EA SPORTS NHL 22 unveiled its Team of the Year distinction, an annual list that celebrates the best players in the NHL over the course of the previous calendar year. After naming an initial list of nominees last week, EA SPORTS selected six players (one at each position) that represented the best on ice in 2021.
Andrei Vasilevski – As the back stopper for the back-to-back champion Tampa Bay Lightning, Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2021 Playoffs. This year the goalie is still amongst the top of the league for wins and save percentage.
Victor Hedman – The Swedish alternate captain for the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning, Hedman is widely considered to be one of the best players in his position in the NHL, while also scoring the most goals in the 2020-2021 Playoffs for a defenceman.
Adam Fox – Fox of the New York Rangers won the 2020-2021 Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman joining Bobby Orr as the only two players in NHL history to win the award before their third NHL season.
Mikko Rantanen – Finnish forward and alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche, Rantanen continues his young NHL career at a stellar pace. His campaign this year showed his trustworthy efficiency averaging more than a point per game (6th overall in 2020-2021), currently leading the skilled Avalanche team as their top goalscorer so far this season.
Connor McDavid – Canadian center and captain of the Edmonton Oilers, McDavid is regarded as the best player in the NHL by fans and his peers and is one of only two unanimous Hart Trophy (MVP) winners in league history joining Wayne Gretsky. McDavid also led the league in points last season winning the Art Ross Trophy, as well as the Ted Lindsay Award, is given to the league’s most outstanding player judged by members of the NHL Players’ Association.
Brad Marchand – Canadian left winger and alternate captain for the Boston Bruins, Marchand was named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team for the 2021 season, marking the second time Marchand’s been selected as the league’s top left-wing. Marchand led the Bruins in goals, assists, and points in his 2021 season, and his 69 points trailed only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the most in the NHL
There’s more than just bragging rights and a title on the line: To celebrate making one of the most prestigious lists in the sport, every member of the Team of the Year will receive a special dynamic HUT item that matches their highest rating all year that will only be available in HUT packs or by completing sets before January 7th, 2022. Each player on the list also received a trophy showcasing the accolade.
