Suggestions to improve the EASHL experience in NHL 26 +
Hello EA Sports, I'm a Product Development Director with over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, and an expert in UX/UI. I'm also a passionate player of the NHL series, especially in EASHL mode, which I regularly enjoy with my 3 friends player team. I'd like to offer a few concrete suggestions that could significantly enhance the overall experience for your player base. Here are a few ideas that could bring high value to the community: 1. Smart reconnection via session token Currently, if a player is disconnected (network drop, crash, etc.), they are permanently removed from the match, which puts their team at a major disadvantage. Suggestion: generate a reconnection token at the beginning of the game that remains valid until the match ends. This would allow any disconnected player to rejoin the same match automatically upon relaunching the game. You could even add a notification like: “Patrick has rejoined the game!” 2. Ability to change loadout mid-match Sometimes players enter a match with the wrong build or need to adapt mid-game to the opponents' strategy. Suggestion: allow loadout changes between periods, just like a coach adjusting tactics. 3. Unique customization per loadout At the moment, all loadouts share the same name, number, helmet, and visual setup. Suggestion: let players assign individual visual customization to each loadout. This would let a player visually represent different roles (e.g. a flashy loadout for a sniper, a rugged look for a grinder, etc.). 4. Configurable AI teammate styles When playing with small teams (e.g. 2 or 3 players), the remaining teammates and goalie are controlled by AI and can sometimes behave unpredictably. Suggestion: allow players to configure the AI teammate playstyle, such as: Goalie type (butterfly, hybrid, acrobatic…) Forward or defenseman profile (offensive, playmaker, physical…) Level of aggressiveness or caution This would add a layer of strategy and control while reducing frustration caused by rigid AI behavior. Final thoughts These suggestions aim to enhance the experience for serious and engaged players, bringing more flexibility, depth, and reliability to the EASHL mode. Thank you for considering this feedback Kind regards
Bring NHL Games to Nintendo Switch 2
EA, you've missed out on reaching the largest console gaming audience for eight years. Please do not make the same mistake on the highly capable Nintendo Switch 2. If this new console is getting Madden, with 22 moving players, it can certainly handle 12 moving players in NHL. NHL is my all-time favorite game, going back to the original on Sega Genesis. Don't make me continue to buy PlayStations only for NHL games. Thank you!NHL Suggestion
To the NHL Development Team at EA Sports (EA Vancouver) Hello, I would like to send this letter to the developing team EA Sport but I couldn't find any point of contact or e-mail so I am using this forum hoping it's reaching someone inside the developing team who can make the difference. I’m reaching out as a long-time fan of the NHL video game series, and for the past few years, I’ve been meaning to share some ideas that I believe could help enhance the NHL experience. I’m currently 46 years old and have been playing since NHL 1991 on the Sega Genesis. I’ve followed the series year after year, and first off, I want to thank you for the tremendous progress the game has made. The gameplay now feels incredibly realistic, and while passing is more challenging compared to the 2010–2020 versions, I genuinely enjoy the new mechanics. That said, I’d like to offer a few suggestions -mainly focused on Franchise Mode, which is my favorite. My goal is to help bring the experience even closer to what it feels like to be a real NHL player, both visually and statistically. 1- In-Game Stats -Show Key Offensive Numbers Currently, when a player scores a goal, the game sometimes displays their total body checks or other less relevant stats, rather than showing updated goals, assists, and points. These core offensive stats should be prioritized during goals or assists to make the moment feel more meaningful and immersive. 2. Trophy Ceremony at Season’s End Previous NHL titles included an end-of-season awards presentation, which many longtime fans like myself appreciated. Bringing back a more polished trophy ceremony with today’s visuals—featuring awards like the Maurice Richard, Hart, Calder, and Vezina—would make player stats feel more rewarding and impactful. 3. Matchday Atmosphere and Presentation As someone who never got to play in the NHL myself, I’ve always dreamed of living that experience through the game. Here are a few ideas to increase immersion: - Reintroduce scenes of players walking from the locker room and skating warm-up laps. - Use authentic team entrance music and crowd build-up before puck drop. - Add “players to watch” and goalie stat graphics during pre-game. - The national anthem was a great feature to bring back—thank you! - The return of a post-game 3 Stars presentation on the ice would give matches a more satisfying and realistic conclusion. - Bring back aerial shots of the arena and city skyline during pre-game presentation. These “fly-by” views of each team’s home city not only help set the atmosphere but also give players a sense of geography and culture—it even sparks the desire to travel and visit these arenas in real life. Player face models are outstanding, but coaches still look generic and unrealistic. Improving coach visuals behind the bench would greatly enhance the presentation quality. 4. More Goalie Replay Highlights Goalies are often game-changers, and I’d love to see more highlight replays featuring big saves and key stops throughout the game—especially in clutch moments. 5. Online Play with Real Teams and Rosters While I respect the Ultimate Team fanbase, it’s not for me personally. I would love to be able to play online using real NHL teams and up-to-date rosters, and ideally even have access to a full-season or online Franchise mode where players could manage rosters, track stats, and make trades or draft picks. That would be a dream come true for simulation-focused fans like me. 6. Be a Pro – More Narrative and Immersion Be a Pro is already a fun mode, but I believe it could be greatly improved by introducing a deeper, more interactive story mode, similar to what we've seen in Madden 2025. Starting a career in the minors and working our way up to the NHL- while managing relationships with an agent, coach, GM, friends, and family—would make the journey far more immersive. I also enjoyed how Madden added special side events, such as charity games or sponsored events (e.g., Nike weekend challenges). Features like these would add flavor and realism to the player’s career. Additionally, coach feedback becomes very repetitive over time. Adding more dialogue variety, context-sensitive conversations, and dynamic storylines would bring this mode to life in a whole new way. Once again, thank you to the entire team for your hard work and dedication. As someone who’s grown up with this series for over 30 years, I truly appreciate everything you’ve created. I hope my suggestions can contribute to making the next NHL games even more immersive and rewarding for players like myself. With great respect and enthusiasm, A dedicated hockey fan since 1991 Jeff
Bring NHL back to PC – Crossplay potential
Hello EA Sports NHL Team, I have been a loyal NHL fan since NHL 07 on PC. After that, I played every NHL game on PS3, PS4, and PS5, buying each new release. But now that I’ve switched to PC, I can’t play NHL anymore, and I really miss it.I truly believe NHL on PC has great potential, especially with crossplay. Many PC players want to play with their friends on consoles, both together in online clubs and against each other. If crossplay works in FIFA and NBA, why not in NHL? Eventually, it will have to happen, so why not now?By not releasing NHL on PC, you are losing dedicated fans who have simply moved to a better platform for graphics and performance. It’s frustrating that I can no longer enjoy NHL with my friends like before. My friend and I used to create an online club—me as a Center, him as a Goalie—and we had so much fun playing together. Now, I have no way to experience that, and I know I’m not the only one in this situation. I don’t want to buy a console just for NHL, and I don’t want to be forced to just watch others play while I sit out simply because I chose to game on PC. Please consider bringing NHL back to PC with full crossplay support. There is a demand for it, and many fans would love to see it happen. Thank you for your time.
