With the upcoming release of EA Sport’s NHL 19, Winnipeg Jets fans everywhere are most excited about one thing: The Beard.
Winnipeg Jets winger Patrik Laine (and cover athlete of the Finnish version of NHL 19) recently took to Instagram regarding his NHL 19 rating. He is up to an 89 from an 86 last year which is a respectable jump in points considering it’s all meaningless when you are getting schooled by a 14 year old online with a mouth that would make Blowfly (NSFW) blush.
Several other NHL players weighed in on their ratings and likenesses on social media (with varying degrees of amateur cropping). North American cover athlete and superstar defenseman PK Subban comes in at a surprisingly low 88. Up-and-comers got in on the fun too.
Anaheim Ducks farmhand Kalle Kossila was less than pleased with a 48 rating overall, Leafs goalie prospect Kasimir Kaskisuo was just happy to be in the game. Longtime EA NHL fans will remember Make-A-Wish kid Sabrina Ladha whom EA very sweetly but also annoyingly added to the game in NHL 09.
She was known for her otherworldly glitchy saves and effectively ruining franchise mode with an overall rating of 98. Luckily Ladha has gone the way of ‘big head mode’ a decade later.
While Laine’s player rating isn’t up for much debate, his highly inaccurate in-game beard is. Jets teammate and friend Nikolaj Ehlers chirped Laine for the less than faithful rendering of last season’s billy goat beard.
EA pays painstaking attention to detail when it comes to things like Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant or Colin Kaepernick’s tattoos. The NHL franchise is handled a little less delicately with glaring goofs like leaving Winnipeg native Ryan Reaves looking like Wesley Snipes.
Whether EA fixes this or not, I will hopefully be able to go out and (four) score (and) seven goals a game with honest Patrik Laine online next month. EA NHL 19 will be available in North America September 14th for Xbox One and PS4. The game is also rumored to be making a possible return to PC.