(drop-in/club)Nobody plays defense.. because it sucks
Topic, defense is a joke in this game. Clean direct hits into the boards are shrugged off because the offensive player mashes x, poke check is useless unless you're 100% perfectly lined up (or behind the player, what's the deal with that?), stick lift is a bad joke (tuner /literally when/)
I'll take any advice right now. I remember being frustrated in 13/14 but a certain troll actually gave good advice (face the puck) that I took to heart but now I'd say a 3rd of the time cross creases go through me even when perfectly positioned and having my spin to face the puck perfectly timed. Not to mention the forwards holding up on the right stick mindlessly ,barreling into me while charging from the faceoff dot and not getting penalties for it, causing me to lose the puck in their feet if I don't instantly curl the very frame I intercept the cross crease.
Honestly playing forward is 10/10 easy right now, I've already gotten 5 hat tricks in less than 40 games (not bragging) and while I'd consider myself a shutdown defenseman in previous years I'm getting walked around , stick handled through my body (most forwards skate right through me and get the puck back after losing it multiple times) and constantly beaten by wild erratic 45 degree cuts every half second.
Defense has always been iffy but this year it's a huge joke.
As of now I've essentially given up on playing real defense, my only "reliable" tool is to put my players body into their stick while they come in the zone and even then they just get the puck back, step into the middle and get a shot that undoubtedly will give 3 rebounds that all go to the other teams sticks.
I'll take any advice right now. I remember being frustrated in 13/14 but a certain troll actually gave good advice (face the puck) that I took to heart but now I'd say a 3rd of the time cross creases go through me even when perfectly positioned and having my spin to face the puck perfectly timed. Not to mention the forwards holding up on the right stick mindlessly ,barreling into me while charging from the faceoff dot and not getting penalties for it, causing me to lose the puck in their feet if I don't instantly curl the very frame I intercept the cross crease.
Honestly playing forward is 10/10 easy right now, I've already gotten 5 hat tricks in less than 40 games (not bragging) and while I'd consider myself a shutdown defenseman in previous years I'm getting walked around , stick handled through my body (most forwards skate right through me and get the puck back after losing it multiple times) and constantly beaten by wild erratic 45 degree cuts every half second.
Defense has always been iffy but this year it's a huge joke.
As of now I've essentially given up on playing real defense, my only "reliable" tool is to put my players body into their stick while they come in the zone and even then they just get the puck back, step into the middle and get a shot that undoubtedly will give 3 rebounds that all go to the other teams sticks.
0
Howdy, Stranger!
Replies
Incidental contact kind of works so if you're basically skating where the guy is holding the puck it will probably come loose pretty quick. If you're moving with him and and not poking, etc you'll stand a decent chance of picking up the puck.
Imo, you need to be able to throw hits. That means not using the offensive builds. You shouldn't got for them too much but if you can only poke a good forward is going to know how to exploit that. You can't expect to play good D if you're chasing either. You need to go for hits from good angles. I actually find that hits from not great angles work fairly well with the defensive D. I don't always knock the puck down but the puck carrier usually stumbles at least which can be enough to spoil their chance.
Also don't put so much pressure on yourself. Playing D well in this game is hard and most people just play forward and don't have a clue. They'll turn the puck over all game long but the one time you do it it's a crime against hockey. Find some forwards that will actually back check. Then you can just force the puck carrier to slow or or move laterally and your forwards should have him. If your forwards expect you to be a one man defense and breakout show find some better teammates, they don't deserve you! You're a strong independent defenseman and you don't need no cherry pickin' jabroni forwards!
Club : Midnight Express
Also picking up loose pucks needs a buff as well. Too many times the puck goes through my guy when I'm in good positioning.
If you tried playing with most of the possible incidental contact, you'd agree as well. There would be way more loose pucks all over the place and way less organized play. It's not hockey, believe me.
If they want to skate in circles let them. It's when you start to chase those guys, you breakdown defensively and give them an opening. If you cut them off by getting in their way and play sound defense instead of just chasing you'll be much more successful, very similar to real hockey.
I'll agree the bubble is still annoying, but it's much better than last year and it is very manageable on defense.
This is a good post about defending.
Chasing gets you in trouble against any club that has members who are very good at dangling. They'll either skate around you or they'll draw a penalty.
This post reads like it was written by a guy who has a lot of experience defending in the NHL series and I would imagine that's exactly the case, am I right? Good post, man.
Its not, enforcer is the only build i use as defense and defense is all i play. Against average players you can crush it, against the better players they'll just push back using the powers of the force and skate around you, even squeeze between you and the boards that have no opening cause you'll be stuck in a hitting animation or bounce off their bubble, also defensive d man is statiscally better...by 20 points.
Hope this helps a bit.
Why would you choose Enforcer when the Defensive D Man is just as good for checking?? They literally both have the same checking attributes...
Checking sure doesn't feel the same in actual games and that appears to be due to the increase in size of the Enforcer Dman. I don't give a **** about what the attributes say.
I have used both and found them to check just as hard. On the other hand, the Enforcer sucks at everything else which is why I do not use him. I only use him if I know I will be fighting, which is rare.
Because the word can be used in vulgar ways. Though the only ways I can think of right now would probably lead to a lifetime ban, but there are people who don't care. I think EA is trying to avoid having the word be used in an abusive way. And overall the word it usually never used in a positive way.
It is because that word best describes this game.