This thread needs to stay towards the top of the list along with any thread discussing the absurdity of invincible puck handling vs. perfect defensive positioning.
Why does passing and stick handling have to be so magnetic in this game? It’s obviously unrealistic and really damages the mechanics of the game. There should be more jostling back and forth for the puck when the defender is in good position to battle for the puck.
Instead, defense either has to go with ridiculously big hits (that aren’t as common as this game would make you believe) or an uncontrollable stick check that debilitates the defender if not sending them to the penalty box. And if you choose to simply play good defensive positioning without using any of the aforementioned impractical techniques, the puck handler has freedom to skate right through you without hardly a moment of loss of control.
By the way, I understand that hitting would be effective in this scenario with the current game mechanics, but it’s so unrealistic that it irritates me as both the defender and the puck handler. It’s either so overpowered that the puck handler is sent to the ground without the impact having any consequence to the defender, or (on the other hand) it’s so clumsy that the defender flings himself out of position leaving the puck handler with all the space in the world. It’s all or nothing; but it shouldn’t be as that is not what real hockey is like. Real hockey tends to be more of a physical bodying/sticking back and forth battle on the puck. It’s not like basketball where as soon as a 50/50 ball is secured by a player, the opposing player has to back off to avoid a foul… but unfortunately that’s kind of what this game feels like.
More of my thoughts on the subject: https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion-News/Big-Hits-Should-Impact-Hitter-Too-Sometimes/m-p/13187456#M8466