Mackinnon, Kucherov Top List of Highest-Rated Former QMJHL Players in NHL 25

Today, Electronic Arts (EA), who makes the video games for the NHL gaming franchise, released player ratings for the upcoming NHL 25 video game.

Connor McDavid sits solidly as the highest-rated player in the league at 97 overall. But the second and third best ranked players on that list both happen to have played in the QMJHL.

Former Halifax Mooseheads forward Nathan Mackinnon is rated at 96 overall while former Quebec Remparts and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies forward Nikita Kucherov is rated at 95, tied with Cale Makar, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak and Artemi Panarin.

Mackinnon, 29, played two seasons in the QMJHL, amassing 63 goals 153 points in 102 regular season games. He added 24 goals and 61 points in 34 postseason games, topping it all off with a Memorial Cup victory alongside current Colorado Avalanche teammate Jonathan Drouin. Mackinnon put up 51 goals and 140 points last season to win the Ted Lindsay Award and Hart Memorial Trophy.

Kucherov, 31, played 33 career regular season games, putting up 29 goals and 63 points in the process. He also added 9 goals and 24 points in the postseason during his time with the Huskies. Last season, the Tampa Bay Lightning forward exploded with 44 goals and 100 assists, winning his second career Art Ross Trophy.

Former Rimouski Oceanic superstar Sidney Crosby is ranked the ninth best player in the game at 94 overall. This comes just two days after the forward signed a two-year extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The highest-rated former QMJHL defenseman in NHL 25 is Noah Dobson at 89 overall, which is good 47th best ranked player in the game. Dobson notably won two straight Memorial Cups, once with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the 2018-19 season and another with the Huskies the following season.

The list lacks many high-end former QMJHL goalies. Former Cape Breton Screaming Eagle goalie Marc-Andre Fleury being the best option in NHL 25 at 84 overall.

Other notable alumni include Brad Marchand, ranked 60th at 89 overall, Nico Hischier, ranked 77th at 88 overall and Jonathan Marchessault, ranked 101st at 87 overall.

The game will be released to the general public on Oct. 4, 2024 on PlayStation and on Xbox.