EA SPORTS and NHL.com Launch NHL 13 Cover Vote

Head to NHL.com/CoverVote to vote for your favorite player as the NHL® 13 Cover Athlete.

 NHL ’97 was the first year the EA SPORTS NHL franchise made the switch from featuring a group of players to an individual athlete on the cover, and since that year, each iteration of EA SPORTS NHL brings the same question – who is it going to be this year? Should we go for an established superstar like Mario Lemieux was when he appeared on the front of NHL 2002?  Do we pick a young star that shows a lot of potential? Is it time to finally put another goaltender on the front, or do we show the defense some love this year?  It’s a tough debate every year, and even once the decision has been made and announced, it’s not over.  Hockey fans love to debate whether or not the athlete chosen should’ve been ‘the guy’, and everyone has their own bias.  Our fans are passionate about who gets to be the on the cover of their favorite hockey game each year, and we love the debate.

This year we’ve decided to embrace that debate.  This year we’re taking the decision-making power out of our offices and putting it out into the hands of NHL fans worldwide, by announcing the first ever EA SPORTS NHL Cover Athlete Vote - sponsored by BlackBerry and hosted on NHL.com.  Partnering with the NHL and BlackBerry we’re letting the fans make the decision on deserves to be front and centre on the cover of NHL 13.

Here’s how it works:

To help your favorite player reach the cover, head to NHL.com/CoverVote where you can vote an unlimited number of times in every round.  You can also campaign for them by tweeting your support with the hashtag #NHL13Cover on Twitter. This year the cover of NHL 13 is in your hands, we look forward to seeing who you guys choose. Be sure to visit the EA SPORTS NHL Facebook page for updates and exclusive content.

NHL 13 Cover Athlete Voting Schedule:

• March 29 – April 11: Round of 60: one representative from each team plus two wild card selections advance
• April 12 – April 22: 32-Player Leaderboard: fans vote for their favorite 16 candidates; top 16 vote-getters advance
• April 24 – June 4: Round of 16: single-elimination playoff bracket decides NHL 13 cover athlete

Players you can vote for: