For the first time, the series includes National Teams. Although the developers were unable to get the official Nagano Olympic license, they were able to have national teams with corresponding rosters. EA also introduced for the first time in their NHL series 3Dfx Glide support which dramatically changed their graphics from previous years (although the SNES and Genesis versions of the game continued to look like the previous 2D games). The game was the last NHL game to be released on SNES and Genesis.Peter Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche is the game's cover athlete. Mario Lemiuex appears in the Saturn version of the game, although he had already retired at the end of the 1996-97 NHL Season. GameplayGame ModesExhibition: Single game, pick a team and one for the opponent and face against the computer or a friend.Season: Play all 82 games of the 1997-98 NHL season, trade players, sign free agents and go through the ups and down of a full season.Practice: Try situations like penalty kills, power plays, odd man rushes. Select how many players desired versus how many players the opposing teams have.Skill Challenge: Try some of the challenges that have been made popular with the NHL's All Star game, such as faster skater, accuracy shooting, skating around cones and 2 on 0 goalie scenarios.Shoot Out: One on One, goalie versus a skater on a breakaway.Teams & Rankings In addition to the then 26 NHL Teams (before Atlanta Thrashers, Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild), two All Star Teams and only 3 National Teams (United States, Canada, Europe). Here are the default NHL Team Rankings:TeamEven StrengthPower PlayPenalty KillingGoaltendingAnahiem Mighty Ducks9th6th22nd11th Boston Bruins26th16th21st26th Buffalo Sabres6th26th13th6th Calgary Flames21st8th17th13th Carolina Hurricanes19th4th10th19th Chicago Blackhawks14th17th11th7th Colorado Avalanche1st3rd2nd5th Dallas Stars2nd19th16th3rd Detroit Red Wings5th7th4th2nd Edmonton Oilers13th6th18th16th Florida Panthers7th21st7th4th Los Angeles Kings24th25th3rd20thMontreal Canadians17th13th26th23rd New Jersey Devils3rd23rd1st1st New York Islanders22nd22nd15th18th New York Rangers8th1st25th1th Ottawa Senators16th11th20th12th Philadelphia Flyers4th18th6th8th Phoenix Coyotes11th5th5th15th Pittsburgh Penguins10th2nd23rd25th San Jose Sharks25th20th12th24th St. Louis Blues12th15th14th14th Tampa Bay Lightning20th24th8th17th Toronto Maple Leafs23rd14th19th22nd Vancouver Canucks15th10th24th21st Washington Capitals18th12th9th9th Players with 100 RatingThere are several players in the game that are by default rated 100, they are:NameTeamPositionPaul KariyaAnahiem Mighty DucksLeft WingDominik HasekBuffalo Sabres GoaltenderPeter ForsbergColorado Avalanche CenterSergei FedorovDetroit Red Wings CenterRod Brind'AmourPhildelphia FlyersLeft WingEric LindrosPhiladelphia Flyers Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins Right WingKeith TkachukPhoenix Coyotes Left WingPaul CoffeyPhiladelphia FlyersRight DefenseRay BourqueBoston Bruins Left Defense
