Whether you’re a gamer and still enjoy playing the EA Sports NHL series, just a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and care about everything that is related to the team or both, this article is for you – as three Maple Leafs players headline some of the highest rated players in this year’s NHL 25 game.
With NHL 25 set to be released in early October, the EA Sports NHL X account started to reveal some of the highest overalls in the game over the last couple of days, starting with the top 10 highest-rated right-wingers.
At the start of last year’s game, Toronto’s Mitch Marner was among the top 10 highest-rated right-wingers coming in at a 90 overall, right behind David Pastrnak (91), Mikko Rantanen (91), Nikita Kucherov (92), and Patrick Kane (93), with William Nylander on the outside looking in.
However, after a career year for William Nylander, he has been recognized as one of the best wingers in the game, earning a 91 overall in NHL 25, the same as his teammate Mitch Marner, who both rank 5th and 6th among right-wingers just behind Sam Reinhart (91), Mikko Rantanen (93), David Pastrnak (95), and Nikita Kucherov (95).
Ratings Week kicks off with the Top 🔟 Right Wingers in #NHL25
🔗 https://t.co/YmFdRTV3BR pic.twitter.com/pKtYdjjtzL
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) September 16, 2024
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As seen above, closing out the top 10 highest-rated right-wingers are Clayton Keller (89), Mark Stone (89), Lucas Raymond (88), and Andrei Svechnikov (88).
EA Sports NHL followed up their top 10 right-wingers with their top 10 left-wingers, top 10 left and right defensemen and top 10 goalies, but the Toronto Maple Leafs do not have anyone inside the top 10 of those rankings.
That takes us to the final position of the ice, the centers.
It was never a question of whether Auston Matthews would be inside the top 10. It was more about what will his overall be and whether he will be inside the top three after a 69-goal (nice) campaign along with finishing a Selke finalist last season.
Well, our question has been answered. Auston Matthews’ NHL 25 rating to start will be 95, tying him with Leon Draisaitl for the third-highest among centers, only behind Nathan MacKinnon (96) and Connor McDavid (97), which is understandable after the seasons those two just had.
Who else but @cmcdavid97 at #1⁉️
Top 10 Centers in #NHL25 pic.twitter.com/YtuYSidqxQ
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) September 18, 2024
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Closing out the top 10 centers behind Matthews are Sidney Crosby (94), Aleksander Barkov (94), Jack Hughes (93), Brayden Point (92), J.T. Miller (92), and Jack Eichel (91).
Matthews’ 95 overall rating in this year’s game marks the highest rating he has ever had to start the year in any NHL video game. Here are all of his overalls over the years since his rookie season in 2016-17 (NHL 17):
NHL 17: 86
NHL 18: 87
NHL 19: 89
NHL 20: 90
NHL 21: 90
NHL 22: 92
NHL 23: 94
NHL 24: 93
NHL 25: 95
Matthews earned a 2 overall jump from 92 to 94 from NHL 22 to NHL 23 following his 60-goal season that earned him the Hart Trophy, but after a “down year” scoring 40 goals and 85 points, he was downgraded to a 93 in NHL 24. But now, after a historic 69-goal campaign, he has been bumped up again, this time to a 95 as mentioned above.
Along with EA Sports NHL releasing their top 10 highest-rated players from each position on their social media accounts, some other player ratings were revealed on their website which included six more Toronto players: Morgan Rielly (88), John Tavares (87), Chris Tanev (85), Max Domi (85), Matthew Knies (84), and Timothy Liljegren (84).
What do you think about Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander’s overalls in NHL 25? Are they too high or too low? Let us know in the comments below!
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