It was developed by Sports Interactive (SI Games) and published by Sega.
Commonly known as NHL EHM 2005, the game added new licensed leagues including the AHL and ECHL as well as introducing a host of new features such as training camps and a tactical 2D view.
This version included new rules for all the featured leagues based on the 2005–06 hockey season.
One of the main areas updated in the North American version was the NHL and the new rules including the salary cap.
At the same time, SI Games made available a free season update for the European version of the game, which update the earlier release with the new rules and data included in the North American release version.