NHL 26 Franchise Mode Wishlist
My NHL 26 wishlist. This is mostly a repost of last years list. Almost All of these are for Franchise mode as I mostly play offline, I don't expect all of these to happen, but I think some are must-haves for this game to work: First and foremost, is to add editing of players in franchise mode. This one is always asked for so It's pretty self-explanatory. Second would be my number one want: 32 team control. Madden, The Show and NBA2K all allow you to play as many teams as you want and in the case of NBA2K, also let you pick how much control you have over each team (ex. having full control of trades, signings, etc. of one team while allowing the CPU to make trades and draft for another) or having full control over all 32. I prefer realism so seeing the Ducks or Blackhawks be good and buy at the deadline and make the playoffs because of that can be a bit frustrating; which brings me to my next point. Fixing the sim engine: I recently did a Franchise sim in NHL 24 where my goal was to rebuild the Sharks. I made the playoffs in year 1... After selling at the deadline... That shouldn't happen, but I don't know how it can be fixed as sometimes teams that should be good are bad and teams that should be bad are good. To be fair this is an issue in most sports games, but the number of sims I've done where one of the Blackhawks, Sharks or Ducks make the playoffs in the first year of the sim, while a team like the Canes, Stars, Knights or Kings miss with minimal changes is absurd. Changing the Activity feed: This is a simple one but it bugs me. There is no reason to ever look at this screen, as it never provides anything of value. The only things that can be found there are team news (X team is on a 6-game win streak or X player scored a hat trick) or everyone's favourite "Hockey Analyst" a nameless faceless person who might as well be ChatGPT for all I know. It doesn't provide anything, it has no character or charm and often doesn't make sense. ex. In a cup final matchup this Analyst said that "this series should end quickly the way they are playing" about both teams in the final. what? for as many issues as I have with Madden and NBA2k social media feeds, they at least have some personality and reason to glance at it from time to time, so please just make it have some personality or at least give me a reason to want to look at it, otherwise just remove it entirely. Allow us to change Coach strategies: This one is even weirder that it hasn't been changed. It's a very simple change and the reason I've heard as to why it hasn't been implanted is because you play as the GM and not the coach. My counter to that would be: why am I allowed to play the games as the players then? Also, why does every other sports game allow you to change every coaching strategy you want while also making roster moves? The logic of not allowing this is just really odd and I don't think it should be locked. Add more to the Broadcast: looking back at NHL 18, or 19 and seeing these intros with Doc and Eddie were fun, They were pretty bare bones but they got the job done in explaining the general info about the game (Who's starting in net for both teams and a brief talk about how the home team has played of late). I don't know what would go into this but just make it more immersive to a real broadcast by making it longer and more detailed, and if we want to switch off the long intro then that setting can be added. Allow us to watch the cup being awarded even if we are not the team involved: I really like the new Cup Champ screen when you win the cup but I would like it even more if you could see it even when I don't win the cup. Maybe making it a video in the activity feed after the final, I don't know exactly but I would prefer to have the option. Those are all the big changes I would like, here are a few smaller changes and fixes I'd like as well: Not auto-changing slider settings after opening the game or playing a match Allowing the CPUs to take penalties on lower difficulties. I tend to play on Pro because I'm bad lol, but I've noticed that CPU's never seem to take penalties on the bottom 3 settings (Rookie, Semi-Pro and Pro) even when I have the penalty sliders up all the way. This is bad not only for someone like me who has played a lot but isn't very good, but it's much worse for someone who's learning how to play the game on a lower difficulty. It makes it hard for new players to learn how a powerplay works or how to draw penalties if the CPU's never do so. adjusting goalie contracts in free agency: 79-80 Ova goalies asking for 1.5m+ is far too prevalent for my liking. *(Just adjusting contracts in general, about 2 years into a sim 85ovr players start asking for 7-9m which is nuts) Finally, two features I'd like added but are not needed are: Media Interviews: I'd like to have 3 GM interviews with the media (one in preseason, one after the trade deadline and one after the end of the season) I don't know what the content of these would be but I'd like them as an addition either way. Lastly, I would like the Record book to have just a bit more added. I'm not a fan of the way the records are done right now. In NBA2k they have a section for each stat (Points, rebounds, assists) and allow you to see the top 10 players in those stats for both team records and league records. I would prefer a better menu for records and the top 10-15 players for goals, assists, goalie records etc for both teams and league-wide. It just feels a bit lacklustre right now. Also why is there a games played record for each team? I don't know what the point of this stat is and it just feels like filler. Player wants in contract negotiations: This was included in Madden relatively recently, but making players ask for more money depending on the team is a fun idea. One player may only want to play for a cup contender while another is happy to go to a bad team just to make more money. So player A is willing to take less to win but more to lose, while Player B costs the same no matter what team is calling. *(This was sorta added with the NTC in 25 but I haven't really seen it much in free agency) That is my main wishlist for franchise mode, I have quite a few wants for BeAPro and general gameplay tweaks and changes but since I mostly play FM it's improvement is more important to me. I'm hoping the Devs listen and make some much-needed changes to the single-player modes, and based on the communication we've seen over the last year from them I am a bit hopeful, that at least some of this list will be recognized and added to the game.
EA's Premade Loadouts in Club/Ranked modes: Discussion/Suggestion
As much as I would like to see these loadouts removed and everyone having to faceoff against each other with their own loadouts as how World of Chel previously was. You know, create a player and your loadout for how you want to play. I've seen so many posts about removing them and zero feedback from EA so I know this won't be the solution we get. My Suggestion to EA Keep these loadouts for Quickplay drop-ins, and stop them from being used in all game modes that have ranked play, EA could create extra modes for these loadouts, or at the very least make a setting that players can set to not match against other players with them. In these competitive ranked modes it should be player-made loadouts vs player-made loadouts, obviously in these modes it is a battle for who is best and these modes should only be done this way. Finding what combination of abilities and boosts and what stats you increase or sacrifice to make your loadout for how you want to play or for the position you play in as a team and compete against other players/clubs who have to do the exact same. With these loadouts in these modes they are not competitive, finals are not best on best, its how unfair a team needs to be to exploit the advantages these loadouts have over normal loadouts and players should not be asked to make loadouts to target the disadvantages and change their entire playstyle in what is supposed to be a competitive ranked game when facing other players using these. Depending on which loadouts are used certain plays get sacrificed because someone has to stay behind so they can defend against players using loadouts that have normally unobtainable speed advantages or trying to avoid players with loadouts that can easily injure them with one hit because they have 99 body checking that you cannot reverse hit just to point out a couple. Yes obviously plays are still changed depending on normal loadouts as well but not to the extent that you have to with these loadouts and you can still maintain your normal playstyle. As bad as it already is in 3v3 modes, 6v6 modes are worse. 5 players using different premade loadouts there is no way to counter anything as each one has a weakness in their stats but together they all make up for it and you are running on hope and prayers that you can get a 1 goal lead and just defend the rest of the game. If EA did a proper community vote/poll on these loadouts being created in the first place I don't think we would be here because the majority of the community does not want these. If you are in the same boat about these loadouts don't just read this post, interact with it and keep making the community heard on this, Give your own feedback below even if you disagree.
Please add option to dress 20 Players for competitions outside of the NHL
You‘re only able to dress 18 players everywhere altough the NHL is the only league i know where you can‘t dress 20 players. The international team and the european club ones are built knowing that you can play 20 skaters so it‘s annoying when playing with an NL team for example and having to let players out of the line up who would be playing every game of the season. I don‘t think this would be to hard to add. It can be made optional so if you dress 18 players it‘s fine but you can have to extras more if you want to. For example an optional 4th D pairing or have the 2 other players in the „no line“ section
When there will be french voices in the NHL games ?
I would like to know when there will the voices in french in the NHL games, like as an example Pierre Houde and Marc Denis (Television in RDS) and Dany Dubé and Martin McGuire (on Radio), they are really good in the description and analysis of hocket games in french. As i understood you are using AI for the voices, so it should be easy for you guys to add those voices, and people all over the worl playing NHL games could have the choices of using french or english voices for description and analysis. Did you know that there is alot of people listen hockey games in NHL all in the world (French and English). So please get back to me about this.
NHL 26 early wishlist (let’s make NHL great again)
First off I will say nhl 25 is actual a huge step up im liking it so far , but it’s missing some details to feel complete.. full presentation needs to return and add more to what we had in the past games In edit player menu have the ability to change the color of sticks and gloves (nhl 2k had this) and now players have been customizing their own as well. Customizable tape job (adjust length on shaft and blade and not have it preset) And add the ability to edit goalie masks. hitting and collisions need to be tweaked to more realism. Franchise: be able to control more than one team able to scout and sign players from other leagues(I.E europe) Real coaches or at least customizable coaches A customizable GM character, have conversations be shown like it is in fifa where your Gm Meets the player. office similarly to dynasty mode in nhl 2004 On the hub where we get details of what went on in other games we can see highlights (either by clip or a screen shot) with description such as ‘stamkos nets a hat trick in last nights win’ and a small clip or screen shot showing stamkos scoring his 3rd goal. Be a pro: change up the whole be a pro game mode make it more like life the life. ability to use NhL players to continue their career or an nhl legend Street clothes for off days and make it interactive. If I buy a condo or a house i want to actualy see my self living in it. Same with the car we get, be able to drive around (a small map) and not just be a attribute boost. Pond hockey pick up games you can walk to or drive to when you leave your ‘house’ Call it a ‘hall of fame room’ similar to skybox 2k had in nhl2k5 where you had the Stanley cup and other interactive stuff and unlockables. Be able to decide to start from being drafted at 18 or create a 30 year old forward who just signed with an nhl team etc.. more interactive with teammates and coaches and GM list of teams you want to be traded to etc.. extras add winter classic and all star game (skills + game) both as a play now mode and also in franchise and be a pro. player retiring playing their last game get a ovation from crowd. Announce the player will retire 1 game before their last skate with the cup (playoff mode, season mode , franchise and be a pro) Tweak the fighting engine and allow more than one fight happening at once. this is a lot of an ask, but if we can get half of these implemented we are definitely heading Into greatness with NhL games.EA Connect | WOC | Kick Party Members?
Why is there not an option to kick people from your party? Play a game with a random teammate and respectfully they are not playing like a good teammate, I'd like to have the option to remove people from my own party/dressing room group instead of having to back out to the WOC menu? Understand its a very niche request but it should be standard with a party system...
NHL 26 Franchise Wishlist
Firstly, I’d like to say I appreciate the changes to franchise for 25. I like the new menus and the conversation system, but that’s basically all there is. I love playing franchise, and I REALLY think it could be improved on for 26. Firstly, this is a huge ask, but it would make it so much more fun: Have eras like the NBA2k games. Imagine going back to 2015 and drafting McDavid, or go to the 90s and trade for Gretzky. It would be awesome and encourage players to keep playing as there would always be new things to try. Obviously I would want the setting just like in 2K to have real events happen, so in 2022 the Kraken join, or in 2020 the Sabres rebrand, etc. Secondly, I think We need a fix to the trade value system. I don’t know exactly what the problem is, but it’s just not realistic. You basically can’t trade for any top 20 players and costs so so much just for a first round pick some years. Crazy. As someone who loves to create teams, I think we need a Team Builder like Madden too. I would love to add custom logos, or new templates or something to make my custom teams more unique and more realistic. I wouldn’t care if this is just for offline as it would most likely be pretty hard to translate into HUT I think the new conversation system is cool, but I’d like to see some things like allowing me to try and convince players with NMCs to waive and come to my team, or players requesting trades if they’re unhappy. i think another great change would be to add custom draft classes, this way EA doesn’t have to make them all but they can still be realistic (especially for the ERAs idea) I know all these changes won’t come to 26, but I’d love to see some more love given to the greatest mode in the game and what could be the greatest franchise mode in all of gaming.
