NHL 26 offers a variety of game modes, but the EASHL has always been my favorite. The glory is in being a high-scoring forward, but your club’s elite blueliners are why banners get raised come playoff time. If you want to be an impact defenseman, here are some tips to help you create the best loadout.
Building Your Player
The most important thing to remember is to build your defenseman to excel in the style that you like to play. I like to adjust my build to suit my team’s needs. If we have some great scorers and creative skill stick players up front, I’ll be more of a shutdown D-man. If we’re not scoring as much, I’ll take the offensive route and try to add another threat.
The key is to mold the build to your play style, not the other way around. That said, I’ve put together a couple of builds that work really well for me when I play defense in NHL 26.
Offensive Defenseman
If you’re looking to model your player after Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, the Offensive Defenseman archetype is for you. Your player will have strong skating, shot, and passing attributes. Additionally, the awareness attributes are good, particularly on the offensive side. Weaknesses are on the side of strength and discipline. You won’t be as skilled with stick checking, and are more likely to take penalties if you’re not careful.
X-Factors are what set your player apart, and I like to use them to enhance one strength while boosting a couple of weaknesses. You have 100 points to spend on boosts, and each one costs more based on what they do and the tier of the boost. Here’s what I typically go with for an offensive defenseman:
- No Contest (Elite): Gives you additional stick and arm strength in puck battles; Strength +90%, Speed + 30%, Acceleration +20%
- Rocket (All-Star): Slap shots create big rebounds, and high shots cause the goalie to react; Slap Power +8%, Slap Shot Accuracy +15%
- Elite Edges (Specialist): Increased acceleration and agility when performing tight turns and sharp direction changes; Speed +3%, Acceleration +10%, Agility +15%
That leaves us with these key attributes:
- Height: 6’0″
- Weight: 195
- Shoots: Left
- Wrist Shot Accuracy: 87
- Slap Shot Accuracy: 89
- Wrist Shot Power: 87
- Slap Shot Power: 89
- Speed: 86
- Acceleration: 86
- Passing: 82
- Offensive Awareness: 88
Two-Way Defenseman
If you don’t need the fame or glory, this archetype is for you. A shutdown defenseman won’t lead the club in points, but you’ll play a pivotal role in a lot of wins if you use the archetype well. You can also choose the Defensive Defenseman archetype here, but the Two-Way D-Man is really strong defensively while still having competitive offensive attributes. Strengths are in awareness, stick checking, and discipline. Weaknesses are puck skills like deking, so don’t try to Connor McDavid your way up the ice.
I use the following X-Factors with the Two-Way Defenseman:
- No Contest (Elite): Gives you additional stick and arm strength in puck battles; Strength +90%, Speed + 30%, Acceleration +20%
- Send It (All-Star): Gives your pass receiver a boost in acceleration; Acceleration 20%
- Quick Pick (All-Star): Enhanced pass interception and puck handling; Pickup Ability +60%, Reaction Time +50%
This build gives us these key attributes:
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 205
- Shoots: Left
- Passing: 87
- Stick Checking: 88
- Defensive Awareness: 88
- Shot Blocking: 88
- Balance: 87
- Speed: 85
Remember, build the player to match your style. These builds work great for me. I typically use the Two-Way Defenseman the most, as it offers the most balance, with some still-strong offensive attributes.
