Featuring game presentation in the style of the NBC Sports Network, NHL 16 runs on EA Sports' advanced Ignite game engine and features many game modes, including one that has the player take control of their own custom player and pursuing a career in the NHL and one that has the player play as the manager of any NHL team. The fan-favorite EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL) mode, an online co-operative play mode, also returns to the game after being left out of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of NHL 15, the game's predecessor. Upon release, NHL 16 received positive reviews and was declared an improvement over NHL 15 by critics.