Top 10 PWHL player ratings on NHL 25

Hockey fans were excited when EA Sports announced last month that the PWHL and its six franchises would be included in NHL 25.

On Thursday, EA Sports released the update that includes Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge and Toronto Sceptres in traditional game modes (Play Now, Online Versus, Season Mode, etc.). Team uniforms are also available in World of Chel and Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT).

We reviewed all the players in the game and compiled a list of the top 10 PWHL player ratings in NHL 25:

10. 91 – Cayla Barnes (MTL)

Taken No. 5 overall by the Victoire in the 2024 PWHL Draft, Barnes enters the league ready to become one of the best blueliners in the PWHL, and that translates into NHL 25. The two-way defender possesses 90s across the board for her skating, and her near-perfect puck skills blend nicely with a strong hockey sense and highly-rated defensive abilities.

9. 91 – Taylor Heise (MIN)

Last season’s No. 1 overall pick, Heise’s elite offensive talents puts her among the best players in both real life and NHL 25. With puck skills in the mid-90s, high-end skating and the best faceoff rating in the game at 93, Heise is a true playmaker in every sense of the world and can lead the video game version of the Frost to a Walter Cup, just like she did with the real-life version of the club.

8. 91 – Erin Ambrose (MTL)

One of the game’s best defenders in the last few seasons, there’s no difference in NHL 25. Her body checking, strength and aggressiveness are in the mid 90s, combined with high defensive awareness and shot blocking make her a true shutdown defender. But don’t lose sight of her offensive talents, with a 91 passer rating and 90 offensive awareness.

7. 91 – Sarah Nurse (TOR)

Nurse is no stranger to the EA Sports universe, appearing on the NHL 23 cover with Anaheim Ducks’ forward Trevor Zegras. The Ohio State alumnus possesses elite offensive and defensive awareness with 94 in each category, and her hands in the video game match them in real life, with 91 in deking, hand-eye and passing. Her relentless play along the boards and in front of the net guarantee the puck will be on her stick quite a bit.

6. 91 – Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN)

Olympic gold, World Championships, an NCAA National Championship, a Patty Kazmaier Award and now a Walter Cup: Coyne Schofield has done it all in real life. Now, in the game, the 32-year-old has world-class passing skills and arguably the best skating attributes in the game, with acceleration, agility, balance, and speed, all in the mid-90s. Give Coyne Schofield space with the puck, and no one is catching her.

5. 91 – Natalie Spooner (TOR)

The PWHL’s first Billie Jean King MVP Award winner, Spooner’s combination of size, strength and skill make her a lethal threat in the opponent’s zone. All-world puck skills in the early 90s, with physical attributes between 91 and 94 and offensive awareness of 93, don’t be surprised if Spooner hits the 20-goal mark again in Season Mode.

4. 92 – Renata Fast (TOR)

The highest-rated defender in NHL 25, the Hockey Canada mainstay has no weakness in her game. A near-perfect defensive rating, her zone awareness and shot blocking are 90, and her skating abilities with 90s across the board help her keep up with any opposing player. When you factor in her perfect tape-to-tape passing at 93 and high-accuracy shot from the point, the right-handed defender is unstoppable.

3. 92 – Brianne Jenner (OTT)

Arguably the best power forward in the game, the Charge captain possesses elite hockey sense with a 94 and 93 in offensive and defensive awareness, respectively, combined with relentless physical dominance with 92 and 93 in aggressiveness, body checking and strength. Her 94 passing rating and 92 puck control make her a force in the offensive zone.

2. 92 – Hilary Knight (BOS)

The future Hockey Hall of Famer has player attributes that are among the best in the game. With puck skills in the mid-90s and a 5-foot-11 frame, her combination of size and skill make her impossible to get the puck off of and perfect for battles in the corners. With speed and agility at a 91, along with aggressiveness and strength at 93 and 94, respectively, Knight is a dominant force in NHL 25.

1. 93 – Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL)

No surprise here: the game’s greatest player with the game’s highest number. With a 93 overall, Poulin’s puck skills are world class, with her deking, hand-eye, passing and puck control at 93 and above. Her skating and strength are between a 93 and 94, with her shot accuracy in the upper echelons of the game. Throw in physical attributes of aggressiveness and body checking, both at 93, and she’s the perfect player.

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