One player from each NHL team who should be on the NHL 18 cover

Even though we’re only one month into the NHL season, it’s never too early to look ahead to who should be on the cover of NHL 18.

Ever since Vince Vaughn tried to make Wayne Gretzky’s head bleed in Swingers, the NHL video games have become a staple for hockey fans. Even when the NHL was locked out during 2004-05 and the start of the 2012-13 season, EA still pumped out a video game to help people fill the void. And on the next-gen consoles, no one would blame you for confusing it with the real thing.

The NHL games are always fun since fans get the chance to win the Cup, regardless of who they root for. Anyone who says that NHL is the same every year with a roster update doesn’t actually own the game, because they always add lots of cool new features every year. And even if it was just a roster update, playing as the Toronto Maple Leafs with Auston Matthews, or as the Montreal Canadiens with Alexander Radulov is worth the price of admission.

Even though the NHL season is only a month old, while fans have only been playing NHL 17 for two months, it’s never too early to look ahead to NHL 18. And unlike Madden, where landing on the cover spells the end of your career, players are always honored to carry that distinction. After all, the cover athlete is part of the reason why people buy each game, so why not look at one player from each team who’s worthy of that honor?

As a rule of thumb, anyone who has already been on a cover is disqualified from this list. And while EA might create a voting contest with eight random players, this list aims to be much more comprehensive, and fair to every fanbase in the league. My only regret is that John Scott can’t be included.

Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf

Even though the Ducks are a deep team, their success is wholly dependent on two players: Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. And while Perry is a player that everyone loves to hate, Getzlaf is the proto-typical center. He’s got an imposing physical presence, he’s an elite scorer, he has great vision, and is excellent in the defensive zone as well. When he charges down the ice, he’s almost impossible to stop.

Getzlaf is typically among the top of the league in assists every year while Perry is the finisher. They’re a dynamic duo, but when they’re not producing, the team suffers as a result. Last year was considered a down year for Getzlaf, as his 63 points were his lowest tally since 2011-12. Despite winning the division, the Ducks ended up losing in the first round to Nashville.

Getzlaf is one of the longest-serving players in Anaheim – he was part of the Ducks team that won the Cup in 2007. He’s also got two Olympic Gold medals to go along with that. He has established himself as a leader in the Ducks’ locker room, but despite his tireless work ethic, he hardly ever gets Selke love. Then again, Bergeron, Kopitar, and Toews is a pretty hard trio to break through.

As long as his team’s doing well, he doesn’t care about individual awards. Though he might get stoked if he ever landed on the cover of an NHL game.