NHL 14 is an ice hockeyvideo game developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports. It is the 23rd installment of the NHL series and was released in September 2013. However, the game was released on September 7, 2013 for subscribers of the EA Sports Season Ticket service. Like the NHL 13 cover, anybody could vote on the player they wished to see on the cover of NHL 14. The vote started on April 22, 2013 with 60 NHL players in a single-elimination voting with two players in each match-up, and was closed on June 2, 2013. Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur and Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky qualified for the final, and Martin Brodeur was announced as the winner on June 28, 2013. NHL 14 marked the first time since NHL 97 that a goaltender was featured on the official cover, as well as the first goaltender on any official ice hockey video game cover since Marty Turco on 2K Sports' NHL 2K6. Jonas Hiller was featured on the cover of NHL 12, but only in PAL regions.
Features
NHL 14 has overhauls to two game engines, based on other sports titles developed by EA Canada. The collisionphysics are now powered by the same core technology behind the FIFA Player Impact Engine. For more realistic fights, the game employs the new Enforcer Engine based on the Fight Night series. In addition, the True Performance Skating engine got some more improvements, and the game has a new deking system. The game's Be a Pro career mode now has off-the-ice interactions to dictate the player's overall legacy. NHL 14 also features a modernized version of NHL '94, called NHL '94 Anniversary mode, featuring current rosters and updated graphics to commemorate the game's 20th anniversary. This game also includes five Swiss NLA-league arenas.
Modes
Live the Life Mode – This is an expanded version of the Be A Pro mode in previous versions of the NHL franchise. Off-ice decisions now affect player development. This can be compared to similar singleplayer modes in other sports games such as NBA 2K.
NBC Matchup – In mid-March 2014, EA teamed up with NBC Sports to add their NHL Game of the Week between Thursdays and Sundays, and their Wednesday Night Rivalry game between Mondays and Wednesdays, for the remainder of the 2013–14 NHL season.