- Primary Subject: EA Sports NHL 27
- Key Update: San Jose Sharks superstar sophomore Macklin Celebrini has leaked as the official cover athlete for the game.
- Status: Leaked (via early retail preorder listings, though yet to be formally announced by EA Sports)
- Last Verified: July 14, 2026
- Quick Answer: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini is the leaked cover athlete for NHL 27 following a historic 115-point sophomore season.
The NHL 27 cover athlete has finally been revealed, and it's none other than Macklin Celebrini, the San Jose Sharks superstar player.
Celebrini is coming off a historic sophomore season, with the number one pick of the 2024 draft notching 45 goals and 70 assists in 82 games.
Macklin Celebrini Is The Face of NHL 27
To almost no one's surprise, Macklin Celebrini will grace the cover of NHL 27, featuring on both editions of the game, something many leaks had already indicated.
Celebrini's pick as the cover athlete was well received by most in the community, with only a few San Jose Sharks fans who are afraid of the NHL cover curse disagreeing.
As mentioned above, Macklin Celebrini is coming off a fantastic season. The San Jose Sharks star joined an elite group including Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby, becoming one of only six teenagers to record 100 points in an NHL season.
Celebrini has shined in NHL and international play, being the leading scorer of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and earning the IIHF Male Player of the Year.
With such a great season, both on and off NHL ice, the cover athlete spot for NHL 27 seems like a well-deserved reward for one of the most exciting players in recent years.
Hopefully, just like Macklin Celebrini's 2025-2026 season, NHL 27 can also be a historic title for the franchise.
So far, they got the cover athlete right, so it's fair to say NHL 27 is off to a good start.
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