One of the main selling points of NHL 23 was that the mindless pokespam that counters any attempt at creative offense would be addressed. Two weeks into the game and the pokecheck spam is back with a vengeance. While holding R1 still slows you down somewhat, the amount of slowdown appears to have been reduced in the latest tuner - I am once again facing a wall of R1 holders on the breakout. In the defensive zone, absolutely nothing has changed since NHL22 - simply standing in the slot and mindless mashing R1 intercepts passes, instantly knocks pucks of sticks and obstructs and slows down offensive players, but without triggering tripping penalties. Pokechecks from behind and from impossible angles are back; as is the auto-aim that totally destroyed NHL22. I've played about 40+ rival and champs games (Div 3, I'm around 1700 rating) over the past 3 days; and 90% of games, my opponent lands zero hits. ZERO.At the same time, hitting remains ridiculously underpowered - simply holding the stick out to the backhand or forehand essentially makes hits glide off you - some of the more absurd gameplay I've seen is my player getting hit while I'm holding the stick out, getting pushed back 40-50 feet; but not once stumblign or losing control of the puck. Combined with LT allowing players to skate into the zone backwards unmolested; at full speed and with full control of the puck (both highly unrealistic); the most toxic aspects of NHL 22 gameplay are back in full force.EA, this is not the game you promised. Fix this.

@NeonSkyline21 wrote:@MordecusCompletely disagree. The poke-check is FAR FAR FAR less effective than it was last year. The speed-reduction makes a huge difference.As far as LT'ing... I feel like it's a good thing for the game. It COULD be tweaked a little bit to make it more realistic but I wouldn't want it completely nerfed. It's definitely one of the few things that separates good OVP players from average ones. It actually amazes me how little I see people using the Crosby "half-pivot mohawk" LT move on the side boards given how effective it is at misdirecting your opponent.As a matter of fact, THAT'S what we need more of in NHL: Tools for MISDIRECTION. We need more ways to TRICK our opponents instead of relying on physical mechanics that can be cheesed or what have you.I agree with you on the LT thing - it's a tool that does tend to seperate the good players from the great players when it comes to misdirection.It's just this kind of garbage that people hate to deal with:

The puck does seem glued to the offensive player a lot of the time. Here the player is cleanly poked coming into the zone but he kicks the puck right back to his stick. And it's not even the "kicked a loose puck to my stick" animation. His normal skating stride just happened to kick the puck right where he needed it to go. As an added bonus I guess the AI was so sure the puck was gone he felt safe spinning away from the play.And plays like this one happen all the time. I'm cutting across the net and the backchecking defender does a good job of reading the play and putting a solid poke on the puck. But it doesn't matter because the puck just follows me across for the easy goal.I wish I could say these are one-offs or rare plays, but the puck finding its way back to the offensive player after clean poke-checks is the norm rather than the exception.

Um what? Poke spamming isn't a problem at all. You get punished for it. Now LT is even better than any other time I can recall and should somehow get addressed but it won't.

@Jagavekov wrote:I think a good tradeoff would be less auto aim when poking (especially from bad positioning like facing the wrong way) but more disruption from successful pokes, through a combination of more poke power and less superhuman puck pickup reactions from the puck carrier.I can't count the number of good poke checks I've done and the puck carrier just picks the puck right up, or it goes to their teammate... if one successfully poke the puck away, you would think that whoever poked it away should have a better chance at picking the puck up. I had the yoink zone ability on for a while, I would sometimes get a successful stick lift, but rarely would I get possession of the puck (which I thought having that as a zone ability would help out more), but it would usually result in a penalty or both players staggering then the opponent just regaining the puck.

Do we really need to suffer through another year of pokespam and LT-abuse?

26 Replies

EA_Aljo
Community Manager
4 years ago
Hey, @Mordecus

We have not released any tuners so the slow down is the same as it was at launch. Thanks for the feedback on poke checking.
NeonSkyline21
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@Mordecus Completely disagree. The poke-check is FAR FAR FAR less effective than it was last year. The speed-reduction makes a huge difference.

As far as LT'ing... I feel like it's a good thing for the game. It COULD be tweaked a little bit to make it more realistic but I wouldn't want it completely nerfed. It's definitely one of the few things that separates good OVP players from average ones. It actually amazes me how little I see people using the Crosby "half-pivot mohawk" LT move on the side boards given how effective it is at misdirecting your opponent.

As a matter of fact, THAT'S what we need more of in NHL: Tools for MISDIRECTION. We need more ways to TRICK our opponents instead of relying on physical mechanics that can be cheesed or what have you.
KidShowtime1867
Hero
4 years ago
@NeonSkyline21 wrote:
@MordecusCompletely disagree. The poke-check is FAR FAR FAR less effective than it was last year. The speed-reduction makes a huge difference.

As far as LT'ing... I feel like it's a good thing for the game. It COULD be tweaked a little bit to make it more realistic but I wouldn't want it completely nerfed. It's definitely one of the few things that separates good OVP players from average ones. It actually amazes me how little I see people using the Crosby "half-pivot mohawk" LT move on the side boards given how effective it is at misdirecting your opponent.

As a matter of fact, THAT'S what we need more of in NHL: Tools for MISDIRECTION. We need more ways to TRICK our opponents instead of relying on physical mechanics that can be cheesed or what have you.
I agree with you on the LT thing - it's a tool that does tend to seperate the good players from the great players when it comes to misdirection.
It's just this kind of garbage that people hate to deal with:
jadaseian
4 years ago
@KidShowtime1867 that clip 🤢
KidShowtime1867
Hero
4 years ago
@jadaseian wrote:
@KidShowtime1867that clip 🤢
My favorite part is the A.I. #5. Rather than using vision control to face the puck carrier, he takes the long turnaround with DSS engaged the whole time 😃
jadaseian
4 years ago
@KidShowtime1867 "I got you bro, look at this reach"
TITAN_NHL
4 years ago
EA is waiting to release a tuner until the playerbase is fully gone and the games dead anyways
Beauts90
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
Considering the games Twitter account is retweeting these garbage plays topped off with a between the legs goal, I can’t ever see it going away.
Miguelidos
Rising Rookie
4 years ago
I agree 100%. Tune down the poke check and if you poke from behind in a bad angle it should be a tripping penalty.

Also ”Auto defense” needs to go. If I dont touch my controller. My player should do what im doing: Nothing.
its a ping pong festival right now. No need to aim, just spam and youll get the puck🤷
KlariskraysNHL
Hero+
4 years ago
Um what? Poke spamming isn't a problem at all. You get punished for it. Now LT is even better than any other time I can recall and should somehow get addressed but it won't.