Guides

Best Teams in NHL 27 for Online Versus: Who to Pick in 1v1

3 November 2026 · 9 min read · ICERANK

Contents

How we rank the teams
The best teams in NHL 27: top 10 clubs
What matters in a 1v1 versus game
Why the top team is not always the right pick
Where to test your team against real players
FAQ

The best teams in NHL 27 for online versus are Tampa Bay, Florida, Dallas, Carolina and Colorado: clubs with no weak spot up front, on the blue line or in net according to EA SPORTS player ratings. But the strongest roster on paper is not always the best pick for you in a 1v1 game against a human. Below you will find the top 10 clubs, what actually wins online versus, and how to choose a team that suits the way you play.

How we rank the teams

Every number in this guide comes from EA SPORTS NHL 27 overall player ratings (OVR), using the snapshot from October 23, 2026. EA publishes the top 300 players in the league, so each club shows between 6 and 15 of its stars.

To compare clubs, we build a roster rating:

forwards: the average of the nine best forwards, three full lines;
defense: the average of the four best defensemen, two pairs;
goalie: the starter's rating;
overall: forwards weigh the most, then defense, then the goalie.

The full table for all 32 clubs, line by line, is on our best teams in NHL 27 page. It also shows something you will not find in the game: how many games each club has played in the ICERANK league and its win rate against real opponents. Individual player ratings live in the NHL 27 ratings database.

The best teams in NHL 27: top 10 clubs

The gap at the top is small. The leader is ahead by about one point, and the rest form a tight pack. That is why what a club is built from matters more than where it sits in the list.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning: the strongest team in NHL 27

By our math, this is the best roster in the game. The reason is two superstars in the two positions that matter most: Nikita Kucherov (97) up front and Andrei Vasilevskiy (94), the highest-rated goalie in NHL 27. Around them are Victor Hedman (91), Brandon Hagel (90), Jake Guentzel (90) and Brayden Point (88). If you want a team whose goalie forgives your defensive mistakes, this is it.

2. Florida Panthers: the deepest team

Florida has more players in EA's top 300 than anyone else: 15. Aleksander Barkov (95), Sam Reinhart (91), Matthew Tkachuk (90), Brady Tkachuk and Brad Marchand (89 each), Gustav Forsling (88). The goalie, Jacob Markstrom (84), is the weakest among the top clubs, but all three scoring lines barely drop off.

3. Dallas Stars: balance with no holes

Mikko Rantanen (94), Miro Heiskanen (93), Jason Robertson (92), Wyatt Johnston (90) and Jake Oettinger (88) in net. One of the best defensive groups plus a reliable goalie makes Dallas a comfortable pick if you like to win from the back.

4. Carolina Hurricanes: lots of very good players

Sebastian Aho and Jaccob Slavin (91 each), Seth Jarvis and Nikolaj Ehlers (89 each), Andrei Svechnikov (88). No 95+ superstar, but 14 players in the top 300. Carolina wins with depth and a strong blue line.

5. Colorado Avalanche: two of the best at their positions

Nathan MacKinnon (97) and Cale Makar (95) are among the most dangerous players in the game, with Martin Necas (92) alongside. In goal: Scott Wedgewood (87) and Mackenzie Blackwood (86).

6 to 10: Minnesota, Winnipeg, Montreal, Washington, Islanders

Minnesota Wild: Quinn Hughes (95) on defense, Kirill Kaprizov (94) up front, plus Matt Boldy (91).
Winnipeg Jets: Mark Scheifele (93), Kyle Connor (92) and Connor Hellebuyck (92), one of the best goalies in the game.
Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki (93), Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson (90 each), Ivan Demidov (88).
Washington Capitals: goalie Logan Thompson (90), defenseman Jakob Chychrun (89) and Alex Ovechkin (89).
New York Islanders: Ilya Sorokin (93) in net and Matthew Schaefer (91) on defense. The forward group is thinner, but the goaltending is close to Tampa's.

Just outside the top 10 are Edmonton and Vegas. Edmonton has Connor McDavid, the only 99 in the game, and Leon Draisaitl (96), but no goalie in EA's top 300. Vegas has Jack Eichel (94) and Mitch Marner (93).

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What matters in a 1v1 versus game

Overall rating is a good starting point. In a 1v1 game against a real person, though, a few specific things decide results.

Your top line and speed

In 1v1 you attack through your stars most of the time: they lead the power play, and in 3v3 overtime they are the ones on the ice. So look at the top three forwards, not the nine-forward average. A fast center who handles the puck well (McDavid, MacKinnon, Jack Hughes, Celebrini) creates chances that no system can.

Check each player's X-Factor abilities as well. Wheels is about speed with the puck, Quick Release about a fast shot, Tape to Tape about accurate passing. McDavid has Elite Edges, Tape to Tape and Wheels; MacKinnon has Quick Release, Unstoppable Force and Wheels. The full list is on the NHL 27 abilities page.

The goalie

League games use 4-minute periods, so there are not many shots. A single soft goal often decides the game, which makes the goalie worth more online than any rating formula suggests. The top goalies in NHL 27 by EA rating: Vasilevskiy (94), Sorokin (93), Hellebuyck (92), Shesterkin (91), Thompson (90). See them all on the NHL 27 goalie ratings page.

Defense

Defensemen are not only about defending. A blueliner with a heavy point shot and a clean first pass (Makar, Hughes, Werenski, Heiskanen, Dahlin) turns every possession into a threat. If you mostly play from the back, pick a club with a sticky pair that has abilities like Stick Em Up or Warrior. Compare them on the defense ratings page.

Your style

Speed and dekes: Edmonton, Colorado, New Jersey.
Defense and counterattacks: Dallas, Carolina, Islanders.
Physical play and net-front shooting: Florida, Washington.
The most all-round option: Tampa Bay.

Why the top team is not always the right pick

There are three good reasons to look past the top three.

Your opponent knows those players. Many people pick the top clubs, so a decent opponent already knows who will shoot and who needs tighter coverage.
The gap is tiny. There is roughly one overall point between first and tenth. Knowing your roster covers that difference easily.
In a season you do not get to choose. In the ICERANK Season, every player gets one NHL club for the whole season: 32 clubs, 84 regular-season games, a 16-club playoff with best-of-seven series. If you only know how to play Tampa, you will have to adapt. See who has which club on the season clubs page.

Where to test your team against real players

Ratings are theory. Practice starts when the person across from you knows the ratings too. On the ICERANK 1v1 Ladder you can play any team in the game: ranked games around the clock, Elo-based points and a monthly table. The settings are the same for everyone: online versus, 4-minute periods, Superstar difficulty, 3v3 overtime, then a shootout.

It is the best way to find your club: play ten games with a few different teams and see where your win rate is highest. Then compare with the whole league on the best teams page, which shows which clubs people pick most and which ones actually win.

A fair note before you join: the community is mostly from Russia and nearby countries, and cash prizes are paid in rubles. If you are new to the game, start with our guide to finding opponents in NHL 27, and see how ranking points work in the NHL 27 1v1 league guide.

FAQ

What is the best team in NHL 27?

By our calculation from EA SPORTS NHL 27 player ratings, Tampa Bay has the strongest roster: Kucherov (97) up front and Vasilevskiy (94) in goal. Florida, Dallas, Carolina and Colorado are right behind.

What is the best team for online versus in NHL 27?

Pick a club with a fast top line and a reliable goalie, such as Tampa Bay, Colorado, Dallas or Winnipeg. Matching the club to your style and playing it consistently matters more than taking number one every time.

Which team has the best goalie in NHL 27?

Andrei Vasilevskiy of Tampa Bay has the highest goalie rating (94). He is followed by Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders (93), Connor Hellebuyck of Winnipeg (92) and Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers (91).