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Yes. EA added NHL coaches to NHL 25 in patch 1.2.0, released November 4, 2024. The update introduced coaches in Franchise Mode, Season Mode, Online VS, and Play Now, with individual personalities, strategies, and attributes. Franchise Mode also lets you view coach information and manage preferred lines and player roles.
Which modes include coaches in NHL 25?
EA’s November 4, 2024 update named four modes: Franchise Mode, Season Mode, Online VS, and Play Now. The announcement described the initial addition as “all 32” NHL head coaches current at that time; that figure is tied to the dated announcement, not a promise that the in-game coach list would always track real-world coaching changes.
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EA’s mode list confirms coach inclusion in all four modes, but its detailed instructions for interacting with coaches apply specifically to Franchise Mode. It does not establish that Season Mode, Online VS, and Play Now offer the same management controls.
What do coaches add?
EA said the coaches have official likenesses, distinct personalities, and strategies based on those they employ in the real world. Listed attributes include Power Play, penalty killing (PK), Teaching, and Influence. EA used John Tortorella as an example of an in-game characterization, describing him as a physical coach who specializes in developing veteran players; this is EA’s description of his game profile.
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EA also said a coach’s team history and record are displayed in-game and updated based on future team changes and results within Franchise Mode.
How to view and use a coach in Franchise Mode
EA’s Franchise Mode guide describes several ways to reach coach information. From there, the feature lets you set preferred lines and lock players into particular roles.
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- Open the Coaching Staff screen or Franchise Hub and contact the head coach.
- Alternatively, open Edit Lines and Strategies, then select Coach Info.
- Set preferred lines or lock players into roles as needed.
These are the Franchise Mode interactions EA documents; the update does not provide equivalent step-by-step controls for the other listed modes.
Did NHL 25 add more coaches after launch?
Yes. EA’s February 23, 2025 patch 1.5.0 notes announced Todd McLellan’s addition as Detroit Red Wings coach. The later change shows why the original “32 current” count should be read in the context of the November 2024 update; the February notes do not state a new total.
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- This is true hockey intelligence; Built on an all-new logic-driven animation system, ICE-Q responds to contextual events on the ice with unprecedented authenticity and is the foundation of Chel’s gameplay overhaul
- An on-ice evolution; Next-Gen Vision Control provides fresh abilities, improvements, and a user-initiated skating mode that ups the responsiveness, explosiveness, and expression on the ice for human and AI players alike
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- Skill Based One-Timers create authentic gameplay tension as offensive excitement and expectation mix with defensive concern and anticipation, each pass creating unique moments and opportunities for high-scoring probability shots
- Hockey is at its best when the competition is fierce; The all-new Grudge Match System tracks the history of matchups between teams across all major online and offline modes in NHL 25 to add more context, stakes and heat to showdowns with your rivals
Update timeline
| Date | What EA announced |
|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | EA published a Franchise Mode deep dive describing the revised hub and coach interactions. |
| November 4, 2024 | Patch 1.2.0 added coaches to Franchise Mode, Season Mode, Online VS, and Play Now. |
| February 23, 2025 | Patch 1.5.0 announced Todd McLellan’s addition as Detroit’s coach. |
Sources: EA’s NHL 25 Patch Blog 3 + Coaches Update, EA’s NHL 25 Patch Blog 8, and EA’s Franchise Mode Deep Dive.
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