The headlining features for NHL 17 have been revealed by EA, which include more customization options, new mechanics in Hockey Ultimate Team, and a World Cup of Hockey mode among other additions.

Across all game modes, NHL 17 will feature increased team customization. GMs can design their own team colors and logos, their own arenas and even relocate their franchises. In Be a GM, players can even go as far as adjusting the ticket prices and guiding marketing campaigns for their own NHL franchise.

All-new to the NHL series is Draft Champions, a carry-over from EA’s Madden 16. Draft Champions is an extension of HUT, where players build a team in a 15-round draft from a pool of elite NHL players to compete for the Draft Championship. This is an alternative for HUT players who would rather start with a stacked team than slowly gain quality skaters over a long period of time.

In EA Sports Hockey League, as a club progresses through the divisions and gains prestige, their arena will grow in size, providing successful franchises with a tangible sense of progression. On the individual level, players can earn additional badges which reward them with more customization options for their skater and arena.

Hockey Ultimate Team is receiving an added layer of depth with HUT Synergy. When certain skaters are paired with complementing players on the same line, it looks like they will unlock certain perks your team, such as better deking or passing. This will force players to make tougher decisions on who to include in a line-up, and can increase a compatible skater’s value in the HUT market.

The new International Tournament Mode will tie in with this year’s World Cup of Hockey where players will pick a national team and compete for the World Cup. EA did not announce whether or not this mode will have local or online multiplayer.

On the gameplay front, NHL 17 adds Net Battles, which touts a more realistic fight for positioning behind or in front of the net. EA promises authentic battles, tie-ups and stick play, which could make games much more interesting when you don’t have possession of the puck. NHL 17 will also have “authentic” goaltending, in which goalies will make smarter decisions based on their positioning; although for longtime fans, this promise of better AI goaltending is nothing new.

Other general improvements include better passing, better hitting and over 20 new goal celebrations. While some of what was announced like the increased customization is still playing catch-up to what was cut from NHL 15 in the jump to current-gen, other features like Draft Champions are firsts for the series and are legitimate additions players can get excited about.

No concrete release date has been revealed, although based on the previous iterations, the second week of September is a safe bet. The cover athlete reveal as well as the first glimpse of gameplay will be shown live at the NHL Awards on June 22.