EA Sports’ latest NHL 27 ratings release gave the Chicago Blackhawks a clear snapshot of where the franchise sits in the game’s eyes: Connor Bedard remains the headliner, but Bowen Byram and Spencer Knight now sit right behind him as key pieces of the team’s virtual backbone.
On Wednesday, EA Sports unveiled the game’s top defensemen and goaltenders, and three Blackhawks were included in the reveal. Byram, the newly acquired defenseman, landed as Chicago’s second-ranked player and its highest-rated defenseman with an 87 overall.
That puts him 123rd overall in the game. The only Blackhawks skater rated above him is Bedard, who checks in at a 90 overall.
Alex Vlasic was the other Chicago defenseman included, and he received an 84 overall rating, which makes him the 278th-ranked player in the game.
Knight, meanwhile, comes in as Chicago’s third-best player in NHL 27 with an 87 overall. That rating ties him for the eighth-best goalie in the game and places him 124th overall.
The ratings followed Tuesday’s reveal of the game’s top forward group, which featured Bedard, Patrick Kane, Frank Nazar, and Tyler Bertuzzi. With Kane back in the mix, the Blackhawks’ forward group looks strong in the video game world, even if the real-life version still has plenty of growing to do.
Altogether, the ratings point to a team that EA Sports does not view as especially deep. Chicago has had a run of bottom-five finishes, and only six players have been revealed so far - four forwards, two defensemen, and one goalie among them.
Byram’s arrival stands out in particular. If he stays healthy and produces, he should help not only the defense corps but also give the young forwards more room to create. The same logic applies to Kane’s addition on the forward side, where his presence keeps the group from looking even thinner.
For now, the Blackhawks’ top names in NHL 27 are the ones carrying the load in the game’s ratings. On the ice, the next step still comes down to development and wins.
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At the same time, the nostalgia piece still has real pull for Chicago. Zdeno Charas farewell game, Zees Final Shift, is set for Trencin, Slovakia, and it will feature Blackhawks Hall of Famers Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith, a reminder of how many big names from the organizations recent past still resonate. For a fan base balancing Bedards rise with memories of a championship core, there is still one more familiar thread worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Bedards NHL 27 Rating Has Blackhawks Fans Arguing Again
EA Sports has put Connor Bedard in familiar territory again, handing the Blackhawks center a 90 overall rating in the upcoming NHL 27 release. It is the kind of number that invites debate all by itself, especially for a player who was Chicagos most productive scorer last season and still managed to drive the offense in just 69 games.
The bigger frustration for Blackhawks fans is how the rest of the list shakes out. Bedard was not included among the games top 10 centers, a omission that has already reopened the usual arguments about how much weight should be given to raw production, positional value and the kind of role he carries in Chicago. For a player who led the Blackhawks across the board in scoring categories, it is another reminder that the league and the video-game world do not always see him the same way. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Prospect Rankings Just Reshuffled One Big Part Of The Rebuild
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The more interesting part for Chicago is how the ranking frames the rest of the group behind Bedard, because this is where the rebuilds next steps get clearer. Pronman went prospect by prospect with detailed grades and commentary on names such as Vaclav Nestrasil, Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, offering a snapshot of who he views as more advanced, who still needs time and how each player fits into the long view. It is the kind of ranking that does not settle the debate around the Blackhawks future, but it does sharpen the conversation about which young talents are driving it. [Read more 🡒]