As the Washington Capitals regroup with the holiday break, many hockey fans may find that Santa (or Amazon) has left the newest NHL hockey game for your system of choice under the tree.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been winning Stanley Cups with your team of choice for years now. Also, like me, some of you have only experienced your favorite childhood team win the cup in this fashion (cough…Philadelphia Flyers 😢).
Gamers of a certain age will remember some of the true classics that have come over the years, so for a fun iteration of Between Two Posts, we will take a look back at some video game hockey of the past, as well as see how the Capitals looked in digital form over the years.
The GOAT: NHL 94
Rather than bury the lead, I’ll start right off with arguably the GOAT of video game hockey. Released in late 1993 by Electronic Arts (EA) for the Super Nintendo, PC and Sega Genesis, this game is still considered one of the better sports games released in that era.
And for good reason. It’s fast, responsive and just plain fun. I still play it regularly, as my 11-year-old son and I frequently hit the ice and battle it out on the Genesis.
If you decide to take to the ice as the Washington Capitals in this game, you’ll be greeted with old names such as Peter Bondra and Al Iafrate as part of a roster that rates at a 70, which sits firmly at about the middle of the pack for the 26 NHL teams in the game. For the younger fans, you won’t find teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, or Utah HC in this game. Instead, you’ll find their earlier iterations, the Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and the old Winnipeg Jets (which later moved to Phoenix to become the Coyotes).
Fun fact: If you’re jonesing for this game but don’t have a Sega lying around, it is also available in a more updated form on Xbox and PS4/PS5 as “NHL 94 Rewind.” This version features updated rosters from 2018, including teams we know now (sans Utah and Seattle).
This version greets you with a big digitalized version of our favorite captain Alex Ovechkin and is just as much fun as you remember. It’s also reasonably priced and a great way to introduce your kids to the classic game.
While the series didn’t start with 94, it’s evolved into the long-running series we have now featuring the Hughes brothers on the cover for the 2025 iteration. It’s a series that has featured a Washington Capital player only twice on its cover, a young Alex Ovechkin in the NHL 07 release and then a more seasoned Ovi in NHL 21.
An old competitor to the NHL series: NHL 2K
If you’re a bit older, you may remember this series. Making its debut on the Sega Dreamcast with a ‘2K’ release, it came out as a true competitor to the EA in a time where there were many more hockey options than the…checks notes…one we have now.
After the Dreamcast died in 2002, this series was moved to the Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo platforms going forward, where it would see excellent releases like 2K4 and 2K5. I loved these two iterations, as they featured ESPN-stylized commentary from legendary game caller Gary Thorne, with Bill Clement as his color man. These were also the first NHL video games where the commentator was able to say my last name (due to the presence of former NHL journeyman Lubos Bartecko).
Capitals’ rosters in the original 2K game featured Peter Bondra joined by Sergei Gonchar, Steve Konowalchuk and Adam Oates, with one of my favorite netminders from days of yore, Olaf “Olie the Goalie” Kolzig. The 2K5 game featured names such as Brooks Laich, Alexander Semin and Brendan Witt.
The next two games in the series eschewed the ESPN presentation, and 2K7 would introduce a fun option called Cinemotion, which presented the games sans commentary, which was replaced by orchestral music that ebbed and flowed with the game action, as well as varied camera angles to add a cinematic touch to each game. It was a fun option that I wish was explored again in some fashion nowadays.
The only time a Washington Capital graced the cover of this series was in 2k10, which featured a celebratory Alex Ovechkin on the cover of an otherwise forgettable team.
NHL Hitz 02-03
While a short-lived series that only spanned three games from 2002-2004, my favorite is unquestionably the 2003 version, featuring Chris Pronger on the cover. This is another game my son and I have put a lot of time into, as it features fast-paced 3-on-3 hockey where hitting everyone (including the goalie) is not only encouraged, it’s practically required. Score enough goals and make enough dazzling moves, and your team can catch fire and have a massive energy boost.
This game is zany and over the top, and it was an awesome party game back in the day when my childhood favorite Flyers were actually fun to watch. If none of the teams interest you, this game gives you the capability to create a team and fill it with custom players that don’t even have to be human- the team I used to play my son features a snowman, a cow and a pirate as the goalie. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking up a PS2, Xbox, or Gamecube and introducing this one to your family and friends.
And Many More
Of course, there are many more hockey games here I didn’t mention. Sony had the mostly forgettable NHL Faceoff series that ran on the PS1 and PS2 for several years. Then there were the NHL Breakaway games in the 90’s. And who could forget the old classic on the Nintendo Entertainment System simply titled ‘Ice hockey?’ And that’s just scratching the surface of the ice.
Nowadays, we only have one real option for our video game hockey fix. While the EA NHL series remains fun, this trip down memory lane does make me yearn for the days when options were aplenty, and we could experience video game hockey in many different ways.
Anyway, check out some old-time (digital) hockey and relive your childhood, show your kids what graphics looked like back when you were their age, and experience the history of your Washington Capitals and the various players that have adorned the old red and white or screaming eagle jerseys.
