Goalie fatigue needs to go in NHL 25
The fatigue system was a good idea, but very poorly implemented. Puck retrievals during fatigue as well as clearing the zone continue to be absolutely atrocious. An NHL player can lob a puck from the...
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EA_Aljo
Community Manager
Community ManagerIt's really not preferring offense over defense. Offense is more attractive to most people because they prefer scoring goals to shutting them down. Offense also has the flashier moves just by nature of the position. Defense can be a very challenging position to play well. It's something a lot of people just don't focus on. I've played many opponents with a strong offensive game, but are very much lacking on defense. The tools are there to be a good defender. A lot of people just don't master them.
The flip dump is not a good example of us preferring offense over defense. Flipping the puck out isn't the only way to get it out of your zone. I'm not happy about it either, but I get why it needs to be there so the pressure system actually means something. Otherwise, why have it if you can escape that pressure so easily?
Playing D has always been generally harder to learn and master but EA has always given more tools and makes it easier for the offence. It’s been a major complaint from so many players throughout the years.
As for the flip dump. It’s a commonly used easy hockey play. If the offensive team isn’t good enough to substain pressure you don’t make it easier for them by nerfing a defensive ability. Yet by doing so you make it harder for the defensive team. The pressure system should be natural yet EA forces it. EA wants the pressure system it seems on every offensive zone play.
- EA_Aljo
What new tools would you add to defense?
Is mayonnaise a new tool?
Jokes aside, and it's not so much a new tool as much as it's reworking an existing mechanic, but I think defensive skill stick needs to be reworked. Currently, you can't use it to defend odd-man rushes to take away passing lanes because as soon as you initiate the dss, your speed is completely nerf'd and skaters can instantly speed past you.
Dss can be used against cpu players with some success, but that success doesn't translate at all to playing against human players. Human players don't move or play anything like cpu players, and humans pass better. All of these things make dss pointless against human players as you're much faster, and more likely to make a play on the puck without using dss.
The older, non-weak, flip dump came with the risk of icing or flipping it over the boards for a delay of game penalty. It wasn't necessarily easy to avoid both when you were under pressure from forecheckers. And as thebrazenhead75 said, it's a commonly used hockey play. I still don't understand the perceived need to nerf it. As you say, there are other ways of clearing the puck from your zone... why weren't they nerfed too if you want it to be super difficult to break pressure?
I see where you're coming from. It does seem like nerfing the flip dump might have been an overreach, especially considering the natural risks like icing or a delay of game penalty. If the goal was to make it harder to clear the puck, it would be interesting to know why this specific play was targeted and not others. Maybe the devs were trying to balance the game in a way we're not seeing yet?
As I recall, the reason given for the high flip nerf was literally that it made the pressure system pointless. At the time, I pointed out that if the system was so easily defeated by such a rudimentary play, then maybe the system was poorly designed.
I see what you're saying about the reasoning behind nerfing the high flip to preserve the pressure system. However, I think it’s worth considering that if a basic play like the high flip could render the pressure system ineffective, it might indicate that the system itself needs a redesign. It’s not just about making things harder but also ensuring the game mechanics are balanced and realistic.
I agree with this! Instead of nerfing it like they did you maintain their precious pressure system, they should have left in room for error on the delay of game clears. It made you think of how to clear, instead of just nerfing the strength of the clear. It's going to be way harder to clear pucks now since your fatigue will drain x2 and now the offensive team will regain their fatigue x2. I bet EA didn't even think to give x2 fatigue back to both the players and the goalie on successful clears of the zone and pressure. Of course not.
Instead of nerfing the clearing mechanics, it would have been better if they had maintained the pressure system but allowed for some margin of error on delays of game clears. This would have encouraged strategic thinking on how to clear the puck effectively. It’s frustrating that now, with the increased fatigue drain and the offensive team regaining fatigue faster, it seems like the balance is off. It would have made more sense to adjust fatigue more fairly for both teams and the goalie after successful clears, rather than just making it harder to clear the zone. Hopefully, EA takes these concerns into account for future updates.
