People would always freak out at launch and they would basically just revert everything back to the previous year's model but starting a few years back they decided to just stick it out instead but regardless, they have consistently never been able to introduce a patch to "fix" certain community concerns like you want until around the January mark, give or take (patches aren't like flipping a switch but, in theory, should definitely not have to be pushed till the next title)
1. While I hate just how much an unsuccessful pokecheck slows you down, they aren't really in a bad spot in terms of skill gap - we should be making better pokes instead of being allowed to spam. Players getting the puck right back though? That's always been something I don't see them able to ever fix (to a point everyone will be happy).
2. You must be new to 3on3, and to a lesser extent, 6on6? Speed has been the bread and butter of chel for more than 10 years now - The streamers and very vocal community can't get enough of dat speeeeeeeeed
But yeah, the new Xfactor boosts are crazy right?
3. My buddy and I basically invented the Truculence meta before it was even a thing using Grinders in 3v3 - Trust me, I know more than anyone that this is some total BS and we don't even have Truculence+ yet haha. Game's changing into something disgustingly not hockey that even Shoresy wouldn't approve. CM says the team is well aware of community concerns but we've heard this before...
4. I have used stick lifts like 5 times in total over the years and I've gotten a penalty probably 3 of those. I will never ever recommend using em, no matter how confident you are.
5. I'm the biggest hater when it comes to the goalies but even I have to admit the AI seems to be able to handle breakaways and wraps better this year (thank god), though i will never recommend anyone attempt to be a competitive human goalie in EASHL lol; you're asking for heartache.
Edit* Yeah so, I found out after a few more games you can just keep crashing the goalies for easy goals lol; didn't think they could get any worse
I have used stick lifts like 5 times in total over the years and I've gotten a penalty probably 3 of those. I will never ever recommend using em, no matter how confident you are.
Just need to learn to use it in in the right spots. Here's 2 gifs from the same game
opposing players skate with impunity, and even if they are successfully poked, 90% of the time they get immediate possession back
(in real life, when you pop a player's stick up, that means your stick is now closest to the puck. In EA NHL 26, you just take yourself out of the play so the offense can get the puck immediately back
Sometimes a stick lift can be executed and the puck leaves the reach of the player
Chel 24 stick lift was just a penalty button, no amount of positioning or discipline boosting seemed to fix that, 25 it was perfect, 26 they destroyed it for the sake of change. Stick lifts are absolutely brutal this year and even when angling the puck carrier exactly right, you have a better chance at completing a takeaway with a stiff pick (what us diamonds and elites refer to as getting your body in between the puck carrier and his blade) than you would with a stick lift. Going for a stiff pick in both videos you posted would’ve worked, and wouldn’t have slowed down your players pace had your opponent gotten the puck back before you.
no amount of positioning or discipline boosting seemed to fix that
Maybe for you bud. Some of us learned to use it without issue.
a stiff pick (what us diamonds and elites refer to as getting your body in between the puck carrier and his blade)
You mean getting body positioning. This is not unique to "diamonds and elites" lmao 🤣
58 GP -34 okayyyyyy. Now your takes make sense. Have a good one showtime
Oh okay. I get it. In spite of me posting endless GIFs doing things that others deem impossible, because I'm an adult who doesn't spend 6 hours a day playing this game, my "takes" are bad. 81 points in 58 games is pretty awful. Lord help me.
Always default to attacking me rather than posting in-game examples proving me wrong. Classic.
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