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THE_NUKE_P1G's avatar
THE_NUKE_P1G
Seasoned Traveler
3 months ago

Goalie Review NHL 25

I want to start by saying I have been a goalie in chel since around 2015, have a couple thousand games, and around a high 7, low 8 hundred save %. Being experienced enough in this category I thought I would bring to light key issues surrounding goalies. 

1: Overall save ability is extremely weak, I am being beat cleanly in locations where I have allocated most of my attritutes, and SHOULD be making saves. Goalies feel way to much like swiss cheese right now, despite being in proper position (and the game emphasizing this through the on-ice feedback) I am being beat way too frequently, so much so that I feel absolutely zero reward for playing positionally sound, which was a key selling point.

2: Goalies are bobbling pucks/hitting pucks into their own net way too much. This is an issue that has been plaguing goalies for many years, in around 4-5 games, I had knocked in a goal after the puck had hit me, and my goalie overreacted and the knocked it in to my own net. I understand that this happen on occasion, but the rate of this is simply way too high. And yes I have my rebound control stat as high as I can and with the extra +2. This is also an issue specifically on the high blocker (yes I have a 93ovr high blocker) where your player will seemingly swat the puck down into the net resulting in an own goal. This has also been an issue for a couple years now. 

Finally, I play nhl because I LIKE to play goalie, I do not like, however, when a supposed "top tier" nhl goalie is scoring on himself every game and looking like my sunday beer league goalie. This games purpose is to mimic the unattainable, the high level elite plays that we cannot do, yet I feel as though I could be making these saves in real life with little effort that my supposed elite goalie cannot.

  • RPHx31's avatar
    RPHx31
    Rising Novice

    I also cover the goalie gameplay in NHL 25.

    1. I don't think positional play is as important this year. The puck goes into the goal rather than my goalie holding it. 

    2. the save animations are too slow. But you can't stop the faster shots with them. Because the players can now have more points on the wristshot and slapshot.

    3. we can't react well on the break and have to make quick decisions. The shooter is much more manoeuvrable than the goalkeeper.

    4. goalkeeper obstruction is just so random that every situation is actually a 50-50 chance that the goal will count or not. 

    5. the screen effect is too high. Even with 96 vision you get stupid goals.

    6. if you want to react to a cross-crease pass and slide over to the other corner, you can get stuck in an animation and not react to the shot.

    7. the exaggerated reaction to bad passes is a disaster.

    8. the rebound control is also random. No matter if you have 80 or 92 you always get the same rubbish.

    9. the same is with fivehole, it can't be that 78 feels exactly the same as 90 completely confusing.

    10. i have the feeling that the right stick has a delay. But that's subjective, it may not be true. 

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Things I've seen, in general, about the defensive play.

    1. the defenseman stands very well, sees the puck and still can't intercept it, so the forward behind him can slide it in. 

    2. the defender lies down on his stomach to prevent the pass, but it still goes under him.

    3. it feels like the shooter can always shoot, regardless of whether the defender is there or not. 

    I'm curious what else you can say about this.

    Best regards
    RPH_31

    • THE_NUKE_P1G's avatar
      THE_NUKE_P1G
      Seasoned Traveler

      I’ve experienced everything you mentioned above, you are spot on. It feels like a punishment to play goalie rather than a fun experience.

    • chemmybum's avatar
      chemmybum
      Rising Newcomer

      Everything you said was spot on. I was thinking maybe my controller was going bad. Brought z new one and still getting the delayed right stick push over. Attributes needs to be looked over as you said, lower rebound control to lowest then put it to the highest and using sponge, you get the same results. Five hole attributes are completely broken and do it recovery. I find the animations actually work better if your attributes are lower then 80.

    • GoatisLotus's avatar
      GoatisLotus
      Newcomer

      Honestly when you hit cover puck it puts it in the net 90% of the time it's annoying. 

  • PuckinNutz's avatar
    PuckinNutz
    Seasoned Rookie

    Ya, I think slap shots are over powering the goalie, they can keep the speeds up but give the goalies a little more speed and vision. Puck handlers can really whip the stick around in 25, will be very difficult as a G to keep up.

  • THE_NUKE_P1G's avatar
    THE_NUKE_P1G
    Seasoned Traveler

    Spot on. Another issue I feel while playing is that the moment a player is in close the puck is impossible to stop. I will drop into butterfly and my goalie won’t even stick his leg out or attempt to stop it

    • ShadowZgamer456's avatar
      ShadowZgamer456
      Seasoned Newcomer

      Another issues is being unable to move during save animations countless up close cross creases are impossible because I'll start a save animation and I can't slide over to make the save it's infuriating how does ea revert stuff so much please fix these issues ea PLEASE!

    • CSO_Sbufkle's avatar
      CSO_Sbufkle
      New Novice

      Bingo, they get around the defender (Especially horrible AI def) the next thing you know they are sitting on you make a quick move and its in. Im simply at time snow guessing left or right hoping im timing it right as my old method and use of my reflexes dont work 

  • PuckinNutz's avatar
    PuckinNutz
    Seasoned Rookie

    Feels like we are tending a soccer goal then a hockey goal, its brutal

  • Gifto73's avatar
    Gifto73
    Rising Newcomer

    I have a feeling that some of the Devs were goalies that got cut from their teams in real life. EA hates goalies a lot.

    I play goalie in 3’s in 24 I had a .730 save percentage and almost 500 wins. Not the best but not the worst either. No chance I see those numbers this year. So frustrating. 

  • deadman9999's avatar
    deadman9999
    Rising Adventurer

    I wrote this yesterday 

     

    https://forums.ea.com/discussions/nhl-25-general-discussion-en/playing-human-goalie-in-eashl-is-not-fun-at-the-moment/4979624

  • I couldnt agree more, Im at best an average goalie, veteran of many years of playing. My team plays 3s which is hard on save percentage.. but even under fire I get my save percentage to .650 to .700 range.

    One rare thing I was good at was my angles, not being pulled off the post, now it doesn't matter shots that were always saves now almost nearly all go in and my save percentage is essentially 500. Yes when I play 24 to check if im losing mind... well I do fine there.

    I don't mind being harder as an idea, but the EASHL is full of teams playing with a sompy, since you can no longer 'match my goalie' the compys stop shots that I used to be able to, but now I cant.. so its a death sentence.. don't even get me started about the significant downgrade to compy D and F.