I think its more each to their own relating to how they feel about the overall game. I do see the perspective if you play 3v3 and maybe even 6v6 where the gameplay for NHL 25 is not as ideal - its my guess due to the fact that NHL 23 and 24 where more related to an arcade experience whereas NHL 25 is more catered to a Simulated experience.
The speed and stamina were very OP in both games making it less about overall team skill and more about individual performances - where that works on online play, did that make the game better, it would depend who you ask. For myself who appreciated a more simulated and calculated hockey experience compared to a pond hockey experience; I played NHL 23 less then I played NHL 15 (which is still put as one of the worst NHL games ever made), so that says wonders about my opinion of NHL 23.
Now I did hear that it was a better overall experience online but the offline experience was horrid. NHL 24 was slightly better and I played it a bit more but still took less skill overall to complete plays, make passes and just overuse the OP speed and stamina to blow by defensemen, the skate into the corner and cut back out to the slot or the cross crease goal, which made the gameplay unrewarding and lackluster to me (NHL 23 and NHL 24).
The "slower" gameplay is actually more on level to how fast actual players skate in the NHL (at one point it was tested and a full skate for Makar was clocked at the same speed in game as it was in real life), so this is more to how the hockey should feel if you like a non arcade experience - the issue is that for some online modes (where you are playing a non hockey experience and more just a pick up game) simulated doesn't feel as good.
For the goalies online - I still feel like there is an issue where due to it being online and needing to cater to all players skill level that its set to rookie or pro. When I play offline on superstar difficulty my goalies are very competent and can post a few clips of saves if needed (including my teams save of the year). Even the GAA's for my goalies are on par and shots more games are fairly close to each other and reflect the score (also, AI teams goalies or my teams goalies stealing games).
To me; as an offline only player this is the most fun I have had in an NHL game since maybe NHL 21 if not earlier. I get the other perspective cause to me games like NHL 23 were unplayable.
