EA Sports is kicking off hockey season with a fresh cross-media play — this time teaming up with Prime Video to merge real-life hockey storytelling directly into NHL 26. The collaboration marks the first-ever integration of a sports docuseries into an EA Sports title, with content from FACEOFF: Inside the NHL Season 2 now shaping a limited-time in-game event.
Launched on October 7, the two-week Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) event invites players to relive the rivalries and drama spotlighted in Prime Video’s docuseries, which returned for its second season on October 3. The crossover introduces new themed player items and episodic “HUT Moments” centred around storylines from the show — featuring real NHL stars, including brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, who are also NHL 26 cover athletes, alongside Sidney Crosby, Anže Kopitar, Seth Jarvis, Brad Marchand, William Nylander, Zach Werenski, and more.
The event isn’t confined to HUT alone. Players jumping into World of CHEL can unlock a vanity item inspired by cover athlete Matthew Tkachuk, as part of the broader “CHEL Week: Puck Drop” rollout — which also includes community rewards, player drops, and a free starter pack.
The move reflects EA Sports’ growing push toward blending narrative and gameplay. By linking FACEOFF: Inside the NHL’s off-ice storytelling with NHL 26’s interactive experience, the publisher is reimagining how fans follow the league — from streaming to stickhandling.
Andrea Hopelain, GM & SVP of Publishing for EA SPORTS, described the collaboration as a way to “bring fans closer than ever to the athletes and moments that shape the game, both on-screen and inside NHL 26.” She said: “We’re thrilled to team up with Prime Video to spotlight the passion and personalities that define hockey with our community. EA SPORTS is reimagining how fans experience the sports they love — pushing the boundaries of immersive storytelling and play.”
The crossover highlights EA Sports’ strategy of expanding its sports universe beyond the rink, following similar content-driven partnerships with The Athletic. For players, it’s a new kind of immersion — one where what unfolds on Prime Video can change the next game-night lineup.
FACEOFF: Inside the NHL Season 2 is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video, while NHL 26’s HUT event runs through mid-October.
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Words by Khushboo Malhotra
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