Hello @EA_Aljo
I also have some recommendations I'd like to offer, and have been meaning to for a while since the NHL 14 days or so but haven't got around to it.
- Ability to turn off pass buffer (separate from shot buffer), I don't know how many times I've tried to swap to a player just before they happen to get the puck and it ends up an icing or a lost breakaway. To emphasize, of all of this list, this is my most important concern by far.
- Ability to set how long to hold pass to send a pass without assist. Again, many times I've pressed pass and sent it out to no one or sometimes the other team, I'm assuming this is because of the sensitivity of the pass hold but I could be wrong.
- This may have been fixed last update, hasn't happened since but the update was released today so I'm not sure. When defending a 2 on 2 my other plsyer, or when on a 2 on 1 and I haven't swapped to the defender yet, my AI will skate up the ice and turn it into a 2 on 1 with an open wing or 2 on 0.
- Either a signal that a player is changing in online play, or some fix where your winger won't skate up the ice ready for a pass and then immediately change off once you pass to them and give you an icing.
- Goal line force field. I'm assuming this is a glitch in the system, but I've had numerous events where I have shot a puck at the net and it has just stopped at the goal line. I have video proof of this happening. I don't notice it as much now but often happened when the puck trickles behind the goalie after hitting him or the post, and when I poke check it or shoot it won't go in.
- Goalie pass in wrong direction. I have had a number of times where my goalie almost scored on himself or immediately gave the puck to the opposing team for a easy goal when it passes the wrong direction. I have noticed this problem with some players too but most often is the goalie. I have tested multiple controllers and it is not an analog stick issue.
- Goalie goals. I don't think the ability for a goalie to accidentally knock it into the net should be removed but I have had multiple cases where someone dumps the puck in, my goalie skates out to play it, misses the puck, turns around and knocks it in the net, but this may have been addressed in the last update.
- Shots before O zone go into the side boards. When trying to dump a puck on goal before crossing the opponent's blue line my players will never shoot straight, they will always turn and fire it into the boards. Maybe this is something with me needing to press RB and shoot if I do it before the blue line but that shouldn't be required to fire it in on net.
- Player backhands. I don't know why the animation for most backhands gets players pointing their stick blade at an angle to the ice. Might just be the animation, I don't know if it makes the hit box for the blade smaller but it does seem odd.
- Lagging poke checks. I have only found this with poke checks. I will press poke check and knock the puck loose but then proceed to turn and trip the player about 2 seconds later.
- Momentum. One thing I'd like to mention but really have no concrete knowledge of is the momentum system. I understand it is a factor in the game but I feel like something is off about it when I score the first goal of the game with 10 minutes to play in the third and my opponent then immediately proceeds to score 4 goals on 4 shots from the blue line afterwards. Or some mix of own goals or goalie goals that happens as soon as you score a goal.
EDIT: The Ability to change strategies/lines in between periods in online games. Sometimes 30 seconds isn't enough to swap your goalie and change your strategies to counter an opponent's playstyle. If you could make those edits during the intermission between periods that would allow sufficient time to make those "coaching" changes needed to come back in a game.
Players skating offside and, separately, STAYING offside. AI will skate way offside and kill your play when you are moving up the ice. Also, they stay offside when you are trying to re-enter the zone and you wait for them and it takes much too long, either because they do not come back, or they get stuck on other players and you have to play keep away for a minute for them to get back to center.
Offside due to momentary loss of puck. It seems that a poke check that you regain control of the puck or some type of deke that the puck stays in front of you while entering the zone causes offsides when it is not.
Movement around net wether around the opposing player's net with the pick and it gets jammed into the goalie, or worse when you are around your own net, your player always seems to get stuck and cannot skate around the net. I have had so many goals scored on my were I see the play developing or player brake loose but my player is prevented by a force field of about from 3 feet around the back of the net from skating around it and there's nothing you can do. That and if you skate close enough to the goalie he will just take it from you and screw your play, I understand if you drive it into the goalie but he takes it from you when the puck comes within a foot or so of him.
Forced goals, these hurt. Two of the scenarios I described before, the defender skating forward and your player stuck behind the net. But I have noticed other scenarios where you cannot swap to the player nearest to the puck or the player that is between the cross feed and there is nothing you can do but accept the inevitable. This scenarios prevent one's ability to actually defend up to their skill level.
Swapping players. It seems the system for swapping players has challenges. When I pass directly to someone it sometimes passes to someone completely different and wrecks a scoring chance. Or when my AI is skating slowly back on an icing or skating slowly forward to grab the puck I cannot swap to them and I lose my breakaway or they beat me to the icing and I have to swap through all 5 players to get to them, but by then it's too late.
Picking up the puck. I understand when players miss the puck or a pass, etc, it's realistic. But there are situations where players won't pick up a puck on two or three tries when you are either in the corner, or are spinning around in circles trying to pick up the puck after your player skated over it.
These are some friendly suggestions from a passionate NHL series player for years. Just hoping to contribute my piece on behalf of the players of the game to give some ideas and highlight some issues.
Hope we can see some of these changes in the future or in future games 🙂
