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.
Community ManagerThat's certainly a fair statement. I'll pass on the feedback.
Also, pick ups aren't always guaranteed. For example, you have a better chance when gliding vs skating. The player's puck control and hand-eye ratings are also part of it. Again, not saying what happened here is good. Just giving you some context as to what helps with pick ups.
Also, regarding the first clip, that should have been picked up. We're looking into why that didn't happen. Appreciate you sending these over.
I do appreciate that, Aljo. Honestly.
It's also funny you mentioned the thing about gliding vs skating. I was just in a game where I was having to defend a bunch of 2-on-1 type of passes, and one of the passes I actually grabbed was one where I stopped skating. I absolutely see what you're talking about and have actually noticed this in past games.
If I could offer some feedback, however, I would point out that, especially since the meta in the game is still speed, not being able to reliably pick up pucks unless I, as a defender, stop skating, is a really unfair task. Because, if I stop skating, these 95 speed forwards are just going to blow right by me, and it's been my experience that these forwards don't have to glide to pick up pucks, nor do they need to be facing the puck.
It seems really counterintuitive that in order to defend better, I have to put myself in a worse position.
I also completely agree that there shouldn't be a guarantee of an interception. In real hockey, a guy can be in perfect position and the puck will sometimes just find that perfect bit of daylight and elude the defender. I think that's fair. What my issue with plays like we see in this clips isn't that they happen, it's the rate at which they happen. These kinds of passes simply eluding players with good defensive abilities and good positioning just happen too frequently.
