The release of EA Sports’ NHL20 is on Sept. 13 and to drum up more buzz and attention to the newest edition, the developers are revealing a number of different NHL players’ overall ratings and first-looks in the game. Be it rookies or players on new teams, there has been plenty to show off for EA as the release date approaches. For Blackhawks fans, they got their first look at Chicago’s newest rookie, 2019 third overall draft pick Kirby Dach, on Saturday.
EA Sports reveals Kirby Dach’s NHL20 rating
Following the reveals of top overall draft pick Jack Hughes and second overall pick Kaapo Kakko, the developers were set to reveal third overall pick Dach’s first look in the game. While Hughes was revealed in his New Jersey Devils sweater and Kakko in his New York Rangers sweater, Dach was revealed in his WHL Saskatoon Blades sweater. With the Blackhawks rumored to have new tweaks to their collars, the game probably was not allowed to reveal the new look for Chicago just yet.
So on Saturday, on Dach’s Instagram page, he revealed his NHL20 look:
#Blackhawks Kirby Dach rated 76 overall in @EASPORTSNHL (also, not pictured in #NHL sweater, while Hughes and Kakko were) @kdach77 pic.twitter.com/5GoVBndqQB
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) August 24, 2019
76 overall.
Six overall points behind top pick Hughes and five overall points behind Kakko. It is an improvement for Dach from his latest NHL19 rating, which he finished in the latest roster update at 75 overall. A little disappointing, given the drop off from the top two picks and the minimal improvement from the end of the year. But after a 73-point season in the WHL, in the eyes of the developers, Dach had not done enough to jump off the page and into the high 70s or even touch 80 overall.
Obviously, this is just the first roster reveal. There will be at least one, maybe two roster updates for NHL20 by the time the NHL regular season begins. By that time, Dach could show off more of his development through training camp and the preseason and improve his rating by the time the Blackhawks drop the puck on the regular season.