Poke checking too nerfed.
As of now you don’t get rewarded at all for playing positional defense and using the poke check. I see time upon time that I do a GOOD poke check that should result in a loss of puck for my opponent ...
Forum Discussion
So I just wanted to come in here and say please be very careful with the tuning of this. I agree with the poster in that if you poke and it hits the puck, it should separate the puck from the carrier 100%. What I really don't want to see is what we have seen for years where you can press the poke check button and it practically auto tracks to the puck. This is a skill gap IMO.
After playing quite a bit, I have noticed that players are being punished for the old school style of having your back turned to the carrier and then performing what I will call the "no look" or "180 degree pokes" on a skater and it would just poke the puck away with ease. This year there is a skill gap to playing positionally sound defense and it is a welcomed change.
The three things that do need to be adjusted IMO is the following:
1. Increase the strength of force for the initial poke check animation (not the tracking) so if you hit the puck, it shoots it away from the skater.
2. Increase the accuracy of stick lifts so if the attacking player is in tight, you can lift their stick.
3. Shorten the time the stick lift button needs to be held down for tie-ups.
I think this is the way you give Defenseman the tools to shine, while also punishing poor defensive actions to keep the game offensive.
