Changes to the Player Rating System are Needed

Taking a quick glance at the player attributes, it is easily seen that defensive and offensive awareness have a significantly disproportionate impact on a player’s overall rating; on average raising or lowering these attributes by 2 or 3 points will change a player’s overall, something that isn’t seen with any other attribute. There are currently 25 attributes, divided into 6 categories, and while they do capture the necessary aspects of a hickey simulator, they are very surface level and need to be improved. More attributes are needed to enhance gameplay. Overall spreads seen above can also be used for the new individual attributes, which are seen below

Shooting Attributes (currently: wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy). Suggested changes below

• Wrist shot power
• Wrist shot accuracy
• Slap shot power
• Slap shot accuracy
• One time power
• One time accuracy
• Backhand shot power
• Backhand shot accuracy
• Release: how well a shooter disguises their shot, ability to beat goalies at the highest level
• Shot IQ: when to shoot (goalie down/screened, shot lane, etc.)
• Shot awareness: where to shoot

Puck Skills (currently: deking, hand-eye, passing, puck control). Suggested changes below

• Open ice deking
• Contested deking: ability to pull of dekes with opponent in direct path
• Deke control
• Puck reception
• Shot tipping
• Pass awareness: where to pass, who is open
• Pass IQ: when to pass (pass lane, pass type, etc.)
• Pass power
• Pass accuracy
• Saucer pass power
• Saucer pass accuracy
• Backhand pass power
• Backhand pass accuracy
• Blind pass accuracy
• Close pass accuracy
• Stretch pass accuracy

Skating (currently: acceleration, agility, balance, endurance, speed). Suggested changes below

• Top speed
• Speed with puck
• Crossover speed
• Acceleration
• Acceleration with puck
• Back skating acceleration
• Agility
• Agility with puck
• Endurance

Physicality (currently: aggressiveness, body checking, durability, fighting, strength)

• Skating balance
• Puck protection
• Body checking power: how likely a check will separate the puck carrier from the puck
• Body checking aggression: how much energy the opponent will lose from the check
• Fighting skill
• Durability

Defense (currently: defensive awareness, faceoffs, shot blocking, stick checking)

• Stick checking
• Shot blocking
• Deking resistance
• Gap control
• Stick positioning

Instincts (currently: discipline, offensive awareness, poise). Suggested changes below

• Offensive positioning: where to be
• Offensive intelligence: what to do
• Defensive positioning: where to be
• Defensive intelligence: what to do
• Stick penalty discipline
• Aggressiveness discipline: relating to non-stick penalties (interference/charging/etc.)
• Poise: performance under pressure
• Puck poise: decision making while under pressure

Puck battles

• Net front finesse
• Net front battle strength
• Board battle
• Faceoffs

Another thing that needs to be addressed is the impact o that individual attributes have on the overall rating. Currently, to have defensively deficient players have an overall that is at the bare minimum acceptable, they need to have above average defensive categories. This should not be the case, and a change needs to be made. Exceptional offensive players like Jonathan Huberdeau and Tony DeAngelo should have poor defensive attributes, yet equally good overalls. Conversely, a player like Zach Aston-Reese should have an exceptional defensive category and a below average offensive one to complement it. The current system is a bit more forgiving with this kind of player, but it is still far from ideal.

In short, attributes should be able to complement each other: elite offensive players who are defensively deficient should have their offensive attributes make up for their defensive shortcomings; and vice-versa.

Further, position should play into the impact of the attributes. In NBA 2K, specific attributes are likely to give 5 different overall ratings between the 5 positions, something that simply does not happen in EA NHL.

The introduction of the shoot/pass bias is certainly an advancement. I suggest that this continues with the introduction of further player tendencies. Ideally, the introduced tendencies at least consist of the following. More options can easily be added, but I feel these are the most essential.

• Carry/dump
• Cycle/shoot
• Efficient/energy
• Block shot/don’t block
• Body check/stick check
• Preferred line strategy

I’ll admit that I have my gripes with the X-Factor system; it feels like an easy way out to fixing the current attribute system. While it has helped, it is far from perfect and can be improved by looking at other major title sport games. NBA 2K and Madden both have systems that I would like to see implemented. Both games have a tier system when it comes to their badges/X-Factors, which helps further separate players like Steph Curry and Josh Allen from the rest of the league. By adding a tier system, Connor McDavid’s speed will be far different from that of Nathan MacKinnon or Dylan Larkin; Alex Ovechkin’s on-timer or Adam Pelech’s shutdown ability will also be significantly more impactful to gameplay.

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@johum2886 wrote:

• Cycle/shoot
• Efficient/energy
• Block shot/don’t block
• Body check/stick check
• Preferred line strategy

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In my opinion, QoL fixes to these categories would make the biggest impact overall. I absolutely loathe how the AI opts to just dump the puck and start swinging their sticks wildy when they really shouldn't.

@johum2886I have to say I really like your idea and makes total sense. I would also add an extra layer here which I feel is the Achilles heel for most of sports games: Overalls are too generic. Some players that currently has let's say overall below 80, might be one of the best on their role. So for that role his overall should be 90+, but for other roles he might be really bad.

So I would add also the role based rating system as an example:

• Players full overall (like we have currently, though this wouldn't really be needed anymore)
• Subcategory for role based overalls (either in same type of overall numbers like now or in stars from 1 to 5)

Roles for Defenders

• Offensive Defenceman
• Two-Way Defenceman
• Defensive Defenceman
• Enforcer

Roles for Forwards

• Sniper
• Playmaker
• Dangler
• Power Forward
• Two-Way Forward
• Grinder
• Defensive Forward
• Enforcer

To use these, either we can change in tactics what role we want the player to play or you have fixed preferences what coaches want for each lines and you need to find a fit for the role. As an example, McDavid would be a fantastic fit for a Sniper, Playmaker or Dangler role, but obviously not a great for rest of the roles. 

I personally would like that we could modify the roles in tactics, but also to get a good line fit. You cannot just add three 5-star Snipers on the line, that line won't work. Some you would need to change some roles to get a good fit. one 5-star Sniper, 3-star Playmaker and 4-Star Defensive Forward would work much better as it does in the real life.

Basically, every player can play any of those roles, but depending of their skill set, they might be good or bad at it. No more locked roles for players.

This obviously would need a big overhaul of the rating systems and how the chemistry works, so I know this type of thing will never be implemented. But we can always dream. Also this is just more basic version of how things work in FHM or Football Manager.

Also this list of roles and the whole idea just an example that would need to be polished. As an example defensive roles you could easily add Quarterback and Stay-At-Home Defenceman.

@johum2886 

Yes. I'll get this sent over as feedback. Thanks everyone!