Sarah Nurse was resting, having just helped Team Canada to Olympic gold in Beijing, when the call came.
It’s EA Sports. They wondered if Nurses liked to tell stories.
“They asked me if I wanted to be on the cover of NHL 23 and I was like, ‘Yeah, if you like me, I’d love to be a part of that. . I think it’s going to be more dangerous,'” Nurse said.
According to EA Sports, the nurse is the first female hockey player to represent the cover of his NHL franchise. He is one of the two game players for NHL 23, along with Anaheim Ducks sensation Trevor Zegras as the face of the latest edition, which will be released on October 14.
“It’s a very important moment, for EA and the NHL,” said Clem Kwong, the lead producer of the EA Sports NHL series.
According to Kwong, EA considered putting a female character on the cover of the game in previous seasons. According to him, the Nurse is in line with the goal of the game to push hockey forward to a more inclusive and accessible place.
“When we started going through the process and looking at the shortlist of players, we were looking for players who were at the highest level,” he said. “Sarah is a very smart player. When you talk about speed and creativity, she proves it on the biggest stage. She is a pioneer in the audience and the differences within the game, too.”
Having a female player on the cover of NHL 23 seemed like a big deal when EA Sports added the championship tournament teams of IIHF women in the NHL 22 expansion last Christmas, marking the first time male players were included in the game. “So it’s a progressive plan in that regard,” Kwong said. “Get the women’s license in the game first and then expand it.”
It’s a game-changing moment for EA Sports and it comes at a time when Kwong sees the interest in women’s hockey.
“The trend line for women’s hockey is only going up so far,” she said. “The professional women’s league didn’t know how to do it, but it’s only a matter of time, Sarah is right and she’s very proud of our team.” go with him.”
ESPN spoke with Nurse recently about appearing on the cover, the management of Team Canada, the strides made by women in the NHL and her appointment as a judge on “Canada Drag Race.”
On the day of our interview, members of the Canadian women’s team released an open letter to Hockey Canada saying they will be “part of the fight for truth” over allegations of sexual assaults committed against male players, said they would do the same. seeking a role in reforming the organization. The nurse declined to comment on the case, but will tweet a copy of that letter later today.
ESPN: What does it mean to you to be the first woman on the cover of an EA Sports NHL game?
Nurse: It’s such an honor to be the first woman on the cover of NHL 23. It’s something I never thought was in the realm of possibility. I never dreamed I’d be up there. And so I think it’s huge and I think it’s just where women’s hockey is right now. The visibility and value people see in women’s hockey. And now I am very proud to be able to represent a great community of great hockey players.
ESPN: What are your thoughts on the cover with you and Trevor now that you’ve seen the finished product?
Nurse: I think it’s amazing. Being there on the set in California, shooting the cover was really cool. They really wanted to show us their vision of palm trees. Just to have fun and have fun, not your typical hockey or anything like that. I love the cover. I think it will catch people’s eyes. You will entice more people to try the game.
ESPN: What is the video game culture like on Team Canada? We keep hearing stories about Stanley Cup playoff teams doing Mario Kart games on the road. Is it the same in international tournaments?
Nurse: There are quite a few video games, depending on the circle you’re running in the team. We definitely have big games. We have girls who are bringing their sports equipment on the road with us, which is great.
I know at the Olympics my roommate actually played NHL 22 for Team Canada – a small part of the way to show up at the Olympics. We won world championships [in the sport] when we were in the Olympics. But our team is sure to enjoy the game. I like to watch them play, because most of them are better than me, but I still like it.
ESPN: Whenever we talk about women’s hockey, we talk about representation and importance. Like a girl who sees you wearing a gold medal, for example. Making the cover and having female athletes in an EA Sports game seems like a real moment in that regard, doesn’t it?
Nurse: It’s definitely big. And I think about myself, you know, as a kid, who wants to play in the NHL and I never thought that I could be in the game or that a woman would be in the game . So I think for me, it would have been a game changer. And for little girls, I hope it’s a game changer and they can see themselves in professional hockey because of a video game like this.
But again, I also hope for the younger boys, they also see women in sports that are familiar. It’s not something that happens all the time. Women in sports are here to stay. I hope the next generation and everyone who wants to play this game can see that.
ESPN: You said back in March that we were close to a women’s league in Canada. Where are we now?
Nurse: We are very close. It’s hard to hide things. It is very difficult as we move forward in this process, but the process was very important to us and we want to do things right. I know we’ve been holding things back a little, but there’s a lot of fun going on and will continue to do so in the coming months. So definitely stay tuned because women’s professional hockey is coming and it’s going to be really good.
ESPN: The women’s world championships that begin on Thursday have been rescheduled due to concerns over COVID-19. Have you been to Denmark before?
Nurse: I have never been to Denmark, but I would love to be there in the summer. I think that’s a transition from, you know, a winter to something else.
ESPN: Canada was a car in the Olympics. As an American, I was so impressed that there was no end to your goodness. But you were amazing, and as Canada heads to Worlds, is this a pinnacle for the women’s team?
Nurse: This is a special team and I hope we can replicate it going to Denmark. I have a lot of faith in the group we have. I think our success came from us focusing on the process and just wanting to be the best team possible. We weren’t thinking about a gold medal game. We considered each sport individually, because a gold medal game is not guaranteed. It doesn’t say ‘The Canadians are playing for a gold medal,’ you know?
ESPN: Well, this is big news for the whole world. Canada has no bye in the gold medal game.
Nurse: [Laughs] We didn’t realize how important we were to Canada until we brought home the gold medal. We are very happy with our group and as we continue to move forward. We aim to keep the momentum going and change the game. I think the style we played in Beijing is a style that has never been seen in women’s hockey before. So I really hope that we can continue that and continue to improve each other’s country.
ESPN: Besides the EA Sports cover, Sarah Nurse’s other big off-season story is that you’re a judge on “Canada’s Drag Race.” How did that come about?
Nurse: Oh my goodness. I enjoyed the entire time I was on “Drag Race.” I have been a fan of “Drag Race” for years. Like, it’s on a constant loop in my house. [Laughs]
I got a call from them after the Olympics and I was going to be in the finals, which was really cool. Queensland is incredibly talented. I appreciated them a lot before, but I appreciate them more. I saw every Queenslander playing, walking on the road. I spend three hours doing my own hair and makeup. I’m so excited and can’t wait for the finale to air. I want to see who wins too!
ESPN: So what’s the key to judging a drag contest?
Nurse: Honestly, it’s just, you have to get everyone going. You just want to impress everyone and you just want to be honest, totally honest. At that time in the end, like everyone did a good job. Obviously I missed the whole season. I just got there for this finale, but everyone did an amazing job. So, at that time, I just liked everyone. I was like, ‘You’re so good. You deserve to be here.’ It’s a lot of fun.
ESPN: Finally, it’s been an amazing season for women in hockey. Some women were promoted to assistant general managers while others were assigned to hockey jobs, such as teammate Marie-Philip Poulin with the Montreal Canadiens. What is your answer to that?
Nurse: I think that’s great. Women obviously have a big seat at the table in the NHL, and I think that just speaks to where our game is and the importance of women. Women who have been hired in various positions in the NHL know their stuff. They know what they are doing, and they are the best people for those positions.
It’s clear to see people who have opportunities to help GM, see one of my teammates and friends, Marie-Philip Poulin, can work with the Montreal Canadiens which is amazing. I think those guys are very lucky that they can learn from one of the best hockey players in the world. It’s just about respecting women in sports and understanding that women have an advantage in hockey.
