EA Sports predicts NHL standings and 2023 Stanley Cup winner

EA Sports hasn’t always had a reputation of pleasing everybody over the past few years.

With a repetitive product, a hyper-focus on microtransactions, and enough glitches to fill a book, their sports games have dropped in reputation from their once god-like status.

But many Canadian hockey fans might be ok with EA’s latest projection of the NHL standings for this season ahead of the October 14 release of NHL 23.

EA has picked four Canadian teams to make the playoffs: Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto. Calgary’s slated to win the Pacific Division for the second year in a row after a chaotic offseason.

Final 2022-2023 season division standings according to #NHL23 🔮@SeattleKraken will be making their first playoff appearance this year 🦑👀

Pre-order now ➡️ https://t.co/bNdI1xvgr3 pic.twitter.com/l9S0WLtrnP

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) October 8, 2022

According to EA, it’s also time for the Seattle Kraken to make their first ever playoff appearance in their second season in the league.

But for their Stanley Cup winner? It’s a bit of a “Last Dance” scenario, with the aged Pittsburgh Penguins taking home hockey’s biggest prize for the first time since 2017.

The #NHL23 Season Sim is here 🔮

Congrats to the @penguins on taking home the 2023 Stanley Cup 🏆🐧

Pre-order now ➡️ https://t.co/bNdI1xedp3 pic.twitter.com/5hZ9t3epqe

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) October 8, 2022

There’s no shortage of storylines in the hypothetical NHL playoffs.

In the Stanley Cup final, we’ve got good buddies and Cole Harbour natives in Sidney Crosby vs. Nathan MacKinnon.

From a Canadian angle, Vancouver falls to Calgary while Seattle falls to Edmonton to set up Another Battle of Alberta in the second round. Meanwhile, the Leafs make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to Pittsburgh.

Oddsmakers, meanwhile, have the Penguins as the 11th best odds to win it all, per Stake.com.

We’ve got our eyes on you EA Sports… let’s see if those predictions come true.

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