NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

[RaychelSnr]

During the NHL portion of Electronic Arts' Gamescom press conference, a brief screen flash revealed the 10 North American and European hockey leagues that will be represented in NHL 15:

North America

National Hockey League (NHL)
American Hockey League (AHL)
Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Western Hockey League (WHL)
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

Europe

Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL)
Finnish Elite League (Liiga)
Czech Extraliga (ELH)
Swedish Hockey League (SHL)
Swiss National League (NLA)

All of these leagues were present in NHL 14, so hockey fans should be relieved to know that no licensing partners were lost this year, as was the case in FIFA 15.

The bad news for Russian gamers is that their country's top league, the KHL, remains absent from EA's hockey series. Popular Russian athletes like Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov should at least be playable and tradable, assuming that NHL 15 still features roster editing, and still offers its usual selection of Olympic national teams.

EA has been reluctant to release any information regarding NHL 15's game modes, so we still don't know how, exactly, you'll be able to use these leagues in NHL 15. NHL 14 let gamers select any league they wanted to inside Season Mode, but the game would not allow your Be A Pro character to play anywhere outside North America.

[pezdaddy]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

I guess with the recent Ed O'Bannon lawsuit that there is no chance of NCAA teams and players ever appearing in the NHL series. That would probably interest me more than KHL

[RyanLaFalce]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

How do all these leagues factor into GM mode? (Haven't owned an NHL game in a few years)

[MavsUCCB]

I can't wait for "NBC" to be covering the QMJHL, I really hope we have an arena flyover in Baie Commeu or get to see the bright lights of Sydney Nova Scotia in the pre game.

[Jattbreed]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

I just hope that when drafting, they provide the point totals of that player in junior so you can really see what they've done during the year.

[canucksss]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

How do all these leagues factor into GM mode? (Haven't owned an NHL game in a few years)

You can edit the roster (before starting BaGM) by putting Non-NHL and Non-AHL players to Free agency list (like those players in Euro league) that you think can help your AHL team. In fact some of them are good for your D3 or reserves.

[MDgolf]

This is game is gonna be awesome. I think I need to be held!

[gator3guy]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

Was hoping they added a new league. It's been a while. Oh well at least they have the old ones.

What are the chances they changed the national team jerseys? Those things are uggggly.

[Dylonus]

Was hoping for NCAA... but I doubt that'll ever happen with how things went down with the NCAA / NFL games

[Sheba2011]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

I would love to see the KHL included, especially since they have plans to expand throughtout Europe and one day all the top teams in Europe could be playing in the KHL. They already added Jokerit this year it's only a matter of time before other top teams follow. But as long as Bettman and Medvedev remain the heads of their respective league I don't ever see a deal getting done.

[Cletus]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

I wish the ECHL could be added. Maybe they re-worked potential so that players that are scratched can gain some points. It would be nicer to have your 54 ranked defenseman jump up 10 or so points in a couple of years from playing in the ECHL though.

[ericromain]

We'll have to see the fallout of O'bannon. There's a good chance the rules could be laid out to compensate NCAA players for their likeness. The result could be an even better represented NCAA game than before.

It would be great to see the KHL added too. I wish KHL would realize the amount of international exposure their missing out on by not being in the NHL game.

[Sheba2011]

Re: NHL 15: The 10 Hockey Leagues Represented in NHL 15

We'll have to see the fallout of O'bannon. There's a good chance the rules could be laid out to compensate NCAA players for their likeness. The result could be an even better represented NCAA game than before.

It would be great to see the KHL added too. I wish KHL would realize the amount of international exposure their missing out on by not being in the NHL game.

It could be years before we see any results of the O'Bannon case. NCAA already said they will appeal it and most analysts predict they will take it all the way to the Supreme Court if they have to. I think eventually we are headed to a NCAA Players Association.

As far as the KHL, there is just bad blood all around between them and the NHL. It's just as much on the NHL as it was on the KHL for them not being in the game. My fear though is eventually all the top teams in Europe will play for the KHL. They added Jokerit this year and their is already rumors of the top teams from Germany, Austria and Switzerland all being added in the next few years. Eventually the KHL could be the NHL of all of Europe.