Get Rid of Elite Edges/Wheels in EASHL
I've owned every single EA NHL game. I still have my Sega and all of those original games going back to the NHLPA Hockey days. To say I'm a devoted fan, and sometimes an apologist to this franchise, is an understatement. I lead by saying this because I'm not some sweaty, whiny kid who can't stand losing. I just want to enjoy playing hockey (particularly EASHL with my beer drinking buddies). Bringing back Elite Edges and Wheels has largely ruined EASHL. EVERYONE is now making super fast small players, turning the game back into a track meet, and it's simply becoming who can do the nearly automatic "forehand-backhand deke" goal the most. Tons of new goalie animations and yet they still can't simply hold the post/cover the short side on the same move, over and over. 25 had its issues but it forced teams to play way more as a unit with a purpose to be successful. It took a stronger unit to win. Now, 26 is forcing defensemen to use either EE or Wheels, which limits the depth of cool builds you can create because 1 of the 3 slots has to be dedicated to EE or Wheels. EE and Wheels was an obvious problem the devs and EA recognized in the past and wisely removed from the game. Bringing them back has ruined the EASHL experience. Our club has been together over 10 years. We win at about a 75% rate. This isn't a win/ loss issue. It's an immersion and fun issue. It's a replayability issue. Regardless of our usual success and loyalty to playing over the years, no one wants to continue to play this track meet, and slow "menu simulator", where locker rooms freeze and players get dropped left and right. Overall, just very disappointed. Remove Elite Edge and Wheels from competitive EASHL.
Patch 1.1.1 forget the exact match setting (screenshot) its very important
Can we have as many likes as possible on this topic so that they can add the exact match setting. And as quickly as possible. We want the NHL 24 eashl setting back Here what we want to have : ✔️ Here what we dont want to have :⛔
What Do we Gotta Do?
EA_Aljo What Does the Community Need to do to get results? I hate to be this guy who Just complains but my god man this game just isnt fun anymore. Unfortunately it the only hockey game out there and I love Hockey and Getting online and Playing some game with Buddies who live in other parts of the country/world. Listen I'll be the first to tell you I dont play every mode. I mostly play EASHL and Ones. EASHL is Just Absolute Garbage this year. Xfactors ruin the game. Xfactors Make the Attributes Irrelevant. Most the Attributes are OP. I love to hit and even I think Truculence is a Joke But it helps against players who use Wheels and Quick Edges but then to counter Truculence you Need to Use Warrior. But if you Use Truculence and Spark Plug you can launch Warrior so if you use warrior you should use Big Rig. I have 95 hitting Just Pure Attribute no truculence everytime i go to hit a guy with warrior i bounce off but once I add truculence I crush the dude. Proving that Attributes are irrelevant to some degree. Xfactors are ruining EASHL mostly because Xfactors need to be Adjusted and Tweaked and there will never be a good balance. Xfactors will continue to wreck havoc on this game. Remove Xfactors and replace the with Boost Packs +1+3+5 seen on NHL 14. Way easier and Makes Attributes relevant. Prebuilds. Another Thing Ruining this game. There are Now more Prebuilds than Custom Builds. And You Keep adding another Prebuild every Month. Get this Garbage out if the game. Add More Custom builds such as Hitting Sniper Back or Make One Universal Build where we get to Build our guy from the ground up. I cant Use The Tier 3 Truculence But multiple Prebuilds can what a joke. Skins another Dog💩 Add on that literally No one Asked for. How to Make Hockey Feel like a circus add Beaver,Moose And A Shark to the gameplay. How Lame. People are so sick of the garbage they come on here complain Share Ideas. Yet None of what Anyone asks for seems to get answered. Every year we get the Deep Dive videos. Where the start out saying. We've listend We hear you and we've worked on this ...... But in reality Nothing Changes. Its More and More added Trash. Its the removal of Features that work. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO GET OUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS HEARD? HOW DO WE GET BACK TO HOCKEY? THIS IS THE 11 STRAIGHT YEAR OF GARBAGE. NHL 14 was the last Good game every year since has been mediocre to bad At best. now I know some people will say oh this game is better than it was last year. That isnt saying much. It might be better than last year but it isnt better than a game from 11 years ago. Fix the Game!
Updated: NHL Needs a Year Pass With PC Release – The Model That Out-Earns HUT
NHL should drop the outdated annual release with trickled out features and move to a Year Pass model that updates all season across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. One yearly payment, not monthly. Crossplay. Weekly updates and three big drops tied to the hockey calendar. Franchise and Be A Pro finally grow because there’s no yearly reset. Money Talk: Why Year Pass Beats HUT Assumptions Year Pass price 99 dollars Base case assumes 1.2 to 1.3 million Year Pass buyers Conservative case assumes 600 thousand Year Pass buyers Seasonal Pass is three drops at 20 dollars each per buyer These figures are illustrative and separate from HUT, which continues Base case, conservative math Year Pass subs 118 to 130 million Seasonal Passes three by twenty 21 to 24 million Creator Marketplace cosmetic mods broadcast packages goalie masks 15 million Team Partner Packs licensed intros songs jerseys 4 to 6 million Esports and sponsors 5 to 8 million Total 163 to 183 million before any HUT spend Conservative case Year Pass subs 59 to 60 million Seasonal Passes three by twenty 12 million Creator Marketplace 7 million Team Partner Packs 2 to 3 million Esports and sponsors 3 to 4 million Total 83 to 86 million before any HUT spend HUT continues as a primary driver. If current HUT brings in roughly 100 to 150 million on its own, the Year Pass model adds a new guaranteed revenue stream on top. In the base case it likely exceeds the annual model before counting HUT, and in the conservative case it meaningfully supplements HUT. Safe PC Release and Customization Freedom Fans want mods and editing. EA wants guaranteed revenue. Both can win. Unlocked editing attributes body size hair equipment all editable. No more grey silhouettes. Mods allowed for offline and presentation while the game requires an active Year Pass license to run. Server validated license. On boot the title checks EA servers. No sub equals locked title screen. Offline token grace period. Thirty days for legit offline play then a reconnect is required. Physical copies if sold are just installers. Subscription required to play. HUT remains server authoritative and protected with weekly ban waves. EA still gets paid every year even from offline only players who mod. Fans finally get the customization freedom they have asked for. HUT stays protected. What Fans Get This is not just about revenue. It is about finally delivering the hockey game fans have been asking for across forums Reddit and Discord for years. With a Year Pass model features stop disappearing and start stacking. The result is the most complete NHL game ever made. GM Connected returns. A true online franchise where up to 32 human GMs run teams make trades draft and play through multiple seasons without crashing or server issues. Because the Year Pass updates year round you experience the real NHL calendar. The Entry Draft in June. Free Agency in July. Training camps in September. Draft boards prospect interviews and live trade chatter between human GMs make it authentic. Roster share and full player editor. No more grey silhouettes. Every attribute equipment piece body size hairstyle facial hair and goalie mask editable. Unlimited created players. Community roster sharing allows NCAA KHL World Juniors Legends or Historic seasons to be uploaded and downloaded instantly. All Star international and specialty events. The hockey calendar finally feels alive. World Juniors in December. Olympic hockey every four years. PWHL integration for women’s hockey. Outdoor games like the Winter Classic and Stadium Series with unique crowd behavior and ice conditions. A fully playable All Star Skills Competition with hardest shot fastest skater accuracy shooting and breakaway challenge. Franchise mode depth and off ice culture. Practices that actually matter. Coaches with unique personalities and systems that affect morale and chemistry. Players with rivalries friendships and leadership qualities that impact performance. Realistic contracts including no trade clauses taxes and player mood. Off the ice NHL Network and TSN style studio panels debate your trades highlight rivalries and call out playoff collapses. Cutscenes show your GM at the draft table in pressers or in tense contract meetings. Player charity events award shows and trade deadline specials bring league culture to life. Be A Pro that feels alive. Draft day presentations locker room interactions and press conferences matter. Post game interviews affect reputation and endorsements. A social media feed filled with fan chatter highlight clips and TSN rumors responds to your play. Get traded and analysts debate it while fans boo or cheer. Award shows and off ice storylines give real progression. Smarter AI. No more lifeless teammates. AI runs real systems hockey. Penalty kill units collapse into diamonds versus a 1 3 1. Neutral zone traps finally look real. Puck battles net scrums and board play feel organic. Authentic skating and player identity. AI driven animations built from NHL EDGE and broadcast footage. McDavid’s hunched acceleration Eichel’s glide Matthews’ quick release Sorokin’s explosive pushes. Every player looks and plays like themselves updated throughout the season. Dynamic broadcast and presentation. Multiple commentary crews ESPN TNT Sportsnet regionals. Pre game panels preview matchups intermissions show highlights from around the league and post game wrap ups react to storylines. If Ovechkin is chasing Gretzky the studio debates it before puck drop crowds buzz when he hits the ice and broadcasters celebrate the record when he breaks it. Legends and Era modes. Relive Gretzky’s Oilers the 90s Red Wings the 2000s Devils with retro overlays and authentic commentary references. Entire historic seasons or drop Legends into Franchise. Fighting emotion and atmosphere. A fighting engine with context. A fight after a dirty hit boosts energy. Players smash sticks after bad calls chirp in scrums and pull off signature celebrations. Crowds chant boo rivals and erupt during milestones. Why Fans Stay Engaged Year Round With a Year Pass model NHL does not go dark after the Cup Final. Instead the game stays alive through the entire off season. NHL Draft. A full authentic draft experience in June with cutscenes draft boards prospect interviews and trade chatter. Most first round prospects are face scanned and in the game at release with updates for the new class added immediately after. Free agency and off season moves. In July live updates roll out for big signings and trades. Studio panels and commentary debate roster moves like TSN or NHL Network. Training camps and rookie showcases. September brings prospect tournaments pre season camp battles and cutscenes around players making or missing the team. Season kickoff buzz. The NHL and NHLPA marketing push in October ties into the game. New intros presentation updates and live content drops make it feel like a fresh new season starting not just a stale roster update. This way fans stay hooked all summer. Franchise players immerse themselves in the league calendar. Be A Pro players live through the draft and free agency drama. Online GMs in Connected Leagues negotiate and trade through the off season. When the puck drops in October the game already feels hot with buzz from real world hockey. For the first time NHL does not just feel like a video game. It feels like being inside hockey twelve months a year. Why This Works for EA Guaranteed revenue. Every player must renew each year. PC adds new markets. Even 300 thousand PC subs equals about 27 to 30 million extra at 99 dollars. Offline depth improves retention. Franchise and Be A Pro players stick around longer and are more likely to try HUT. No cracks or free play. License validation with offline tokens controls piracy while respecting legit offline users. HUT strengthened. Bundled cosmetics and event rewards increase engagement without breaking the economy. Bottom Line This model makes more money than the annual release alone brings in new fans through PC and finally delivers the complete hockey game. EA wins with guaranteed revenue a bigger player base and a stronger HUT. Fans win with full customization mods offline depth and no more resets. This is how NHL stops feeling like a side project and starts leading sports gaming again.WOC Defense
Nonexistent. Kinda getting ridiculous at this point. Poke Checks rarely work, stick-lifts are non existent. maxed out d awareness with quick pick and force passes are going through two defensemen. Shouldn’t have to be right on the guy either to defend them. Defense is almost unplayable. Shouldn’t have to run truculent to make an impact.
Fix the matchmaking in WoC
Hi, feels nice to pay 60% more for a game that is actually broken. Our team has played the whole week and everyday its hours sitting in the dressing room as we are connected to North America opponents while we are based in Europe. Matchmaking fix needs to happen fast. Just bring back the same options as you did have in the 24.. Please react fast as ppl are really getting angry inside the community because you cannot play decent games in EASHL/WoC. Also add the match my room size in there. Thanks bye.
WOC - Why did you destroy the matchmaking?
What has happened to the matchmaking in World of Chel? We have been enthusiastically playing 6vs6 in World of Chel for years. Since NHL25 this enthusiasm is dwindling more and more. NHL24: Finding opponents in 6vs6 usually took less than a minute. The opponents we found were all at the same level as our club. Every now and then some opponents were 2-3 rank levels better, but overall it was perfect and we had exciting and close games. NHL25: I don't even want to mention the missing matchmaking filter and the bug where a game is only found if you leave the lobby several times. This is simply not right for a full-price game if such bugs have existed since launch. Furthermore, the opponent search usually takes 8-10 minutes. The opponents found are then no longer at our level but well above it. Our players are at silver - gold level. At best, the opposing teams have platinum ranks. Usually even higher. That kills any fun in the game. I don't understand why you came up with the idea of changing what we consider to be perfect matchmaking and now have such a broken and unsatisfactory solution in the game. I hope you get this under control, otherwise we will turn our backs on your game series after many years of fun. Needless to say that all of our club members are also avid HUT players and thus help to finance the CHEL mode.NHL 26 Gameplay Feedback — Core Systems Are Broken
I am posting this after significant playtime, primarily in EASHL. This is not frustration from a single game. These are consistent, repeatable gameplay issues that fundamentally impact how NHL 26 plays. At its core, NHL 26 does not reward correct hockey decisions. It often feels like the game actively works against proper positioning, structure, and defensive play. ⸻ Gameplay Issues Puck Movement & Passing Rimming the puck behind your own net is unreliable and often results in turnovers Passes frequently go through defenders who are clearly in the passing lane Button passing misses targets by unrealistic margins Passing feels slow and unresponsive Cross-crease passes through the blue paint are ignored by the goalie when the puck could easily be played Poke Checks & Stick Defense Poke checks are underpowered Successful poke check deflections often act as passes to opponents Inaccurate poke checks within radius, missing by 90–180 degrees Defenders have no consistent way to counter dekes Poke check timing windows feel inconsistent Defense & Physical Play Playing defense feels ineffective regardless of positioning Defensemen feel significantly slower than attackers Get-ups take too long, especially in 3v3 Hits morph around opponents, resulting in missed checks Hitting is overpowered when the hitter has little or no momentum Knocking a player down still allows them to recover the puck before the defender AI Behavior AI defenders are consistently beaten wide AI player quality is noticeably imbalanced between teams Defensive AI frequently abandons structure Offensive AI lacks awareness and spacing Goaltending Goalies allow short-side goals with no far-side threat Weak point shots with minimal traffic sometimes get no reaction Rebound control is inconsistent Goalie passes travel through opponents to teammates Goalie passing accuracy is unreliable Faceoffs & Special Teams Clean faceoff wins miss the intended defenseman Opponents reach the puck before the winning team on clean draws Power plays do not feel like power plays Defensive teams are not rewarded for staying in structure, blocking shots, or clearing the puck X-Factors & Balance Overpowered X-Factors with little counterplay Puck control is overpowered Speed is overpowered Pay-to-win imbalance with X-Factors in EASHL Energy System Energy drains too quickly Energy does not reset properly after puck freezes A single rush up the ice can fully drain stamina Game Flow & Fairness Even games turn into blowouts while mismatches remain close Games often feel “scheduled,” as if momentum or nerfs are applied Outshooting teams heavily and still losing feels disconnected from hockey reality Matchmaking feels inconsistent Controls, Replays & Miscellaneous Excessive penalties due to overlapping checking inputs (X/B and right stick) Constant unskippable replays disrupt gameplay flow Players fail to pick up pucks clearly within their radius Players lack awareness of the blue line LT puck-protect can be abused to endlessly maneuver in the offensive zone Injuries in EASHL should not exist ⸻ Summary NHL 26 currently fails to reward: Defensive positioning Structure Smart decision-making Team play Instead, it rewards speed, puck-protect exploits, and animation outcomes. Defensemen in particular are heavily punished regardless of skill level or correct play. ⸻ What Needs to Change Acknowledgement of these systemic gameplay issues Clear communication on what is being addressed A focus on fixing core hockey mechanics rather than surface-level tuning Right now, NHL 26 feels less like a competitive hockey game and more like fighting the engine itself.
