Be A Pro is unplayable with multiple large issues
The developer team was on the right track with the changes made this year to the game mode but ultimately fell short in the execution. In this thread I will go over the issues I have noticed with many hours of play time as a multiple year experienced player. 1. The health feature. After each game your player gets fatigued or exhausted and you to spend 2-4 energy points to recover. That would not be an issue if we received more energy points. On average you play 3-4 games per week and you only get 6 energy points. Quite often you will find yourself running out of energy points before your last game of the week, forcing you to play super fatigued. This is very frustrating as you always fall behind the 8ball and it drops your speed, acceleration, endurance, agility and durability by 10-20 attribute ratings. During the season you never have any energy to spend on trait points, X-factor points, or the likability options. A good comparison of a health system that works is in EA's College Football games. In those games you don't have to spend all your points on health as you only play 1 game per week. They pretty much copied the same feature in NHL26, except it's the same amount of energy points but with way more games per week. It just does not add up... 2. Form score. The form score seems to only go by point productions from your player. It possibly may be ever so slightly tied to the coach feedback score, too hard to tell. Your player can play extremely well and get an " A " grade for the coach feedback, but since you did not score a goal or an assist, your form score will be only 20/100. If you are on a line with grinders (like an NHL 4th line), or just don't "finish" the play, you get penalized. The game requires you to have a high form score to make the NHL team, or move up the lineups. This also is a big problem for Defenseman or a 2-Way forward who doesn't prioritize a purely offensive game. 3. Gameplay sliders. The sliders that are set in settings get reset every time you play a game. Even if you set the sliders in settings before you start your Be A Pro, it will not work. Each game they have to be edited. 4. Draft stock media interview. The media interview right before draft day is absurd. It is not realistic at all to be able to drop 20 spots in the draft from answering questions that seem like a good response. A simple fix would be making the worst answer -1 draft stock, the best answer +1, and the 2nd best/worst being 0 change. Also, make it more apparent what your goal is (to answer questions closest to your higher likeability- being management, teammates, and brand). 5. Chapter challenges/lineup challenges. Unless your player goes on an offense masterclass in the pre-season, you will not make the NHL team. This goes back to #2, where I spoke about form score. It is not realistic to require such a high production to make the team. Second which, once sent down to the AHL, you have 8 games to maintain a 65 or higher line score. If you make the NHL team, you are stuck on the 4th line where you play only a few shifts per game (even on 20 minute periods). You do not have enough ice time to produce at the rate required to make the 3rd line. It's at the point where you need a higher points per 60 minute stat than the top players in the league to progress. As a defense player, this makes it absolutely impossible to move forward. The coach grade feedback also needs to be adjusted per ice time. You can have all your 4 shifts where you play well and go from the C- starting point, to a C+, which is never high enough to grow. If the developers can make the correct tweaks, this game mode has such good potential. I recommend either adding more energy points per week, or reduce the fatigue you gain per game you play. At the least, have a setting to turn off the health feature like in other EA sports games like CFB25/26. There also needs to be adjustment on the form score. It needs to be more related to your coach feedback and your player role/position. They needs to be tweaks for both of those metrics for the ice time you are allocated. Those simple fixes will make a massive difference in this game mode. I have not seen any player, YouTube, or Streamer happy with how this game mode plays and I have not heard any response from the EA team on this topic. Please give us hope for this game!
Updated: LIST OF ALL NHL26 NEW FACE SCANS ADDED AND MISSING
Full authentic real scans Macklin Celebrini – Confirmed scan (SJS) Matvei Michkov – Confirmed scan (PHI) Lane Hutson – Confirmed scan (MTL) Mathew Schaefer – Confirmed scan, hair too short (NYI) Michael Misa – Confirmed scan, wrong hair way too long and light (SJS) AI-Generated Scan added and Needed (EA likeness + generic hair) Will Smith – Confirmed scan (bad quality) (SJS) Dustin Wolf (CGY) Ivan Demidov (MTL) Zeev Buium (MIN) Cutter Gauthier – Confirmed scan (ANA) Sam Colangelo (ANA) Jackson LaCombe (ANA) Mason Lohrei – Confirmed scan (BOS) Martin Pospisil (CGY) Kevin Bahl – Confirmed scan (CGY) Jason Dickinson (CHI) Frank Nazar – Confirmed scan (bad quality) (CHI) Alex Vlasic – Confirmed scan (CHI) Artyom Levshunov (CHI) Sam Rinzel (CHI) Logan Stankoven – Confirmed scan (CAR) Yegor Chinakhov – Confirmed scan (CBJ) Dmitri Voronkov – Confirmed scan (CBJ) Cole Sillinger – Confirmed scan (CBJ) Jack Drury (CAR) Thomas Harley – Confirmed scan (DAL) Simon Edvinsson – Confirmed scan (DET) Vasily Podkolzin (VAN) Matthew Savoie (EDM) Alex Laferriere – Confirmed scan (LAK) Niko Mikkola – Confirmed scan (FLA) Alex Turcotte (LAK) Alex Newhook (MTL) Jake Evans – Confirmed scan (MTL) Kaiden Guhle – Confirmed scan (MTL) Mike Matheson – Confirmed scan (MTL) Will Cuylle – Confirmed scan (NYR) Will Borgen (NYR) Fabian Zetterlund – Confirmed scan (OTT) Noah Cates (PHI) Pius Suter – Confirmed scan (STL) Matias Maccelli – Confirmed scan (TOR) Filip Chytil – Confirmed scan (VAN) Nils Hoglander (VAN) Connor McMichael – Confirmed scan (WSH) Aliaksei Protas – Confirmed scan (WSH) Ryan Leonard (WSH) Josh Doan (BUF) Michael Kesselring – Confirmed scan (BUF) Ryan McLeod – Confirmed scan (BUF) Jiri Kulich (BUF) Jack Quinn (BUF) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) Connor Geekie – Confirmed scan (TBL) Mavrik Bourque – Confirmed scan (DAL) Zachary Bolduc (MTL) Dalibor Dvorsky (STL) Jimmy Snuggerud (STL) Dylan Holloway – Confirmed scan (STL) Jake Neighbours – Confirmed scan (STL) Philip Broberg – Confirmed scan (STL) Pavel Dorofeyev – Confirmed scan (VGK) Maxim Tsyplakov – Confirmed scan (NYI) Darren Raddysh – Confirmed scan (TBL) Jack McBain – Confirmed scan (UTA) Likely to have generic face Yaroslav Askarov (SJS) Zayne Parekh (CGY) Oliver Moore (CHI) David Reinbacher (MTL) Rutger McGroarty (PIT) Denton Mateychuk (CBJ) Alexander Nikishin (CAR) Fabian Lysell (BOS) Jackson Blake (CAR) Gabe Perreault (NYR) Quentin Musty (SJS) Beckett Sennecke (ANA) Tij Iginla (UTA) Sam Dickinson (SJS) Konsta Helenius (BUF) Cole Hutson (WSH) Daniil But (UTA) Dmitri Simashev (UTA) Berkly Catton (SEA) Axel Sandin-Pellikka (DET) …and many more. The rest of the 2022–2025 draft classes are also likely to have generics if missing from the game already.
NHL 26 Player Ratings Updates
Hey, NHL Community. We're updating some player overalls today. Here's are the players/goalies changing. Players going up: FIRST LAST Pos TEAM Overall NEW OVR OVR MOD Mikko Rantanen RW DAL 93 94 1 Mitch Marner RW VEG 92 93 1 William Nylander C TOR 92 93 1 Mark Scheifele C WPG 91 92 1 Miro Heiskanen D DAL 91 92 1 Josh Morrissey D WPG 90 91 1 Martin Nečas C COL 90 91 1 Adam Fox D NYR 90 91 1 Dylan Larkin C DET 89 90 1 Brad Marchand LW FLA 89 90 1 Connor Bedard C CHI 88 90 2 Macklin Celebrini F SJS 88 90 2 Jason Robertson LW DAL 89 90 1 Evgeni Malkin C PIT 88 89 1 John Tavares C TOR 88 89 1 Cole Caufield RW MTL 88 89 1 Adrian Kempe LW LAK 88 89 1 Bo Horvat C NYI 87 89 2 Matthew Knies LW TOR 87 88 1 Wyatt Johnston C DAL 86 88 2 Leo Carlsson C ANA 84 88 4 Drake Batherson C OTT 86 87 1 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins C EDM 86 87 1 Marco Rossi C MIN 86 87 1 Mike Matheson D MTL 86 87 1 Nick Schmaltz C UTA 86 87 1 Troy Terry C ANA 86 87 1 Ivan Barbashev C VEG 86 87 1 Tom Wilson RW WSH 86 87 1 Bryan Rust RW PIT 85 86 1 Brandt Clarke D LAK 85 86 1 Dmitry Orlov D SJS 85 86 1 Cutter Gauthier LW ANA 84 86 2 Ivan Demidov RW MTL 85 86 1 Will Smith C SJS 83 86 3 Chris Kreider LW ANA 84 85 1 Dylan DeMelo D WPG 84 85 1 Oliver Ekman-Larsson D TOR 84 85 1 Dmitri Voronkov LW CBJ 84 85 1 Mason Lohrei D BOS 84 85 1 Pavel Zacha C BOS 84 85 1 Shane Pinto C OTT 83 85 2 Morgan Geekie C BOS 83 85 2 Artem Zub D OTT 84 85 1 Trevor Zegras C PHI 83 85 2 Jack Roslovic C EDM 83 84 1 Alexander Nikishin D CAR 83 84 1 Dawson Mercer C NJD 82 84 2 Frank Nazar C CHI 82 84 2 Jordan Eberle RW SEA 82 84 2 Matthew Schaefer D NYI 80 84 4 Simon Edvinsson D DET 83 84 1 Pius Suter F STL 83 84 1 Simon Nemec D NJD 81 84 3 Tyler Bertuzzi LW CHI 82 83 1 André Burakovsky LW CHI 82 83 1 Marcus Johansson C MIN 82 83 1 Anthony Mantha RW PIT 82 83 1 Alex Newhook C MTL 82 83 1 Jamie Drysdale D PHI 82 83 1 Mackie Samoskevich RW FLA 82 83 1 Kiefer Sherwood RW VAN 82 83 1 Victor Olofsson RW COL 81 83 2 John Marino D UTA 82 83 1 Nicholas Robertson LW TOR 82 83 1 Justin Brazeau F PIT 81 82 1 Jonathan Toews C WPG 81 82 1 Josh Doan RW BUF 80 82 2 Zach Benson LW BUF 81 82 1 Christian Dvorak C PHI 81 82 1 Denton Mateychuk D CBJ 81 82 1 Logan Stanley D WPG 81 81 1 Joel Farabee LW CGY 81 82 1 Zeev Buium D MIN 80 82 2 Corey Perry RW LAK 80 82 2 Vasily Podkolzin RW EDM 81 82 1 Drew Helleson D ANA 80 82 3 Nick Blankenburg D NSH 80 81 1 John Klingberg D SJS 80 81 1 Kaedan Korczak D VEG 80 81 2 Tyler Tucker D STL 80 81 2 Morgan Barron C WPG 80 81 1 Zachary Bolduc C MTL 80 81 1 Parker Kelly F COL 80 81 1 Emil Heineman LW NYI 79 81 2 Philipp Kurashev C SJS 79 81 2 Jimmy Snuggerud RW STL 79 81 2 Jordan Harris D BOS 79 80 1 Ryan Leonard RW WSH 79 80 1 Artyom Levshunov D CHI 79 80 1 Sam Malinski D COL 79 80 1 Sam Rinzel D CHI 79 80 1 Spencer Stastney D NSH 79 80 1 Parker Wotherspoon D PIT 79 80 1 Matthew Wood RW NSH 77 80 3 Oliver Kapanen C MTL 76 80 4 Beckett Sennecke F ANA 76 80 4 Emmitt Finnie C DET 77 79 2 Tom Willander D VAN 78 79 1 Mike Reilly D CAR 77 79 2 Anthony Duclair LW NYI 78 79 1 Arseny Gritsyuk RW NJD 77 79 2 Benjamin Kindel C PIT 76 79 3 Matthew Savoie C EDM 78 79 1 Fraser Minten C BOS 76 79 3 Gavin Brindley C COL 77 79 2 Ryan Shea D PIT 77 79 2 Axel Sandin Pellikka D DET 75 79 4 Maxwell Crozier D TBL 77 78 1 Collin Graf F SJS 77 78 1 Filip Hallander C PIT 77 78 1 Michael Misa F SJS 77 78 1 Noah Philp F EDM 77 78 1 Isak Rosen RW BUF 77 78 1 Nikita Nesterenko C ANA 76 78 2 Samuel Honzek LW CGY 77 78 1 Harrison Brunicke D PIT 76 78 2
EASHL player builds, what were you thinking?
Honestly, I am horrified at what you did with the builds, you have Wheels and Elite Edges, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Now you can lower or raise most of your stats by -10/+10 points, which means you have players zooming there with multiple critical values at 90+, so you can get speed 96 etc. The builds have almost always heavily favored speed, and I was hoping there would be some changes this time around. There sure were, but in the wrong direction...😅 how's one suppsed to defend against these guys with 90+ in speed, acceleration, agility, puck control, passing, deking etc. All in one build? And if you add Wheels & Elite edges to this, you can run circles around anyone. Is there a counter build that can combat these super-soldiers? I doubt it but time will tell. Any ideas, and I would really like to hear why the designers felt this was a good idea? Of course, it's early days, and things will be patched and sliders will be changed etc. But this isn't a good starting point I think
Be A Pro X-Factor packages are not balanced across archetypes
Hello, I noticed that in NHL 26 Be A Pro mode the X-Factor packages for most archetypes are not balanced or set up correctly. Playmaker is missing key offensive abilities like Quick Release, Backhand Beauty, or Ankle Breaker. Two-Way Forward does not have Quick Pick, which should be a core defensive ability. Power Forward also has a very limited and poorly chosen set of X-Factors. In fact, almost every archetype has a very poor and restricted selection of X-Factors — except for Sniper, which has a much more diverse and useful set. This makes most archetypes feel weak, repetitive, and not true to their playstyle, while Sniper feels far stronger and more fun. It looks like the X-Factor loadouts are not assigned properly and really need a rebalance in a future update or patch. PS: The Quick Release is OP shooting style also feels unrealistic — every player whith X Factor shoots like Bedard style, which takes away from the uniqueness of different archetypes and real player styles.Fix Form Score
So, I’m trying to find nice and easy, low effort ways for you guys to fix the currently unplayable Be a Pro. And I think it boils down to the form score system. To get a good form score, you NEED to score goals. And to maintain the form score, you need to score goals literally every game. I’ve had streaks of 4 straight games of a 100 form score, then I have one game where I don’t score, and it drops below 70. Let’s just make this very clear. Not everyone wants to play a career mode where they score every single game and are the Jesus Christ of hockey. Some of us want a realistic career simulation where we score every now and again and slowly work our way up the lineup. BUT, to even be on the 4th line, you need A GOAL A GAME. The way you have Be a Pro designed, the players HAS to be the best player in the league every game or you get demoted. Fix. Your. Game. I refuse to wait until NHL 31 when you decide you fix a broken game mode and slap it on the cover as a new feature.How to increase acceleration stat in NHL 26 be a pro?
Currently I’ve maxed out my acceleration trait and Im not understanding how to increase acceleration stat in-game in BAP. Some of the in-game stat increases are obvious, for example scoring goals with well placed wrist shots increases wrist shot accuracy, laying successful hits increases body checking or pulling off successful dekes increases deking and possibly puck control? But for some other attributes it’s like grasping at straws trying to figure how to progress them. It would be nice if there was a detailed breakdown on how to increase some stats in-game like acceralation, balance, hand eye, or aggressiveness. The most important one being acceleration as this is necessary to level up the wheels ability, and my acceleration has been stagnant for over 50 games. Any feedback, tips or explanations would be greatly appreciatedNHL 26 Patch 1.3.0 Notes
Hey, NHL Fans! We will be releasing patch 1.3.0 tomorrow, December 2nd at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST. We expect about an hour of downtime so make sure to wrap up any games prior to the servers going offline. Gameplay Improvements to AI forechecking behavior to exit Neutral Zone Trap to apply pressure if offensive team is choosing not to break out Adjusted AI diving shot logic to weigh opposing team acquiring the puck higher Fixed a case around leg vs stick contact weighting for the stick in physics where the puck carrier legs were stronger than intended against opposing stick checks Delayed penalties are now called if the player kicks the puck without a stick Fix to icon passing where it was sending the puck in the player facing direction instead of towards the intended receiver Goalie reaction improvements to dump ins and shots taken from sharp angles Animation improvements to passes out of toe drag animations Be A Pro Lowered the form score targets required for advancing lineup positions (Top 6 Forward, Top 4 Defense, Power Play 1–2, and Performance Challenge Side Quests). Fixed an issue with challenge objectives for the “Get on Power Play 2” Swagger & Humble challenges, now tracking goals instead of points. Fixed an issue where failing the “Move up to the 1st line” challenge could show incorrect dialogue options. Fixed an issue with the games played objective for the “Become Starting Goalie” Humble challenge. Fixed an issue where coach audio did not align with on-screen text during the “Stay on 1st Power Play” conversation. Fixed an error causing Long Term Endorsement Part 2 challenges to appear before Part 1 in certain endorsement scenarios. Corrected the runner-up conversation trigger, so skaters who place as Lady Byng runner-up no longer receive a Vezina Trophy runner-up conversation. Adjusted timing so the Calder Trophy winner conversation now occurs after the awards ceremony. Resolved an issue where tying for most goals and leading in points in the Rocket Richard Trophy race could incorrectly result in a runner-up conversation with your agent. Fixed an issue where the “Make the playoffs” challenge appeared when the coach’s goal was to “win the division.” Fixed an issue where headlines referencing struggling players could appear while the player was injured. Fixed an issue where the headline with the Stanley Cup prop might not display after a Cup win. Fixed an issue where the Top 3 Draft Pick headline did not display the intended finger pose. Fixed an issue where a “Disappointing season” headline appeared after Round 1 despite winning the Calder Trophy the same year. Fixed an issue where players could become team captain at the start of their first NHL preseason if likability was maxed out. Fixed an issue where the “Magnetic” X-Factor could be slotted into Be A Pro; this ability has now been removed as intended. Fixed an issue where the attribute requirement to upgrade Big Tipper was incorrectly tied to Body Checking. Fixed an issue where Backhand Beauty was unavailable as an X-Factor for Sniper archetypes. Fixed an issue where Shooting% objective does not track correctly in Stay on Powerplay 1 - Humble challenge World of CHEL Added in the ability to preview Loadouts in the store prior to purchasing. Fixed a crash when players were deep linked from live events to the Store page through a hidden button callout. Fixed an issue where the Rewards Widget disappeared when switching from Rewards to Play tabs. Resolved an overlap issue where XP Token icons and buttons covered the Season Pass header after deep linking into Objectives. Fixed a backend UI bug where the pause menu failed to load, leaving players stuck in the rink after the first period in EASHL 3v3 Clubs. Fixed a visual issue where changing handedness during the loadout tutorial did not update the skater model. Resolved an issue where the message “Objectives are unavailable” appeared when all weekly objectives were completed. Fixed a desync that could occur when the AR leaderboard was triggered in EASHL Clubs. Resolved a rollover event timer issue where the timer remained stuck at “01s” with a grayed-out tile for Ones Eliminator in WoC. Fixed visual issue where the mute icon appeared in black on the Player Summary tab. Improved contrast of grayed-out text in the abuse reporting screen. Fixed black text appearing after returning from the “Report Content” screen. Fixed overlapping UI elements in Objectives when navigating via deep link banners. Fixed display issue where the Rewards Widget disappeared when switching tabs in the Mode Hub. Franchise Mode Fixed a crash when accessing “View Draft Class”. Fixed an issue where the contract interest bar carried over from negotiations to the offer overlay but not the contract details. Fixed inconsistencies in goalie save percentage between player cards and stat spreadsheets. Adjusted overlay logic so regular season stats no longer appear during playoffs for other players. Game Modes Added Spengler Cup under Tournaments Hockey Ultimate Team Additions to Hockey Ultimate Team Ranked Objectives New Season 2 Ranked Objectives will be added, allowing players to earn Season 2 Ranked Collectibles through gameplay. Ranked Collectibles Season 2 Ranked Collectibles will become tradable for upgraded rewards through new high-value Collectible Sets. Ranked Rewards Ranked rewards will be scaled up, with additional Ranked tiers added so players can earn more rewards throughout the season. New Win Streaks New Win Streak feature in Ranked will arrive early December, granting bonus progress for consecutive wins to help players climb tiers faster. Fixed a crash when animating placeholder cards with synergy boosts in My Collection. Fixed an Internal Error when resetting Cup Chase after changing season settings. Fixed a gameplay crash triggered by passing the puck to another player. Fixed a crash when scrolling Quick Lineup with R2. Fixed crashes when viewing Ultimate Rank Floor in Rewards & Unlocks. Fixed an error when completing Wildcard Draft and Redraft. Fixed critical Internal Errors when entering HUT. Fixed crashes and FTRD errors during HUT Champions matchmaking. Fixed a crash when purchasing or opening the Captain Pack. Fixed Internal Error when matchmaking across HUT modes. Cup Chase rewards and Undefeated reward displays now show correct information. Team logo changes no longer cause Captain Chemistry cards to display OVR “0.” AP count now updates correctly when multiple AP line combinations are used on the same line. Captain Chemistry Salary Cap indicator now shows the correct icon. Fixed incorrect AP/SP/FP text appearing in certain languages. Fixed Salary text overlapping icons in some languages. Fixed misaligned logos and event name translations. Fixed overlapping event/nationality/team logos on MSPs. Fixed incorrect art or white borders on Chel Week 3–4 MSPs and collectibles. Fixed Next Gen Additional Players showing as “Pending Item” in Packs. Fixed Alexander Ovechkin’s 900th goal milestone card showing as basic art. Fixed Set Requirements showing “Pending Item” for Collectible Tickets. Fixed Team of the Year rewards text visibility issues. Fixed debug text appearing in Ranked/Postgame screens. Fixed multiple win-streak progression issues Deep Link banners no longer trigger FTUE incorrectly. HUT main menu banner now correctly routes to the intended mode. Fixed Ranked Summary animation not triggering after matches. Fixed inability to relegate when appropriate. Fixed “Play Next Game” showing opponent username early (prevents early dashboarding). Fixed Set search results repopulating cards already added. Fixed goalie controls breaking after certain Quick Swap + Pull Goalie combinations. Fixed non-NHL goalie helmets not appearing in gameplay. Art Fixed an issue where neck guards were causing some clipping Fixed an issue in the Victory sequence where uniforms would deform Fixed an issue where some heads in creation zone had their eyeballs overlapping their eyelids Equipment The following equipment has been added in NHL 26 CCM FTW Stick CCM FTW Glove CCM FTW Skate CCM FTW Helmet Center Ice Updates The following center ice designs and lines have been added or updated in NHL 26 PWHL Seattle Torrent Vancouver Goldeneyes AHL Abbotsford Canucks Bakersfield Condors Chicago Wolves Coachella Valley Firebirds Hartford Wolf Pack Hershey Bears Iowa Wild Milwaukee Admirals Providence Bruins Rockford Icehogs ECHL Greensboro Gargoyles Savannah Ghost Pirates Trois-Rivieres Lions Utah Grizzlies Canadian Hockey League OHL Flint Firebirds Kingston Frontenacs QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads Val-D’or Foreurs WHL Prince George Cougars Penticton Vees Uniforms The following uniforms have been added or updated in NHL 26 NHL Chicago Blackhawks - Third Colorado Avalanche – Third Dallas Stars - Third Los Angeles Kings - Third Minnesota Wild – Anniversary Pittsburgh Penguins - Third AHL San Jose Barracuda - Third Texas Stars - Third Tucson Roadrunners - Third ECHL Allen Americans – Home Atlanta Gladiators – Home, Away and Third Rapid City Rush – Away and Third Trois-Rivieres Lions – Third Worcester Railers – Home and Away Canadian Hockey League OHL Brampton Steelheads – Third QMJHL Moncton Wildcats – Third Rouyn-Noranda Huskies - Third WHL Calgary Hitmen - Third Kelowna Rockets – Third Liiga Kiekko
Roster Update Schedule
Well I updated this morning expecting the update to include a roster update since the rosters had to be set for the season by 5pm ET yesterday. Alas, the update for the game was only for some bugs in online play. The rosters have not been updated since 9/25/25. So my question is when will the rosters get updated and what is the plan going forward to keep the rosters updated throughout the year. An AI assistant answer said that twice a month there should be roster updates but I can't find the source for that info.Get Rid of Elite Edges/Wheels in EASHL
I've owned every single EA NHL game. I still have my Sega and all of those original games going back to the NHLPA Hockey days. To say I'm a devoted fan, and sometimes an apologist to this franchise, is an understatement. I lead by saying this because I'm not some sweaty, whiny kid who can't stand losing. I just want to enjoy playing hockey (particularly EASHL with my beer drinking buddies). Bringing back Elite Edges and Wheels has largely ruined EASHL. EVERYONE is now making super fast small players, turning the game back into a track meet, and it's simply becoming who can do the nearly automatic "forehand-backhand deke" goal the most. Tons of new goalie animations and yet they still can't simply hold the post/cover the short side on the same move, over and over. 25 had its issues but it forced teams to play way more as a unit with a purpose to be successful. It took a stronger unit to win. Now, 26 is forcing defensemen to use either EE or Wheels, which limits the depth of cool builds you can create because 1 of the 3 slots has to be dedicated to EE or Wheels. EE and Wheels was an obvious problem the devs and EA recognized in the past and wisely removed from the game. Bringing them back has ruined the EASHL experience. Our club has been together over 10 years. We win at about a 75% rate. This isn't a win/ loss issue. It's an immersion and fun issue. It's a replayability issue. Regardless of our usual success and loyalty to playing over the years, no one wants to continue to play this track meet, and slow "menu simulator", where locker rooms freeze and players get dropped left and right. Overall, just very disappointed. Remove Elite Edge and Wheels from competitive EASHL.
Custom Rosters Not Loading
EA_Aljo Appears custom rosters are not loading correctly. I downloaded a custom roster and the created players aren't there. I tried both ways of downloading it from the roster sharing and not setting it as active then going to roster and setting it to active. Then I also try to set it as active right away and nothing. I know for sure the ones I downloaded have people created but don't show up.Updated: NHL Needs a Year Pass With PC Release – The Model That Out-Earns HUT
NHL should drop the outdated annual release with trickled out features and move to a Year Pass model that updates all season across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. One yearly payment, not monthly. Crossplay. Weekly updates and three big drops tied to the hockey calendar. Franchise and Be A Pro finally grow because there’s no yearly reset. Money Talk: Why Year Pass Beats HUT Assumptions Year Pass price 99 dollars Base case assumes 1.2 to 1.3 million Year Pass buyers Conservative case assumes 600 thousand Year Pass buyers Seasonal Pass is three drops at 20 dollars each per buyer These figures are illustrative and separate from HUT, which continues Base case, conservative math Year Pass subs 118 to 130 million Seasonal Passes three by twenty 21 to 24 million Creator Marketplace cosmetic mods broadcast packages goalie masks 15 million Team Partner Packs licensed intros songs jerseys 4 to 6 million Esports and sponsors 5 to 8 million Total 163 to 183 million before any HUT spend Conservative case Year Pass subs 59 to 60 million Seasonal Passes three by twenty 12 million Creator Marketplace 7 million Team Partner Packs 2 to 3 million Esports and sponsors 3 to 4 million Total 83 to 86 million before any HUT spend HUT continues as a primary driver. If current HUT brings in roughly 100 to 150 million on its own, the Year Pass model adds a new guaranteed revenue stream on top. In the base case it likely exceeds the annual model before counting HUT, and in the conservative case it meaningfully supplements HUT. Safe PC Release and Customization Freedom Fans want mods and editing. EA wants guaranteed revenue. Both can win. Unlocked editing attributes body size hair equipment all editable. No more grey silhouettes. Mods allowed for offline and presentation while the game requires an active Year Pass license to run. Server validated license. On boot the title checks EA servers. No sub equals locked title screen. Offline token grace period. Thirty days for legit offline play then a reconnect is required. Physical copies if sold are just installers. Subscription required to play. HUT remains server authoritative and protected with weekly ban waves. EA still gets paid every year even from offline only players who mod. Fans finally get the customization freedom they have asked for. HUT stays protected. What Fans Get This is not just about revenue. It is about finally delivering the hockey game fans have been asking for across forums Reddit and Discord for years. With a Year Pass model features stop disappearing and start stacking. The result is the most complete NHL game ever made. GM Connected returns. A true online franchise where up to 32 human GMs run teams make trades draft and play through multiple seasons without crashing or server issues. Because the Year Pass updates year round you experience the real NHL calendar. The Entry Draft in June. Free Agency in July. Training camps in September. Draft boards prospect interviews and live trade chatter between human GMs make it authentic. Roster share and full player editor. No more grey silhouettes. Every attribute equipment piece body size hairstyle facial hair and goalie mask editable. Unlimited created players. Community roster sharing allows NCAA KHL World Juniors Legends or Historic seasons to be uploaded and downloaded instantly. All Star international and specialty events. The hockey calendar finally feels alive. World Juniors in December. Olympic hockey every four years. PWHL integration for women’s hockey. Outdoor games like the Winter Classic and Stadium Series with unique crowd behavior and ice conditions. A fully playable All Star Skills Competition with hardest shot fastest skater accuracy shooting and breakaway challenge. Franchise mode depth and off ice culture. Practices that actually matter. Coaches with unique personalities and systems that affect morale and chemistry. Players with rivalries friendships and leadership qualities that impact performance. Realistic contracts including no trade clauses taxes and player mood. Off the ice NHL Network and TSN style studio panels debate your trades highlight rivalries and call out playoff collapses. Cutscenes show your GM at the draft table in pressers or in tense contract meetings. Player charity events award shows and trade deadline specials bring league culture to life. Be A Pro that feels alive. Draft day presentations locker room interactions and press conferences matter. Post game interviews affect reputation and endorsements. A social media feed filled with fan chatter highlight clips and TSN rumors responds to your play. Get traded and analysts debate it while fans boo or cheer. Award shows and off ice storylines give real progression. Smarter AI. No more lifeless teammates. AI runs real systems hockey. Penalty kill units collapse into diamonds versus a 1 3 1. Neutral zone traps finally look real. Puck battles net scrums and board play feel organic. Authentic skating and player identity. AI driven animations built from NHL EDGE and broadcast footage. McDavid’s hunched acceleration Eichel’s glide Matthews’ quick release Sorokin’s explosive pushes. Every player looks and plays like themselves updated throughout the season. Dynamic broadcast and presentation. Multiple commentary crews ESPN TNT Sportsnet regionals. Pre game panels preview matchups intermissions show highlights from around the league and post game wrap ups react to storylines. If Ovechkin is chasing Gretzky the studio debates it before puck drop crowds buzz when he hits the ice and broadcasters celebrate the record when he breaks it. Legends and Era modes. Relive Gretzky’s Oilers the 90s Red Wings the 2000s Devils with retro overlays and authentic commentary references. Entire historic seasons or drop Legends into Franchise. Fighting emotion and atmosphere. A fighting engine with context. A fight after a dirty hit boosts energy. Players smash sticks after bad calls chirp in scrums and pull off signature celebrations. Crowds chant boo rivals and erupt during milestones. Why Fans Stay Engaged Year Round With a Year Pass model NHL does not go dark after the Cup Final. Instead the game stays alive through the entire off season. NHL Draft. A full authentic draft experience in June with cutscenes draft boards prospect interviews and trade chatter. Most first round prospects are face scanned and in the game at release with updates for the new class added immediately after. Free agency and off season moves. In July live updates roll out for big signings and trades. Studio panels and commentary debate roster moves like TSN or NHL Network. Training camps and rookie showcases. September brings prospect tournaments pre season camp battles and cutscenes around players making or missing the team. Season kickoff buzz. The NHL and NHLPA marketing push in October ties into the game. New intros presentation updates and live content drops make it feel like a fresh new season starting not just a stale roster update. This way fans stay hooked all summer. Franchise players immerse themselves in the league calendar. Be A Pro players live through the draft and free agency drama. Online GMs in Connected Leagues negotiate and trade through the off season. When the puck drops in October the game already feels hot with buzz from real world hockey. For the first time NHL does not just feel like a video game. It feels like being inside hockey twelve months a year. Why This Works for EA Guaranteed revenue. Every player must renew each year. PC adds new markets. Even 300 thousand PC subs equals about 27 to 30 million extra at 99 dollars. Offline depth improves retention. Franchise and Be A Pro players stick around longer and are more likely to try HUT. No cracks or free play. License validation with offline tokens controls piracy while respecting legit offline users. HUT strengthened. Bundled cosmetics and event rewards increase engagement without breaking the economy. Bottom Line This model makes more money than the annual release alone brings in new fans through PC and finally delivers the complete hockey game. EA wins with guaranteed revenue a bigger player base and a stronger HUT. Fans win with full customization mods offline depth and no more resets. This is how NHL stops feeling like a side project and starts leading sports gaming again.Custom Rosters in BAP?
I was under the assumption that whatever roster you have loaded BEFORE starting a be a pro this year, would work instead of the default. I created a bunch of players (some of my friends) to use in the league, and then started up a be a pro and it reverted back to the default roster. Marner is still on the Leafs etc and my created players are nowhere to be found. Is this not the case anymore? Was I mislead? I swear I seen someone post a screenshot of an EA NHL employed person saying you could use a custom roster in Be A Pro. Fake?
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