Jack Hughes didn’t exactly light up over his NHL 27 face scan, but he also didn’t bury it.
That alone put him in a pretty different lane from some of his peers this week, as players at NHL Media Day in Las Vegas started reacting to their digital likenesses in EA Sports’ newest game. The scans have been one of the loudest talking points around NHL 27, and not because people are thrilled. A lot of the early reaction has centered on how rough several of them look, with some players getting singled out more than others.
Jack Hughes, though, took a more relaxed view when ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski asked around. While Alexander Ovechkin said the game captured his salt-and-pepper look and Trevor Zegras called his “one of the better ones,” plenty of others were far less charitable.
Frank Nazar said his was “horrible.” Matty Beniers said they “can't do me dirty like that.”
Cole Caufield, whose scan drew plenty of attention, said: “I look like I need some sleep or some water.” He added that the expression made it seem like he’d just seen a ghost.
Hughes didn’t go that far.
"I don't hate it. I think maybe there's been [video] games in the past that are closer, but I saw some other [scans] that are pretty funny.
Cole (Caufield)'s is not picture-perfect. But I don't think mine's too bad."
That’s about as measured as it gets in a week when NHL 27’s player faces have become a talking point all by themselves. The game has already drawn mixed reviews, with some early buzz around Connected Franchise mode and the improved arena and fan presentation, but also complaints about mistakes and inconsistencies. Some goal songs no longer fit the teams they’re attached to, and online play still comes with plenty of bugs.
Even with all that, the face scans have taken over the conversation. New Jersey Devils players were among those who didn’t come out especially well, with Dawson Mercer getting called out in particular.
For Hughes, the reaction was noticeably softer. And it fits a player who’s already been through the whole EA Sports spotlight before.
He was once on the cover of the game, joining brothers Quinn and Luke Hughes on the NHL25 cover. Whether the infamous cover curse is gone or not, Hughes at least seems willing to give this version a pass.
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