“Kind of Have to Play It”: Moments After Starring on NHL 24 Cover, Famed Defenseman Cale Makar Reveals Future Gaming Pursuits

The 2023–24 National Hockey League season will begin in October, meaning the league is currently in its offseason. The NHL offseason is when all the juicy deals, retirements, and drama go down, and it’s what’s keeping a lot of people up at night. Away from the ice, though, fans have been getting a real kick out of the NHL video games that EA Sports has been releasing annually. On August 14, the publisher announced that Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche would be featured on the cover of NHL 24.

EA Sports made the official cover reveal for NHL 24, featuring Cale Makar, on their social media channels, and the post quickly went viral. Makar was thrilled to see himself receive this chance, and he discussed his gaming background in an interview with ESPN.

His NHL 24 experience

Cale Makar was revealed as the cover athlete for EA Sports NHL 24 on Monday. The 24-year-old NHL superstar won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player in 2021–22 when he helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. In the same year, he also took home the Norris Trophy as the finest defender in the League. As a bonus, he was the fifth defender in the game’s history to appear on the cover. The defender remarked on this accomplishment, stating, “It’s so cool,” during an interview with ESPN. With a nostalgic tone, he continued: “You grow up, you play all these games.”

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The NHL star spent his early childhood in Calgary and fondly remembers when Jarome Iginla, a former player for the Flames, graced the game cover. In 2007, when Russian NHL player Alexander Ovechkin was featured on the cover of EA Sports NHL, Makar played his first NHL video game. During the 2021–22 season, when COVID was a major factor, Makar spent a lot of time playing NHL at home, so he is no stranger to gaming. He has also made an appearance on Fortnite streams hosted by his friends. The star, anticipating the October release of NHL 24, added, “It’ll definitely be cool to get back into it, as I feel like I kind of have to play it now.” The upcoming game is definitely something he is looking forward to.

Since being selected fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft, the defenseman has been an invaluable asset to his club. He is looking forward to the 2023–24 NHL season and the NHL 24 game since his team came so close to advancing in the playoffs last year.

A mixed season for the Colorado Avalanche

Due to roster turnover and a spate of injuries, the Colorado Avalanche had a tough time defending their Stanley Cup title. Despite this, they played 82 games and qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the seventh team after winning 51 and losing 31.

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Avalanche faced a battle against the Seattle Kraken. The Kraken was a tough opponent, and the teams played all the way to a decisive game with the scores tied. With their Game 7 victory, the Kraken dashed the aspirations of the reigning champions to win the Stanley Cup for a second straight year.

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