EA Vancouver is poised to introduce a lot of new things with NHL 19: the entire skating system has been revamped from top to bottom, hits feel more visceral than ever, and gamers can take to the ponds in a series-first move that will feel familiar to those who grew up playing hockey. NHL 19 will pay homage to over 200 NHL alumni greats, but beyond that it'll also pay homage to something that is sure to resonate deeply with hockey fans around the world: The Humboldt Broncos.

The Humboldt Broncos are a Junior A team from Saskatchewan, and they went through a tragic accident back in April which led to 16 deaths and 13 injuries after a semi-trailer truck failed to yield and struck the team bus. The tragedy of so many lost lives reverberated deeply within the hockey community, and in a movement of solidarity many hockey fans started a #SticksOutForHumboldt movement that encouraged members of the hockey community to leave their hockey sticks outside on display. This is something that evidently resonated with the developers at EA Vancouver, who paid similar tribute to the Humboldt victims in the digital realm, too.

nhl 19 screenshot wayne gretzky

In Carter Lake, the game's first outdoor pond location, gamers will notice several sticks left outside of a cabin door in dedication to Humboldt. NHL 19 Creative Director William Ho offered his input on the process of including a digital tribute to the Humboldt Broncos in NHL 19:

So we had these cabins, and Humboldt was really fresh on our minds when we were marking Carter Lake. We felt that we should pay tribute, as the entire hockey community did, and still does. We thought we’d put the sticks out the door. In certain shots in entrance sequences, you’ll see them.

Game developers honoring fallen athletes, gamers, or fans in such a way is a pretty touching move, and certainly comes from a place of respect. Ubisoft made a similar gesture for a fallen Rainbow Six Siege player last year, and Blizzard paid tribute to the passing of Robin Williams by crafting an NPC in his honor. While there are many tragedies that unfold in the world, movements like #SticksOutForHumboldt - whether digital or not - are a helpful reminder that the fallen are gone, but not forgotten.

NHL 19 will release on September 14, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.  The Humboldt Broncos are due to play their first season game two days before that.