Is Ice-Q even part of CHEL?

What are you setting your D strategies to? High Pressure should see them step up more.

I set everything to high pressure in-game, but it doesn’t seem to change much. Some periods the AI players are throwing hits left and right, but others they are a pylon, and you never know how they’re going to play. I don’t touch strategies outside of the game in the WOC menus because doing so still resets your club’s uniforms all back to default. Learned that the hard way several times each year since at least 23, so I’ve stopped messing with those. 

I change all the strategies in game to make the AI more aggressive. Full forecheck, high pressure. I don't always have an AI D partner, but when I do, they tend to hit and step up on D in general. Not every time of course. If they behaved exactly the same way every time, it would make it easy for humans to recognize this and more easily avoid them. AI players are responding to numerous on-ice actions as well as, strategies and their own energy. Most importantly, to where the human controlled players are. If the humans are out of position, the AI are going to be as well while they move around to cover the open ice.

 I'm not saying they should be playing perfect every time. Like humans, they will make mistakes. Obviously, the AI have room for improvement. They always do. This is one of the most challenging parts of the sport to perfectly replicate.

This is an interesting case because its a 50-50 in my eyes in terms of what's going on and CPU incompetence.  A human defender should anticipate this breakout better to avoid behind, but they would also at least TRY to do something even if they aren't in great position.  The tendency of CPU D to just kind of skate near an opposing player without trying to bump, stick lift, poke can be very frustrating.

To be honest, when I first read your post, I thought the clip was going to be the situation I see a ton. CPU defender is actually in great position with plenty of gap to adjust but kind of just back skates and watches the speedy forward blow by them on the outside and turn the corner.