NHL 27 (or 28, 29) needs real post-whistle scrums

One thing that still feels missing from the NHL games is what happens after the whistle. In real hockey, a late hit, a cross-check around the net, or someone taking a run at a star player can immediately turn into a full scrum. In the game, everyone usually just stands around, skates away, or goes straight into the same basic fight animation.

I’d like to see actual interactive scrums in both offline and online modes, but they can’t just be the same two or three animations every time. They should depend on where the players are standing, who was hit, how serious the play was, the score, time remaining, rivalry level, and the types of players on the ice.

A clean hit might only cause a quick shove or some arguing. A late cross-check on a star could bring several players in. If a captain gets run from behind and leaves with a concussion, that should cause a much more serious reaction. Teammates should also react differently depending on their personality and role. An enforcer might immediately go after the hitter, while a disciplined captain might grab his teammate and try to keep the team from taking an extra penalty.

The user should have control over what they do. You could shove someone, grab and tie them up, pull a teammate away, defend the goalie, try to start a fight, or completely disengage. It should be possible to protect a teammate without automatically being forced into a fight.

Linesmen also need to actually get involved. They should identify the main aggressors, separate players, protect someone who is down, and escort players to the box. Sometimes one scrum should calm down quickly, while another could lead to roughing minors, misconducts, a fight, or multiple players being thrown out.

Most importantly, every scrum should feel different. Players shouldn’t automatically pair up with the closest opponent and repeat the same animation. Several smaller confrontations should be able to happen at once, with players joining late, backing away, pulling teammates out, or escalating things depending on what happened.

Post-whistle scrums are a huge part of hockey, and adding them would make games feel much more emotional, physical, and realistic.