With the 2021-22 NHL season wrapping up, it's time to start thinking about which player deserves to be on the cover of EA Sports' NHL 23. Being chosen to be the cover athlete of a major video game franchise is a huge honor and recognition for the cover athlete. There's always a lot of talk every year about who's going to be on the cover of the latest edition of EA Sports' NHL franchise, so who's eligible to be on the cover of NHL 23? We will explain below. NHL 23 Coins are great for those who want to collect great players for HUT teams in NHL 23 and build the ultimate hockey team.

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Kyle Makar is expected to be the first guard to grace the cover of an EA Sports NHL video game since PK-Subban in Nashville in 2018. Cale Makar is a generational talent with ridiculous numbers for a defender. Cale Makar was a top-20 scorer in the 2021-22 NHL season, recording more than 20 goals and more than 70 points. His broken feet and incredible speed on the blue line are dazzling. Cale Makar also scored one of the most disgusting goals of the season in a nationally televised game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Cale Makar is the type of guard hockey fans haven't seen in a while, which is exactly why he's our prime candidate for the cover of NHL 23.

2. Trevor Zegras, Anaheim Ducks

Could Trevor Zegras be the first rookie to be on the cover of the EA Sports NHL? Trevor Zegras is a prime candidate for the cover of NHL 23 for his dazzling skills and creativity. The Anaheim Ducks rookie is prominent on stage in his first full season in 2021-22. Against Montreal and Arizona, Zegrass assisted Sonny Milano from behind the net with a wild little ball before scoring two "Michigan" goals. Trevor Zegras makes a lot of sense as the cover athlete of NHL23. EA Sports was looking for a player they could market, and that's exactly what Trevor Zegras delivered. The 21-year-old has been experimenting with new moves and having fun on the ice. Zegrass inspired ice hockey players around the world to be more creative with their moves.

3. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers

At Edmonton Oilers, Leon Draisaitl is often overshadowed by NHL 18 cover athlete Connor McDavid, but the numbers don't lie. Over the past three seasons, Leon Draisaitl has scored 290 points in 194 games, the second-most on the NHL's scoring list. During that stretch, he was only 10 points short of leading scorer McDavid. EA Sports can acknowledge Draisaitl's consistent elite offensive production by awarding him the cover of NHL 23.

4. Marc-Andre Fleury, Minnesota Wild

Could we see a goalie on the cover of NHL 23? While Russian goalies Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy may be more talented, Minnesota Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury is a more likely option. It's been eight years since EA Sports featured a goalie (Martin Brodeur, NHL 14) on their video game cover. Since Marc-Andre Fleury is now 37 years old, this could be the perfect opportunity for EA Sports to feature him on the cover before he finally retires. A midseason trade from Chicago to Minnesota also helps, as Marc-Andre Fleury now has a chance to steal the show in the playoffs. Goalkeepers don't have the flash and creativity of strikers that can enhance a video game. However, Marc-Andre Fleury has a talent for drama, and his market personality still makes him a prime candidate for NHL 23 cover athlete.

5. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

Johnny Gaudreau's incredible 2021-22 season makes him a top-five candidate for the cover of NHL 23. Johnny Gaudreau is having a career year at the age of 28, scoring 30 goals and scoring 90 points in 66 games. Johnny Gaudreau's play is a major reason why the Flames are the favorite to represent the Western Conference in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. Johnny Gaudreau has the speed and skill to make the ideal NHL 23 cover athlete. Johnny Gaudreau's game is very similar to previous EA NHL cover players Patrick Kane and Claude Giroud.

Above are the NHL 23 cover players we predicted, if you want to build the ultimate hockey team you need a lot of top players, to get them you need enough HUT 23 Coins. You can buy NHL 23 HUT coins at z2u.com to boost your overall team.