NHL <3's EA and 2K Sports

Well the 2005/2006 hockey season came to a close last night, when the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. What better way to celebrate the end of the hockey season than with the announcement of witch publishers will carry the NHL and NHLPA license for the next couple of years.

Surprise it's EA and 2K Sports.... Well it's not really a surprise EA has been a major partner of the NHL and NHLPA since 1991. EA and 2K will develop '07 hockey games for current and next gen consoles. There was speculation the the NHL and NHLPA might sign a deal that would grant exclusive rights to a single publisher like the NFL did with EA but not this time around.

The NHL recognizes that most consumers want choice and decided not to grant an exclusive license. Watch for EA's NHL 2007 and 2K's NHL 2k7 this holiday season.