What Has This Series Become? * Constructive Feedback *
I’m a long-time EA NHL player who stuck with the series since its peak around NHL 14. Many friends and players from my hometown have left the series—not because of work, school, or kids—but because the game no longer feels like hockey.
The biggest problem is loss of realism combined with loss of accessibility.
Gameplay: It is very exploitive, the penalties are non-existent now with no accountability to fix this. AI has no idea where to position or use any IQ to make a decent play. The pressure system is abusive as players just have to shoot low on the left side for goalie to lose pressure.
Bugs: So many error codes, and game configuration issues that make it difficult to play a game.
Puck/Stick physics: No idea why when poking the puck it bounces right back to opposition. Watched someone grab it from an unrealistic area as the puck was few seconds behind them.
Drop-in / OTP used to be true pick-up hockey:
- Community lobbies
- Fast, reliable games
- Traditional indoor arenas for 6v6
- Freedom to choose jerseys from many leagues (WHL, OHL, QMJHL, NHL, AHL, ECHL, international teams)
It was perfect for players with busy lives who couldn’t commit to clubs. That experience is gone.
The current drop-in:
- Takes too long to find games
- Crashes or errors if someone leaves
- Spends more time matchmaking than playing
Community lobbies were removed due to “trolling,” but this issue was exaggerated. We managed it by filling lobbies, using caps, and avoiding problem players. Removing lobbies removed the social backbone of drop-in. Since then, many drop-in players have left, shrinking the population.
Clubs is not a replacement. It requires schedules and long-term commitment that many players simply can’t make.
Be A Pro has also been stripped down. Older games allowed full junior seasons and proper draft buildup. Now it feels rushed and shallow.
Gameplay has shifted away from simulation toward arcade:
- Unrealistic goalies
- Repetitive, exploit-heavy gameplay
- Overpowered X-Factors
- Arcade cosmetics and presentation
Outdoor rinks and arcade elements belong in 3’s and arcade modes—not in full 6v6 hockey.
At the same time, monetization has increased:
- HUT pushes expensive packs and sets
- World of CHEL uses battle passes and cosmetics
Resources appear focused on monetization rather than realism, stability, and depth.
Many players would rather wait for a delayed, polished, realism-focused NHL game than continue receiving rushed annual releases.
The NHL series didn’t lose players because life got busy.
It lost players because it stopped respecting how real hockey fans want to play.
There is so much more to this that meets the eye but I will leave it at this. Hopefully a solution is made to steer away from this nonsense. You ask any content creator, or former EA NHL series supporter they will agree with the above.
