Insider leaks of NHL 27 reveal a very flawed and broken game and fans are not happy

Every year, hockey fans hold out a sliver of hope that EA Sports will finally deliver the NHL game the sport deserves. Every year, that hope gets crushed a little more. With NHL 27 set to officially launch on September 11, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, early access players have already gotten their hands on the game through a 10-hour EA Play trial, and the reception has been... well, let's just say the hockey community is not holding back.

Between horrifying player models, recycled gameplay, a franchise mode that remains virtually untouched, and the revelation that EA is now using AI-generated voiceover for in-game commentary, this might be the most frustrated the fanbase has been in years. And that's really saying something.

AI Commentary and Player Models That Miss the Mark

Let's start with the big one. Veteran ESPN broadcaster John Buccigross recently appeared on the Chirping Zebras podcast and dropped a bombshell that caught the attention of hockey fans everywhere. He confirmed that EA Sports is now utilizing generative AI to produce voice lines for the game's commentary. Buccigross will still be featured in NHL 27, but the AI is being used to supplement his work, generating additional lines in his voice.

Buccigross shared an amusing anecdote about the process, explaining that the AI got tripped up on basic hockey terminology. When the developers played back an AI-generated line, it said "the crowd gets out of their chairs" after a goal. Buccigross had to correct them, pointing out that while arena seats might look like chairs, anyone in the hockey world calls them seats. It's a small thing, but it highlights a bigger concern: the people programming these AI systems aren't always deeply familiar with the sport's language and culture. Buccigross was good-natured about it, joking that if it means less recording sessions for the same paycheck, he's fine with it. But the broader implications for the quality and authenticity of sports game commentary are hard to ignore.

This isn't happening in a vacuum, either. EA Sports has been leaning into generative AI across its entire sports lineup. College Football, Madden, and FC all carry AI disclosure labels on their Steam pages this year. NHL isn't on Steam, so there's no such disclaimer for players to see. Call of Duty faced significant backlash last year when it was revealed that AI was being used to generate cosmetic items, and it seems like EA is heading down a similar path with its sports titles.

Then there are the player models, which have been getting absolutely roasted on social media. Connor McDavid, the face of the entire NHL, has a character model that barely resembles him. Leon Draisaitl's likeness is equally rough. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks like his face was pulled from a game released over a decade ago. Over on the Maple Leafs side, players like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares have models that range from passable to outright strange. Even the fans in the crowd have been called "horrifying" by players who've seen the in-game presentation. Some teams, like the Penguins, appear to have received proper face scans for their star players, which only makes the inconsistency more glaring.

A Franchise That Refuses to Evolve

The problems extend well beyond visuals and AI voices. Long-time fans of the series have been begging for meaningful updates to franchise mode for years, and by all accounts, NHL 27 has once again left that mode largely untouched. The game still can't even generate proper player models for draft picks in franchise mode, a complaint that has persisted through multiple installments. Gameplay clips circulating online show familiar issues that have plagued the series, with players reporting bugs and mechanics that feel recycled from previous entries.

For context, many fans consider NHL 14 to be the high-water mark of the franchise. The early 2010s brought genuine innovation with features like the hit stick and skill stick, and each annual release felt like it offered something new. Somewhere along the way, that momentum stalled, and the yearly releases started feeling more like roster updates with a fresh coat of paint. The shift toward microtransactions in Hockey Ultimate Team didn't help matters.

EA received a 6 out of 10 from a major gaming outlet for NHL 27, with the review noting that while the core hockey gameplay remains satisfying, there's no illusion that anything truly substantial has changed this year. Small touches like updated stadiums and new music add minor bits of authenticity, but the fundamental experience hasn't evolved.

Electronic Arts, which was acquired by a Saudi Arabian investment consortium in 2025 for a staggering $55 billion, reported a net income of $1.12 billion in its 2025 fiscal year. The resources to pour real development energy into the NHL series clearly exist. Whether the will to do so is there is another question entirely. For now, hockey fans are left scrolling through social media, laughing at botched player likenesses, and wondering if the series will ever get the love it deserves.