediately may prefer a deep roster with fewer weak links.

A useful test is to play several matchups before committing. Check today's NHL games, recreate an interesting real-world matchup, and try both teams' default systems. The ratings tell you which digital players are strongest; playing a complete matchup reveals which team actually suits your decisions.

NHL 27 ratings FAQ

Who is the highest-rated player in NHL 27?

Connor McDavid is No. 1 at 99 OVR in the official EA database checked August 27, 2026. EA describes him as the first member of its NHL 99 Club and identifies 99 as the ceiling of the rating system. His card is built around elite skating, puck control, passing and offensive awareness rather than a single isolated strength.

Who are the highest-rated goalies in NHL 27?

Andrei Vasilevskiy leads the live goalie filter at 94 OVR, followed by Ilya Sorokin at 93 and Connor Hellebuyck at 92. Igor Shesterkin is next at 91 in the checked table. Compare goalie-specific skills and abilities when choosing among them; the skater-oriented columns shown as zero are not meaningful goalie comparisons.

Do NHL 27 player ratings update?

EA presents the ratings as a live searchable database, and its reveal schedule included a day labeled “Ratings Updates.” Roster and ratings data can change, but the checked official material does not promise a fixed public cadence for every future update. The safest method is to reopen the EA player or team page, verify the current game version and compare the date with any older article or screenshot.

Are NHL 27 ratings the same as real NHL player rankings?

No. EA's numbers are designed to model players inside a video game. Real-world player rankings may weigh recent production, defense, playoff value, age, health, contract or future projection differently. OVR also interacts with abilities, attributes and team systems, so it should not be presented as an official NHL judgment or a universal answer to who is best in real hockey.

What should I check after a roster update?

Confirm the player's team, position, OVR, key attributes and abilities. Then inspect line placement and the club's playbook inside the game. A one-point OVR change may matter less than a meaningful skating adjustment, a new ability, a trade to a better-fitting line or a change in the system you plan to use.