NHL 22 X-Factors Explained: Zone and Superstar Abilities, All X-Factor Players Lists

New to EA Sports’ NHL game series, hundreds of ice hockey players in NHL 22 now come with the ‘X-Factor’ tag. So, this has many players wondering what are X-Factor Abilities, what’s the difference between Zone and Superstar, and which players have these new boosts?

Here, we’re going through everything that you need to know about X-Factors. You’ll find lists of the players that have the powerful Zone Abilities, more lists of those with Superstar Abilities, and our selection of the best X-Factors in NHL 22 that you can make use of in your lines below.

What are X-Factor Abilities in NHL 22?

X-Factor Abilities in NHL 22 are a new addition to player profiles that gives them an additional boost in select situations. The X-Factor Abilities apply to all positions and most player potential grades, with even some expected to be of AHL quality having these boosts. You can tell which players have these abilities by the ‘X-Factor’ logo shown on the left side of their profile page.

What’s the difference between a Zone Ability and Superstar Ability?

Zone Abilities are much more influential than Superstar Abilities, with these gold tiles defining the player’s style and offering the greatest boost in the situations that pertain to the Zone Ability. Superstar Abilities aren’t as strong in the level of their boost as Zone Abilities are, but still offer an enhancement in key situations.

A select few NHL players have Zone Abilities in NHL 22, and while those X-Factor Abilities that are listed as Zone Abilities on a player offer the greatest effect possible, those same boosts can also come in the form of a Superstar Ability. So, these players will get a boost in the same situations, but not to the extent as if it was a Zone Ability rather than a Superstar Ability.

How do you use X-Factor Abilities in NHL 22?

X-Factor Abilities, both Zone and Superstar, are automatically activated in the situations that they pertain to in NHL 22. So, you don’t have to press any specific buttons or perform key actions in a game to activate a Zone Ability or Superstar Ability. For example, Ankle Breaker allows you to deke opponents easily, but it only activates when you hit top speed. Each X-Factor’s description should inform you of when it comes into play.

List of all the X-Factor Abilities in NHL 22

Below, you’ll find the full list of all of the X-Factor Abilities – and the official in-game descriptions – that appear as Zone Abilities for a select batch of players in NHL 22. These can also appear as Superstar Abilities.

• All Alone: Exceptional power and accuracy on all penalty shots and breakaways.
• All Or Nothing: Exceptional range, accuracy, and recovery when poke checking.
• Ankle Breaker: Exceptional ability to deke opponents at top speed.
• Beauty Backhand: Exceptional power and accuracy when shooting on the backhand.
• Big Rig: Exceptional strength and agility when driving the net in puck protect; stronger free hand to hold off the defender when cutting to the net.
• Big Tipper: Advanced speed, accuracy, and range when deflecting shots.
• Bounce Back: Significantly reduces the chance of injury with exceptional recovery speed from injuries; player can only be injured once in a game.
• Bouncer: Exceptional at battles around the net; greatly increases stability, stick tension, and limb strength around the net; opposing players take longer to recover from net battles.
• Crease Crasher: Exceptional ability to corral bouncing pucks off of rebounds; greatly increases shot accuracy on rebounds.
• Contortionist: Exceptional save range, recovery, and save ability while in spread-V with or against momentum.
• Elite Edges: Exceptional manoeuvrability with the ability to turn tight corners while retaining high speed; it’s always active, and an indicator is triggered when a defender is burned.
• Heatseeker: Exceptional power and accuracy when taking wrist or snap shots from a distance.
• It’s Tricky: Exceptional at performing trick dekes while greatly increasing shot accuracy out of trick dekes.
• One Tee: Exceptional power and accuracy on one-timers; greatly increases ability to one-time less than ideal passes.
• Make It Snappy: Exceptional power and accuracy when taking snap shots while skating.
• Magnetic: Exceptional skill at picking up pucks at speed, corralling bouncing or rolling pucks, and reeling in less than ideal passes.
• Puck On A String: Exceptional toe-drag and stick handling speed.
• Quick Draw: Exceptional quickness on faceoff draws; greatly increases effectiveness on tie-up wins; great at defensive zone draws.
• Quick Pick: Exceptional at intercepting pucks; also significantly increases a player’s range when intercepting pucks.
• Seeing Eye: Exceptional power and accuracy on shots when the goalie is screened; a screened goalie’s reaction time is also greatly reduced when shooting with this ability.
• Send It: Large increase to pass assist with exceptional ability to auto-saucer long passes.
• Shnipe: Phenomenal skill to settle pucks with exceptional wrist shot power and accuracy off settled pucks.
• Shutdown: Exceptional accuracy when poke checking against momentum or at speed in rush situations; also greatly improves shot-blocking and hitting strength while defending against rush chances.
• Stick ‘Em Up: Phenomenal defensive stick speed; exceptional accuracy when poke checking against momentum or at speed; greatly reduces the chance of a penalty.
• Tape To Tape: Exceptional power and accuracy on all passes within vision passes will also auto-saucer when necessary.
• Third Eye: Large increase to pass assist with exceptional ability to auto-saucer pass out of a player’s field of vision.
• Thunder Clap: Exceptional power and accuracy when taking slap shots from the point.
• Truculence: Exceptional stability and assist on shoulder checks; greatly increases the chance of knocking over the opponent and sapping their energy.
• Unstoppable Force: Exceptional strength with the puck and a greatly increased ability to hold onto the puck when off balance.
• Wheels: Exceptional agility, speed, and acceleration when skating with the puck; it’s always active, and the indicator is triggered when a defender is burned.
• Whirlwind: Provides considerable energy boost for all skaters on the team after making three saves within five seconds.
• X-Ray: Screens have considerably less impact to goalie vision.
• Yoink: Exceptional accuracy when stick lifting against momentum or at speed; opposing players take much longer to recover from stick lifts.

These are the X-Factor Abilities found as Superstar Abilities and don’t appear as Zone Abilities on players from the start of NHL 22.

• Adventurer: Great goalie skating.
• Back At Ya: Increase payback to hitters.
• Born Leader: Boosts team energy on goals.
• Butterfly Effect: Great butterfly goalie.
• Close Quarters: Great in close shooting.
• Dialled In: Boosts saves when on a roll.
• Extra Padding: Great slap shot saves.
• Handled It: One-on-one saves boost team energy.
• Ice Pack: Great shot-blocking.
• In Reverse: Great back skating ability.
• Last Stand: Great one-on-one saves.
• Light Work: Great wrist shot saves.
• No Contest: Great puck battling.
• Off The Rush: Great slap shot on the rush.
• Post To Post: Great post-to-post saves.
• Shock And Awe: Great shooting out of toe drag.
• Shrug It Off: Great hit recovery.
• Spin-O-Rama: Great spin-o-rama ability.
• Sponge: Great rebound control.
• Tip Jar: Great deflection saves.
• Total Eclipse: Great goalie screening.

Best X-Factor Zone Abilities in NHL 22

If you’ve got to choose between certain Zone Abilities to add to your team, consider these to be deserving of priority on your list – also noted are the players who have these top X-Factor Abilites:

• Contortionist (Andrei Vasilevskiy)
• Make It Snappy (Andrei Svechnikov, William Nylander, Alex DeBrincat, Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Mark Scheifele, Jack Eichel)
• One Tee (Elias Lindholm)
• Quick Draw (Ryan O’Reilly)
• Shnipe (David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand)
• Stick ‘Em Up (Sean Couturier, Zach Dean)
• Tape To Tape (Elias Pettersson, Adam Fox, Mikko Rantanen, Mitchell Marner, Jonathan Huberdeau)
• Thunder Clap (John Carlson)
• Unstoppable Force (Connor McDavid, Alexander Radulov)
• Wheels (Kyle Connor, Brayden Point, Nathan MacKinnon, Thomas Chabot)

It should also be noted that the Zone Abilities listed above are widely available as Superstar Abilities across several players. So, if you spot any of these listed on a player, put them up a little bit higher in your rankings.

All Zone Ability goaltenders in NHL 22

All Zone Ability centers in NHL 22

All Zone Ability right defensemen in NHL 22

All Zone Ability left defensemen in NHL 22

All Zone Ability right wingers in NHL 22

All Zone Ability left wingers in NHL 22

All NHL 22 players with only Superstar Abilities

The players below are those with Superstar Abilities but not a Zone Ability, with the skaters generally being listed by their potential ratings.

X-Factor goaltenders with only Superstar Abilities

X-Factor defensemen with only Superstar Abilities

X-Factor forwards with only Superstar Abilities

Now you know how the X-Factor Abilities work in NHL 22, which players have Zone Abilities, and those that feature Superstar Abilities.