The overall speed of the game was a bit too fast in years prior, but slowing the entire game down as a whole isn't the fix because the actual issue was the forwards were so insanely fast that it completely limited what styles of play you could realistically play.
At the more competitive club level, you couldn't really be a big, shutdown, physical defenseman because the 5'7 160lb 95 speed gold elite edges forwards could just run straight past you. So, if you wanted to keep up, you HAD to use a small PMD build with maxed out speed and agility. This came at the cost of defensive abilities, because even though forwards could be great at shooting, passing, and quickness simultaneously, defensemen had to pick which area we were gonna suffer at, statistically speaking. Most of us chose to be as quick as possible and be able to move the puck up easier. As a result, games looked like roller hockey games where there was VERY LITTLE physicality at all, and as a result the forwards knew it didn't matter how big they were because nobody was going to be doing much hitting at all.
I think there should be some changes to the individual positions. EA did get rid of the speed and agility boosts TECHNICALLY, but they also made it so that you can get to 95 speed/acceleration/agility WITHOUT any boosts, so it really doesn't change anything. There needs to be more variety in builds, which means that forwards need to be limited in how many things they can be great at, because right now they have every single tool needed to dominate on offense while defensemen and goalies are left with nothing.
94 defensive awareness + gold quick pick + good positioning should at LEAST be able to break up this play, and yet...
(20-second mark):
https://www.xbox.com/play/media/UqwkfaLLvv
https://www.xbox.com/play/media/ENXkDYvS4N
But, this is EA, so they're not going to change anything. Forwards will be allowed to constantly bee line and force every pass through.
Community ManagerYour D had their back turned to the play. Their chances of breaking up the pass are significantly lower then.
But same time forward would pick slapshots with their Back turned to the play.
Exactly. Like, watch those clips. If the forwards receiving the pass and I swapped places in those clips, they would receive the pass no problem. And you know what Aljo would say? "Of course they got the pass! They were in better position!"
And do you know why my back was turned? Because backskating is so slow that if I kept backskating, the defender would have blown right by me, or the puck carrier would've just passed the puck behind my skates. So, I recognized this fact and did a 180 to skate faster and stay in the passing lane. Players do this all the time in real hockey with no problem. Only in this poorly thought out game are you punished for playing smart hockey.
If you want defensemen to constantly backskate, make it so that backskating isn't going to get us completely burned, because that's what happens in this terrible game EA has designed. The game was slowed down, but you know how the game is still played? BEE LINE BEE LINE BEE LINE. Forwards aren't playing a slower, methodical, east-west style of hockey. No, they're still just maxing their speed and hustling in a straight line because IT STILL WORKS! Straight line speed is STILL the meta!
And you know what's funniest of all? If the forwards were in MY position in these clips, they would have received those passes no problem, and if I had complained you would be right here telling me, "well, of course they got the pass! They were in better position!"
Edit: Removed offensive comments. Please be constructive without breaking the rules. -CM
Community ManagerI get what you're saying. I play the same way. I skate forward more than I back skate when getting back to my zone to defend a rush. I'm not saying there are no issues here. I'm just saying why those passes weren't intercepted.
Ok, so then maybe that's something that the dev team should consider changing? Like, doesn't it seem odd that forwards can receive these passes without issue, but defensemen get punished? Imo, this is a balancing issue that's been in need of addressing for a long time.
