The NHL Players Association has announced a licensing deal with Sense Arena that will bring stars like Connor McDavid and Matthew Tkachuk into virtual reality for the first time.
NHL Sense Arena is the only licensed NHL and NHLPA virtual and mixed reality hockey platform. The company has had an agreement with the NHL for over two years to bring team branding and events like the Winter Classic into Sense Arena’s VR training games.
Now, thanks to this name and likeness deal with the NHLPA, NHL players — around 15 per team to start — will replace the generic ones inside the game, allowing fans the chance to pass pucks to Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews or attempt to beat goaltenders like reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.
“This partnership with Sense Arena is an exciting opportunity to bring fans closer to the incredible talent of NHL players,” said NHLPA chief commercial officer Steve Scebelo. “This is truly a dynamic new platform that will showcase the talents of the players and bring fans closer to the action in a way they have never experienced before.”
NHL players will be prominently featured in a 3-on-3 mode, which includes an 82-game season, roster management and the chance to unlock additional players. Earlier this year, NHL Sense Arena released DanglePro, a mixed reality hockey training game in which users play with their own stick and a training puck while stickhandling through virtual obstacles.
“The future of hockey training and fan engagement is evolving, and we’re excited to push the boundaries of innovation with the help of the NHLPA,” said Sense Arena founder and CEO Bob Tetiva.
Sense Arena launched its hockey VR experience in 2018 for off-ice training. It has had partnerships with USA Hockey, over a dozen NCAA programs and NHL teams like the Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights. Its training programs have become popular with goaltenders like Joey Daccord of the Seattle Kraken, who said he has incorporated VR training into his daily routine and has used Sense Arena between periods of NHL games to regain his focus.
“I think it’s been instrumental in my career and a factor for why I’m able to play the way that I do at the NHL level. It’s integral in my training and my preparation,” Daccord told ESPN recently. “As more guys use it, it just becomes more normal. And getting the backing of the NHLPA shows that it’s here to stay.”
