Edmonton Oilers superstar center Connor McDavid, widely viewed as the best hockey player in the world, just officially became the inaugural member of the 99 Club in EA Sports NHL 27. The three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and six-time Art Ross Trophy king spoke with Bleacher Report this week, spilling on how meaningful this recognition is for the upcoming game.
The Ice King Feels “Guilty” About His Video Game Crown
Being the first-ever 99 Club member in an NHL game is a huge deal, right? Yet, McDavid actually feels a “little bit guilty” about it! He joked about it a couple of years ago, and now it’s real. This is a “cool honor” for the guy who’s played the game since he was a little kid. He completely gets what this means for all the aspiring hockey stars out there, those playing road hockey, pond hockey, hitting the ice for real, then running home to battle it out on the console with their siblings or buddies. McDavid says he knows “how big it is, what this game means to kids kind of growing up and loving the game,” adding, “I certainly know what it meant to me.” This isn’t just a rating; it’s a childhood dream coming true for the GOAT.
How the 99 Club Is Pushing Hockey into the Stratosphere
The 99 Club started in Madden NFL; it’s one of the biggest honors in sports gaming. McDavid thinks bringing that same energy to NHL 27 is “only a good thing for hockey.” He’s seen hockey “growing and it seems to be at a great rate,” and he’s hyped that “any time we can be in the same breath as football, no matter the circumstances, it’s a positive thing.” He knows what being part of the 99 Club means in Madden, and he’s clearly hoping for the same electric buzz for hockey. He looks for “many guys to join the NHL 99 Club,” and wants “it to be something that grows over time and we can make it as big as Madden’s 99 Club.” That’s not just a wish; it’s a roadmap for the sport’s future!
From Christmas Day Battles to Playoff Lounge Bonding, Gaming Unites The Locker Room
McDavid isn’t just some casual player; he grew up in a “pretty funny” household where he, a Leafs fan, battled his Senators-fan brother in epic rivalry games. His favorite memory? Getting the game for Christmas and then diving into it later that same day. Now, at 29 and heading into his 12th NHL season, he’s still having a blast with it. He even gave us a peek behind the curtain, letting us know that NHL players bring their gaming systems on the road! In the playoffs, they set up a “player lounge” with PlayStations or Xboxes running, with “guys playing each other head to head there.” It’s “definitely something that bonds the guys even still.” No matter how old you are, McDavid says, video games are fun, and NHL is a “great way to bond with each other.” These guys, even the best in the world, are still competitive kids at heart, battling it out, just like us!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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