Dec 20, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes coach Bill Peters looks on from the bench against the New York Rangers at PNC Arena. The New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in the shoot out. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Along with the hockey season comes the annual hockey game from Electronic Arts Sports, this year, it’s NHL 16 that will be hitting the shelves for Xbox One and Playstation 4.
The game is set to release in North America on September 15, followed by September 17 and 18 release dates across Europe.
Though the game has yet to come out, we have seen a sneak peak at some of the overalls for the players and goalies in the game.
The Carolina Hurricanes will have some players with overall boosts and overall decreases in this year’s NHL game.
For a complete look at the ratings from the Canes and the rest of the NHL, take a look at the video below.
All the player positions will be listed according to their position in the actual game. Some players may have a varying position in real life that isn’t represented in the game.
Take note that not all players that will compete for a roster spot have had their overalls exposed yet, so guys like Noah Hanifin, Danny Biega, Haydn Fleury, Zach Boychuk, and others will not be listed in the following slides.
You will see that EA Sports largely got it right in my opinion. They didn’t miss horribly on any players, and most of the team was right where they should be. Also, just a hand full of players saw rating decreases from last year, while many players saw their overalls jump 2-4 points in NHL 16.
Let’s take a look at all the players on the Carolina Hurricanes and what their overall is in the game, followed by my opinion of the rating.
Next: Centers
Apr 11, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Staal (11) and forward Staal (12) during the game against the Detroit Red Wings at PNC Arena. The Red Wings defeated the Hurricanes 2-0. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Staal had his lowest scoring output since his rookie season a year ago, but this wasn’t all of his fault. A lack of a supporting class and overall failure to meet expectations from a team standpoint was a big part of his fall off. With good players around him, Staal can return to his 60-70 point standard. The subtraction of 1 overall point from last year is fair.
The younger brother of Eric, Jordan Staal missed nearly half of the season due to a leg injury, but when he got in rhythm, he played some of his best hockey as a Hurricane. He was effective in many aspects, offense, defense, and faceoffs included. It’s fair to keep him as he was, but some will argue that 88 is still too high for him. His defensive awareness and stick checking ratings probably drive up his overall.
Young Victor Rask had a great rookie year, tallying 33 points in 80 games played. He was the breakout player of the year in the Carolina Hurricanes organization, and he got a 14 point bump in his rating because of it. Rask looks poised to be a top-six forward for the Canes this season. The upgrade he got was huge, but it was warranted.
McClement actually dropped an overall point from last season despite doubling his assist and point totals from the year before and being an incredibly effective faceoff taker. Overalls are rumored to be balanced differently in this year’s game, so that may have something to do with it, but it is still surprising to see him drop a point. I would have kept him at 82 like the year before, making him an above average fourth line center in the game.
Next: Left Wings
Mar 21, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; New York Rangers goalie Talbot (33) stops the shoot out attempt by the Carolina Hurricanes forward Skinner (53) at PNC Arena. The New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in the shoot out. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Jeff Skinner had a down season in 2014-2015. His point and goal total both dropped dramatically from the season prior, but he still showed the offensive flashes that made him so good to begin with. A one point drop in his overall is a bit generous, however. A 2-3 point drop would have more representative of how his year went, but he could very easily turn back into a 30-goal scorer this season.
Gerbe had an awesome debut season as a Hurricane in 2013-2014, but he did slightly worse last year. His point total dropped from 31 to 28, and his rating went from -6 to -14. All in all, he had a very similar season last year compared to the year before, so it is fair for him to stay at 81, which makes him a serviceable bottom-six player in the game.
Nash played at a very high level early last season, but his play several fell off towards the mid-point of the season, and it failed to get much better. By the end of the year, Nash picked up career highs in assists in points, proving that he is a full-time NHLer in the process. He is worth of an overall bump due to his increased offensive output and two-way play. An 81 rating is fair for Nash. He, like Gerbe, will be a good bottom-six player in NHL 16.
Last season, Brad Malone was part of a very good fourth line for the Hurricanes, and he proved that he is not only an NHL regular, but also a very good physical player that can occasionally chip in offensively. That being said, he didn’t really prove himself to be much more than a bottom-line player, which kept him under 80 overall for this year’s game. The rating of 79 is fair for Malone, and he will be a good 4th liner with good physical attributes.
Next: Right Wings
Mar 26, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Lindholm (16) congratulates teammate goalie Ward (30) after the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Like Victor Rask, Lindholm really stepped up his game with the red and white last season. He posted career highs in all major scoring categories in his sophomore season, turning into a very good top-six player at the age of 19 for the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite being very productive last season, Lindy is still rather unproven, so he isn’t worthy of an overall in the mid-80’s. 83 is probably the perfect place for Lindholm, then, if he has another great year in 2015-2016, he can see his overall shoot up to the mid or upper 80’s in NHL 17.
The Carolina Hurricanes claimed Nestrasil off waivers from the Red Wings last season, and in a short time with the Canes, he proved that he could be an important part of the team’s future. In 54 games with Carolina, Nestrasil posted 7 goals and 20 points and also showed that he can be a good two-way player on the wing. Like Lindholm and Rask, Nesty is still unproven, which means he probably shouldn’t be higher than 80. I would’ve probably gone ahead and given him the 80, but 79 is a fair rating for him.
Prior to last season, Terry had only proven that he is a good shootout man in the NHL, but last year he emerged as a good offensive weapon, especially on the man advantage. Terry netted 11 goals in 57 games, which is a pretty good number. That being said, he is by no means a lock to even be in the NHL all year in 2015-2016, so he should still be an upper-70’s player. 79 is, again, a fair rating for Terry. It is a little generous, however. Outside of putting the puck in the net, he didn’t contribute noticeable in many other areas, but at the end of the day, goals are what matter most, and he got a good overall boost because of what he did in that department.
The Carolina Hurricanes inked AHL forward T.J. Hensick to a contract this summer, and although he isn’t a highly talked about player by any means, he could make a push for a spot in the NHL in September and October. He is coming off of a 60-point year in the American league last season, but he did not play in any NHL games. At the age of 29, he is a veteran of 112 NHL and 438 AHL contests. He posted 21 points in 61 games for the Avalanche in 2008-2009, so he has shown NHL promise at times in his career. 75 is fair for Hensick, as it is the same as the year before.
Next: Defensemen
Mar 17, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Ottawa Senators forward Ryan (6) skates with puck against the Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Faulk (27) at PNC Arena. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
The Carolina Hurricanes watched Justin Faulk emerge as a top-15 NHL defenseman before their very eyes last season, and he got treated like a top-15 d-man in NHL 16’s ratings. Faulk has turned into one of the best defensemen in the Metropolitan Division, and he is just 23, so he could emerge as a top-10 blue liner this season. He is one of the best two-way defensemen in the NHL, and he is worth of the 3 point boost in his overall rating in NHL 16.
The Hurricanes traded for Wisniewski at the 2015 NHL Draft, and they expect him to provide stability and legitimacy to the top-four and powerplay. In 2013-2014, Wisniewski picked up 51 points in 75 games with the Blue Jackers, but those numbers dropped last year. In 69 games split between the Ducks and Blue Jackets, Wiz picked up 34 points, which is a good number for a top-four defenseman. Wisniewski deserves the one point reduction on his rating, but 85 overall is a fair number for him.
Hainsey’s production dropped from 15 points to 10 points from 2013-14 to 2014-15, but he remained to be a very good option as a stay at home defenseman for the Hurricanes. He had a good year for his standards, but he is a bottom-pairing on most NHL teams. In Carolina, he will most definitely play in a top-four role with a lot of penalty killing time. He is playing up in terms of his role, but he doesn’t deserve mid-80’s ratings because of it. I’d push the overall up to 81 or 82, but 80 is still a pretty fair overall for him.
Liles wasn’t as bad as many people liked to think he was last season. He finished 2nd amongst Carolina defensemen in points with 22, and he played in just 57 games. He also improved his defensive play as the year went on. Liles also was a good powerplay quarter back. This is the second straight year that he is a 79, and that is probably a fair rating. I’d argue that 80 or 81 is conceivable for him, but 79 isn’t a slap in the face by any means.
Murphy has seen a lot of time in the big leagues over the past couple seasons, but he seems to be continually losing rank with the Hurricanes. He is a good offensive defenseman, but he has been out-produced by Liles, and then his defense is well below average most of the time, so he hasn’t become an established NHLer yet. He is still 22, however, so he isn’t a lost cause. He still looks to turn into a top-four offensive defenseman in the future, but he isn’t there yet. A 79 overall is fair for him. He definitely shouldn’t be in the 80’s yet.
Jordan skated in 38 games with the Hurricanes last season and he threw himself on the map in the organization with some pretty solid play. He was reliable as a two-way defenseman on the bottom pairing, but he made his fair share of mistakes, as rookies commonly do. He could break out as a legitimate bottom-pairing guy this year, and if he does, he’d certainly be worth the 78 overall rating. 78 is fair, but also somewhat optimistic for him.
Next: Goalies
Jan 31, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goalie Ward (30) makes a save against the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Ward’s overall got docked 2 points after another slightly off season, but he actually performed much better than he did the year before. He posted a career-best 2.40 goals against average, and a save percentage of .910 in 50 starts. The demise of the Canes last season was not Cam Ward’s fault at all, and he played very well at times behind a lousy team. He got his rating decreased, but he wasn’t worth of 88 in the first place back in NHL 15. 86 is a fair rating for Ward, making him a decent starter in NHL 16.
The Hurricanes dealt for Lack at the 2015 NHL draft. Lack is 27 and appears to be becoming a legitimate starting option for an NHL team, specifically the Carolina Hurricanes. He is coming off of two straight 41-game seasons with the Canucks, and he lifted his club to a playoff birth last year. A veteran of 82 NHL games, Lack has a 34-30-9 record with a .917 save percentage and 2.43 goals against average. All of those appearances came in the last 2 seasons. Lack’s last two seasons have been very similar, so his rating should’ve stayed the same. An 84 rating makes him slightly better than a fringe starting goalie, which is right where he is at right now. Lack could come in and steal the full-time starting role in Raleigh this season, which would really bump up his overall for NHL 17. 84 is a fair rating for Lack.
