The NHL 25 Crisis

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Let us know what you thought of NHL 24 and what EA can do to get back on track with the NHL series.

[@MrHunterbg]

My #1 is change the controls. These new ones that were made for dekes and tricks to be easier just sucks. Two different hit buttons is awful as well. Not sure why they would change it when nobody complained about it. Just change the whole game while you’re at it. Also, a friendly reminder they didn’t do any gameplay updates last year just to focus on this years game. Total waste of time.

[@Chiller_him]

If the added winter classic and pond hockey back that would make the game more fun and also more online game modes like online franchise.

[@anthonypollifrone6376]

@@MrHunterbgbut if your use to skill stick then the new advance controls are just the same and are fine

[@mobileQBpwr2]

The last few years the game feels like an arcade game. It's so fast and cheesey

[@mitchellroundpoint9734]

I like that the focus was on EASHL because that's primarily what I play. A lot of the points you made could easily be used for BAP, basically the same mode just offline. I really want more presentation like you mentioned. Started playing FC 24 and that game has a better career mode. Shows your team walking out of the tunnel to the field. The celebrations in NHL are brutal now, you hit the nail on the head. Its time for 5 man celebrations after you celly yourself of course. And I'm all for my customization like you said. I'd say you definitely got it right with this video. I'm glad there was nothing silly like zamboni driving. Maybe they can make the playoff crowds and regular season crowds seem way more different. Never see the home crowd waving towels on their feet for the last minutes of a game anymore. Or pop for a big hit. And I'd love to see more realistic skirmishes after whistles. Instead of two guys shoving and then dropping the mitts everytime

[@michaelkeller5927]

I only play franchise mode. After about 6 years the game can't even count properly. It shows players records that arent even close to accurate. If the game cant count properly i just have no hope for this game

[@MrMooMoo088]

Same. I do want the more obvious gameplay improvements, but having an actual Sim experience would be great. All the current systems are just RNG nonsense and sometimes don't even matter. I've had teams with low morale/ chemistry win the cup, and I've had teams with high chemistry/morale miss the playoffs. The menus are unintuitive, and trying to find information is such a hassle. Scouting is also such a chore.

[@MrLizrd]

It also will not track any new franchise records and only show what was showed in year 1

[@MrMooMoo088]

@MrLizrd it's not an immersive sim at all. If anything the most basic things you need for a sport Sim are the things missing. Let alone more immersive features and mechanics.

[@crazybut6641]

It’s amazing to me that they never added the GM tracker back and still only back 5 years back in awards.

[@Swimmys]

If you just play franchise mode just play HLM on your phone lol, I say it’s better than the NHL franchise mode and if you pay 5 dollars you can change the rosters to reflect the NHL names

[@AppleAssist]

Let’s fix 50% of goals being bounce goals / broken plays / own goals.

[@yann1124]

how can you fix a bounce?

[@joeyparker4287]

and the other 50% being cross creases, no snipes unless it’s a cheesy drag

[@AppleAssist]

⁠@@yann1124let me pick the pick up instead of it bouncing of my stick or skates.

[@trentbukovich4109]

Ever play real hockey bounce goals/broken plays happen quite frequently

[@AppleAssist]

You’re right. EA should leave the game as is.

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

The amount of broken plays that go in while playing 24 is ungodly.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Even if they just clean that stuff up…

[@griff_the_boxer]

the puck clearing thing was the biggest gameplay killer for me

[@adamrutkowski8329]

Right, Can't flip the puck out, and shooting it out is a 50/50 chance. Then your teammates get mad at you cause it lead to a goal.

[@BradMcginn-ow4gc]

everyone ragging ruined gameplay

[@nickrussillo6689]

Never understood why they remove the clear the puck function. I've played 100 games and probably successfully cleared the puck out like once

[@adamrutkowski8329]

@nickrussillo6689 and when you do, it's usually ends up being an icing call. So you have to attempt it all over again.

[@Khlzy]

They still have it but it’s strange how they did tho

[@leastmilk6298]

Biggest thing that bugs me about nhl is the loading times, hockey will always be hockey but the menu’s are always a complete slog to get through and makes me want to play online alot less

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

It’s because this game is still a PS4 game. Imagine making a game in 2024 for the iPhone 6…

[@leastmilk6298]

@@razzledazzlesnhl im crankin my hog right now.

[@Shinyellowaffle]

Menus have been laggy for a decade. It's a Mickey mouse dollar store game sold at $80

[@WEID3R]

Hard to believe, but this game has progressively gotten worse over the past 2 years. This is a great video exposing a lot of the issues!

[@joeyparker4287]

not hard to believe for me, and it’s been like that for more than 2 years

[@mikes7446]

Nhl22 is when I noticed how bad it was and it’s gotten worse since. NHL 24 was crap O la

[@kaz6854]

23 was so much smoothier than 24

[@BradMcginn-ow4gc]

hitting was better

[@oscargoldman4867]

This game has been getting worse since nhl 08 came out.

[@_hartsy_]

Dude…you absolutely NAILED this whole entire video..I’ve found myself and my boys bringing up every single point here you’ve made for years now. It’s such a shame to see what this game we loved has turned into.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Thanks man. I think everyone who plays a lot understands what needs to be done. It seems EA does not play their own game…

[@scuddbucket3300]

my friends and i are collectively screaming at the absurdity of how it screws us over, every night when we play eashl.

[@mattmorris8489]

The biggest travesty of 24 is the pressure system. That had potential to reward teams for playing actual hockey, but it's been nerfed into the ground. It was a bit too much at the beginning, but it was nice to actually have it matter. Getting too much pressure from "shots" in the neutral or even defensive zone is also an issue. Proximity to the net, power of the shot etc. doesn't matter. If it hits the goalie, it's a "great shot" and you get like 20% pressure off of it. To add on to the issue with the AI, they play exactly the same regardless the situation and always have. Up a goal, down a goal, penalty kill, power play, 30 seconds left, 8 minutes left etc. NONE of it matters. They will play the exact same way. Make the strategies actually do something.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Exactly good idea, poor implementation. Then instead of actually fixing it, they just nerf it to the point where it does not exist...

[@yotakev99]

Yep the AI is terrible. 2 minutes left in a playoff game, their team will be down by 1 and won’t pull the goalie until the last 20 seconds of the game

[@tuckh5110]

The one thing they HAD right was that ai would ice the puck on the penalty kill, however now that the puck flip is what it is, their dump on the pk either doesn’t even make it out of the zone or just goes out and right back to the other team and you get NO breathing room. Not to mention it’s impossible to regain stamina on the pk as well even when you do finally ice it and are standing still

[@DorfyBoi]

Disagree. I like the new system.

[@panetierbread3510]

i never understood why they'd need a pressure system to begin with. if you've held the puck for like 45 seconds in the o-zone, the other team will get tired, they'll skate and deplete their stam, block shots and get back up slower etc. like just make blocked shots etc drain stam from players and goalie and you get "pressure mode" without the need for a gimmick. thats how hockey work

[@juicestainz6074]

I want them to update Be a Pro, almost exactly like NBA2k, edit stats train for workouts, skate around on roller blades and go to rink and play pond hockey or indoor, create a city. Earn endorsements. Talk to players with a real voice not text and your teammate gets mad at you. Be able to do online pick up games. Have more freedom and customization, face scans. Build a community rink and city.

[@trust1hunna]

Would be cool!

[@GoBirds802]

I’ve been saying this for years. 2K really knew how to do it.

[@J.G.Wentworth69420]

​@@GoBirds802except the voice acting

[@seikoshinohara3084]

Yes

[@Fostermcg]

This would be so cool to see but it would soon just become a cash grab and pay to play just like 2k is every year

[@PowerPlayStudios]

They need to make the presentation feel like watching tv… have the scoreboard in the actual normal spot but also includes the sights and sounds… goal horns being correct, light effects on the ice and smoke in the spots for teams the have them… I wouldn’t mind new broadcasters or multiple broadcasters

[@Remmy0930]

100%. I'd love a change to the box score.

[@Blazio]

We're getting the scoreboard change but man I would love IRL-accurate goal horns, goal songs, lights, etc.

[@namkce]

I really like the EASHL locker room idea and the visual you presented with it. One thing I'd really like EA to do is make it so that players can join games already in progress (like rocket league will auto replace CPUs with real players mid match) so if somebody gets disconnected for whatever reason, they're able to rejoin next shift or period, etc.

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

Love that idea. Just have an AI player do a line change when you join to get you on the ice. Or just join and wait till the next whistle and you’re on the ice.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Right?! Like how do we not have the boys chilling in the locker room together?

[@Nichaelas]

I kinda agree, but I could also see that being kinda annoying. Like what if you are beating a team then suddenly half that team leaves and next period its basically a new team that is way more skilled than the one you were playing and they turn it around. Seems like you just get punished for not leaving games at that point.

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

@@Nichaelas yeah that’s true. Maybe just make it so if you get disconnected you can rejoin. But if you’re not in the “lineup” at puck drop you can’t join. I can get down with that.

[@Shinyellowaffle]

I'm 28 and gave up EA NHL at 22. The game will never change. Move on until a new publisher gets the rights to the NHL

[@STARPHASE]

Well, they changed A LOT for 24. And a lot of it is the right idea, but as this video made clear, had bad execution. I think if they just improved some of the new mechanics, the game would be in a fantastic place. Get rid of x-factors, improve the new systems, update the offline modes, and honestly, it wouldn't be too bad, and would feel new. EA doesn't have exclusive rights to make NHL games. Anyone can make one. But no one wants to.

[@Shinyellowaffle]

@@STARPHASE I don't agree with you at all lol but am very interested to learn they don't have exclusive rights. I totally thought they did!

[@krusher181]

@@ShinyellowaffleI think that’s more of an NFL thing

[@jimmytrex0920]

I’m a guy who plays WAY too much creation zone, so I’d thought I’d share my ideas for what they could change or add from that perspective. -changing little details is a SLOG. Whenever I’m swapping colours, or adding logos, etc, every menu I open takes 2 extra seconds to open. Make the load times faster, or at the very least, add time saving options like “duplicate _____” or “add _____ to all”. -add a type tool for logos. I can understand the risk of profanity for it being used in online play, but it shouldn’t be a problem offline. I should be able to type the name of my team on my jersey. Plain and simple. - New logo customization shouldn’t rely on waiting until next year for 2 new custom logos in the next CHEL. I can understand the risks and the need for extra moderation for online customization, but adding the ability to create custom logos for offline play shouldn’t be a problem. I can’t even count how many times I’ve thought of the coolest name ever for a team, went into create a team, and found out there’s no logo for it at all. I’m not sure if an in-game logo creator would work very well, especially on console, but if you had like, an app on your phone that you could upload files and pictures to that sent it to your console, which you could then use? Perfection. -add a “create a league” option. Believe it or not, there are people that spend days creating entirely custom leagues down to each individual player, with their own unique stats and everything. I’ve done it, and nothing beats the feeling of sitting down, hopping into play now, and picking the two teams you made from scratch onto the ice. But seeing them all clumped up in the “custom teams” league just feels off putting. And if your league is based off of college hockey, seeing the nhl logo kind of breaks the experience. It’s a really small change, but it would do wonders for immersion. -speaking of college hockey, add new architecture to more skill levels of play to custom team arenas! Every arena in create a team looks like it cost a bajillion tax dollars to make, and if your team is based on like, a lower level, college, or even just your own house league team, it breaks the experience a bit. Let us play games in small town barns, bigger high school or college arenas. -add more jersey customization geared towards European style jerseys. Ads on jerseys are a big thing across the pond, and it’s a little weird that the only jerseys we can create are western styled. Sure, ads are ugly, but they add a layer of depth, like this is a real team with real sponsors. -add back that button that allowed you to hear the announcer say the play by play name before your picked it. I have no idea why they removed it. -on that note, with AI being so good and everything, why can’t we say the players last name into the controller’s mic and the voice tries it’s best to make the commentator say it? And if it sounds clunky we just don’t use it and pick a play by play name like normal. It’d at least give people with less than common last names a chance at hearing their name.

[@TheScotian82]

All great ideas. All will be completely ignored because EA doesnt gaf.

[@hagelsbagels34]

As someone who constantly uses creation zone as well, i agree with everything you said

[@brettvandermeer5297]

Dude, NBA and MLB have infinitely better team design options, custom logos, custom stadiums with custom logos, custom team names and cities, etc. Fully able to upload teams and download teams, this ain't a hard thing, EA has the system with the MLB games, so why not use it for FIFA, NHL and Madden? 2k is just better now days , EA is a joke and don't care

[@STARPHASE]

I'm in the same boat. I play a lot of EASHL, but for the last two years, I've made 48 custom teams to use in a custom league, and man, it gets to be a chore after a certain point. They need something like MLB the show. I think the need for the base logos is still there. Not everyone is going to want to spend hours making a logo in a creator. But they could also do a gallery, like the show. The show has a super in depth stadium creator as well, and that'd be great for NHL. But not as crucian, just because of the nature of hockey arenas. I would, however, LOVE to see actual face customization. Again, the show does a great job at this, with many different sliders that you can play with.

[@DeezNutz-fu2qx]

Use an AI voice of james cybulski, and also you can use small rinks in your AHL team in franchise mode.

[@dr.loomis4221]

Not being able to consistently clear the puck and the own goals were the killers for me. The "pressure system" felt like it was artificially keeping the puck in the zone...it feels very video gamey.

[@southwesternpasirens]

Well it’s a video game so…

[@gdriscoll4947]

They went backwards with the hitting. The game is unplayable with the new hitting mechanics

[@otcelly7387]

It’s a small detail, but I’d love to see them implement something that College Football 25 did. Decrease the crowd size based off the team performance. Last place teams having sold out barns for an out of conference game on a Tuesday night is dumb. Small details is all I want. Franchise and BAP have lacked them for years.

[@OlivierD42]

The AI blocking your way drives me insane, and the defense stealing the puck on a 0,2 seconds notice too. To much crazy deke

[@christabbernor2080]

As an Eashl original here's what we need: NHL 13 character customization and practice modes with targets and everything. Used to be able to decide your stick curve, flex and skate blade length. NHL 23 matchmaking. It was great and worked. You covered the rest.

[@Schwartzkov]

We really need the NHL to allow their player and branding likeness rights to be used by other gaming companies. Like 2k or a smaller more dedicated studio like MLB the show has. This would force EASPORTS to make their game better.

[@ghost_615]

There is no exclusivity agreement between EA and the NHL. 2K stopped making their game because it didn't sell. At this point, any other company would be starting from scratch. So, between R&D and the licensing fee, nobody wants to take the risk of losing a ton of money.

[@Schwartzkov]

@@ghost_615 well that's my bad. I thought there was an exclusivity deal at some point. I think if there was a developer who cared enough they could make money.

[@Kirill4Hart]

​@@ghost_615 If ESPN is willing to pick up live games again, then 2k should be willing to pick up the video game again. At least that's what I've kept telling myself the last few years..I need some hope lol.

[@Schwartzkov]

@@ghost_615 i think they could make money this way: theoretically if there was a company out there, they could basically combine the aspects of every NHL game ever made into one. They could make a 3v3 game mode like nhl hits, and I mean basically 2024 version of nhl hits (not like the arcade version in the current game with the goal multipliers) they could also add NCAA teams, players and photos to the game adding a more independent franchize mode with records, award history, stat logs, game logs, everything like that. Ultimately build up a new AI for the game mode. Of course they could have a version of GM connected, be a pro with the ability to use historical and current players. They could bring back scenario challenges or let you create your own scenario and play from a specific point in a game. I could go on and on with what they could do to make a new game or the current game better. And I'm sure there are plenty of ideas that I haven't thought of. It's just about the finances and the right people. Witch is why it's so sad a massive company like EA refuses to do anything about their current game. All they do is gaslight and pretend the game is great.

[@Spawn0909]

Thank you for saying everything my team and I have been venting about for almost a decade!

[@codyssmith73]

EA needs to take what they’ve done with Teambuilder for CFB 25 & implement it for NHL 25.

[@Leafsfanforever]

All these years and I still don’t know what pricy pond hockey is

[@jeremyriccardi9457]

those bank passes that the computers do is so annoying cuz they make the smart play by hitting it off the boards but fail to have any power with them.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Exactly this. Especially the offensive zone ones…

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

It’s the absolute worst. Like I get what they are going for but the way the AI is programmed every bank pass is just a muffin off the boards 😂. Brutal

[@Nichaelas]

They often do bank passes when it's completely unnecessary to do them too.

[@Kyle_Duffy]

This was great. I've been playing since the late 90's as well. When EASHL first came out back when I was on Xbox 360, the main guy I played with and I were both defensemen. That RB to have the computer shoot was a necessity. If you don't have a full team, it's nowhere near as enjoyable today. Computer forwards miss open nets and shoot 6 feet wide on breakaways. Computer defensemen are asthmatic, leading to constant breakaway goals for the opponent. Two additional suggestions. First, the Michigan or any other ridiculous goal to execute in real life needs to be really difficult to execute in the game again, as it was in NHL 23. Second, human players should be forced to use a loadout that is appropriate for their position. Random danglers queuing in as defensemen are basically an automatic loss.

[@thepcpirates]

Bro the first six minutes of this video had The PC Pirates convinced you were on our team, sitting in the living room with us. Every weekend we bitch about everything you said. Glad it's not just us that this happens to.

[@thepcpirates]

And A.I. is like a retarded pylon.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

It’s actually crazy how in line everyone is who plays the game a decent amount.

[@HerbGrowingLegal716]

NHL , MLB , NBA & NFL should have 1 game per 3 years that bring out yearly updates. These games are the exact same year after year and sometimes getting worse. Game developers should get more than 1 year to create a brand new game. F

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

Agreed, i don’t think EA will ever do it unfortunately. I would like to see the game go into a 2-3 year cycle. This would allow game play tweaks to be more fine tuned, and allow other modes/features to be worked on in the background. I feel like we would see bigger differences between the games.

[@RelaxingGhost]

Id like to see a Trophy case added or something like this. In Be a Pro / Franchise modes you see all the Hardware you or your team has won. Which trophys, what points they had. Like Matthews wins Rocket w 69 goals. A more interactive Awards screen. Such a shame we only see the past 5 years of winners. especially for Some newer fans would sure be cool to see who won the cup way back

[@trust1hunna]

BRUH THIS WAS IN NHL 2k12 THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER STOPPED COMPETING WITH EA LOL

[@trust1hunna]

Honestly now that I think about this, dawg 2k had this back in 2k hockey 2k8 on ps2. There was a trophy room with foosball tables, an arcade, a bar, and it was like a whole room for you to just check out your trophies and chill with the activities provided. There was an aera in the middle of the room for the stanley cup, if i remember correctly

[@RelaxingGhost]

@@trust1hunna yea it was awesome

[@ambrosius94]

I think the biggest problem with the NHL games is that it doesn't feel like actual hockey, you can't dump and chase, actual goals which happen all the time irl never go in, and the biggest issue behind that is the AI being absolutely braindead but since it'd take time and effort to make an AI system which is decent enough they'll never implement it, something else that'll add at least something to the untouched be a pro mode would be to add the customization of the eashl, maybe adding the option to get sent down if you're struggling or even just higher/lower ratings based on how well u perform before the draft

[@MrMooMoo088]

Honestly a completely overhauled and fleshed out franchise mode would be worth $60 to me. Coaching, chemistry, scouting, drafting, development, and the morale system have been the same underdeveloped RNG nonsense for years. There is no true SIM experience out there. I just want to play a dedicated and deep SIM.

[@nickrussillo6689]

It feels incredibly stale, even compared to other sports games where there's lot to be desired like madden. Why my bathrooms need to be renovated every week and why don't I have the money to do it? 😂

[@MrMooMoo088]

@nickrussillo6689 I turned that off. I wouldn't mind that level of micromanaging in other areas...but Bathrooms? Cmon.

[@jkatz1303]

I’ve been saying the same thing about the dressing room for years now! Take it another step and have custom locker rooms for clubs. New arenas unlock new options for customization. Would be a cool feature!

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Seems obvious right?!

[@Huskies2308]

I'd also like smaller stadium customization, like a junior stadium, or an ahl stadium

[@yotakev99]

Or the ability to choose what arena you play in for an exhibition game. Why can’t I play in Florida’s arena if it’s the Kings and Red Wings playing? There should also be the all star venues, winter classic venues for games. The problem is they’ve focused 100% on micro transactions and have abandoned offline play.

[@AppleAssist]

@@yotakev99we mostly play online. But I do play a fair share of franchise and be a pro. Those have been brutal for years. Be a pro is unplayable with the conversations. We need to be able to turn them off.

[@Laffy_i13ll]

@@yotakev99I play a shit ton of online but I do a lot of rebuilds. Shit is just so boring especially when the prospects in the chl are horribly rated. You got guys like Jacob Julien,Sam Dickinson,Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan all poorly rated and they don’t touch their overalls even tho they all had 70+ points each and won the ohl finals. Cowan is a like 68 overall for a first round pick. Julien is a 60 after having a 78 point season and back to back Hatties and Barkey is a 68 after a 100 point season. Dickinson a 74 after being a top d man in the entire junior scene. They need to adjust junior players overall and add stuff to franchise like online franchise and the ASG or winter Classic

[@connerjulien]

@@yotakev99exactly why take away a tradition that’s apart of the game🤦‍♂️

[@vKaly25]

Please someone send this to ea. This game would be insane with every thing you said. Ive been playing since 2007 and I now have a dream about this game

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Thanks mate

[@APawlack]

I agree with about all you said regarding multiplayer only. As someone who's bought every game since 10 (except 21) and been amongst the highest ranks in EASHL from 20-23, I did not buy this one. I played the 10 hour trial and it was just horrendous. The zone fatigue isn't a bad idea to me, but it is such a nuisance that you can't turn off the on ice icon. I've been angered with gameplay ever since they made you slow down while trying to poke/using defensive skill stick. They've pandered to whiners in low ranks (the majority of the player base) with no learning curve or enough game IQ to avoid defenders and adjust, and nerfed multiple aspects of defense the past few years. I've face multiple people in silver-gold in my buddies lower club who throw giant stretch passes to a sitting back defense and get blown up multiple times a game. Hitting being the main nerf this game. People who don't know how to aim pokes or lifts, and then whine when getting obvious penalties for bad timing. It's gotten so bad that offense has multiple advantages you just can't hinder once you reach the higher ranks of players. Let alone I have not played the joke of Hut since like NHL 14 lol. Also, there's many things they've added to the game that almost never get used amongst the top ranks. Netfront tie ups, board play, and the board chip animations. It's rare/never used up there, as positioning and timing are key. I don't think I've ever used the board chip animation, cause good players can see it coming and blow you up or poke.

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

I remember when they had net tie ups right, using the right stick to jostle for position. Now you need to hit triangle or X and it just never works. EA knows it so instead of fixing it they just allow you to commit blatant interference in front of the next as long as players are below the hash marks. They don’t know how to fix tie ups so they just allow penalties to combat it, which makes no sense at all.

[@YT-Scott]

Only way the game can be fixed is getting rid of EA Sports and let a group of developers who actually care about the game and know what the fanbase wants takeover. But the unfortunate reality is, it will never happen

[@DukeParkes444]

Let 2k take over then it would be playable

[@aceboy706]

@@DukeParkes444I always love seeing comments like this bcz it shows how out of touch you lot are with the things you ask for. First off EA doesnt have exclusivity rights to the NHL and havent since 2019 or 2020💀 Second is the fact you guys are stuck on your Nostalgia of NHL 2K when the publisher 2k of now is 10x worse than they were back then if you guys actually looked at the 2K Basketball scene you would realize what your asking for is a worse option to EA. Also to the third and final thing is that there is no money to be made in this market for any other major competitor to come in to which is why 2K decided to make a FIFA game instead of a NHL game as soon as EA lost the exclusive rights to FIFA 😂 but keep being out of touch and crying bcz I know all too well that this community will never stop no matter who makes the game

[@justjohnny420]

​@DukeParkes444 That's debatable. Maybe you don't remember but every game I played from 2k5 - 2k9 had freezing issues. Usually caused by incomplete AHL lines (that don't get auto filled) but they would also happen seemingly randomly. I played 2k9 on PS3 during pandemic and that game would freeze very often, I recall buying NHL 09 after like a week or 2 of dealing with 2k9 freezing. Disabling the menu music did make it freeze less frequently though but it was still there

[@YT-Scott]

@@justjohnny420 i forget what nhl game it was but it was when 2k sports were also making nhl games but man I remember the realism in terms of how the players body reacted to getting tripped, or hit, blocking shots, etc. it was so much fun; yes 2k sports also copy and pastes with their games but still better than EA Sports imo Just so tired of how greedy and soulless AAA games have went 👎

[@FloatingAppleProductions]

All of these issues are heightened on the other game modes as well. Online versus is a tire fire.

[@jonathangarmuth8975]

Franchise is mostly unchanged for 10 years and the menus are like running in sand. So many issues before even getting to gameplay...

[@jasondorst13]

Own goals are my biggest gripe. I can’t play a game against my son without 2 of them happening between us. It’s ridiculous.

[@Remmy0930]

As a hockey player I will always play NHL because it's literally ALL WE HAVE... and that makes me even sadder. You literally see the amount of time and effort they put into their other sports games (EA Sports FC for example, NCAA) then you throw on NHL and you quickly realize that the higher ups at EA absolutely LOATHE hockey. I honestly just believe they don't make enough money from NHL... hockey is just too "small" of a sport for them to sink money into. Soccer is worldwide, the most popular sport in the world and it completely shows with the effort and money EA sinks into that game.

[@Bob.the.Goalie]

For skaters, Add CUSTOM SHAFT colours like the irl nhl players, look at what players like Matthews, Zegras etc have and add that into the game for personal enjoyment

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Such an easy addition too.

[@christiankristalyn65]

@@razzledazzlesnhl Most of the sticks only have one graphic too so depending on the handedness of your player the graphic can be backwards. best example i can think of is the CCM JetSpeed FT2, if you are left handed the front is red, it is supposed to be black.

[@Surl9596]

Was hoping to hear about franchise mode but I understand this took a lot of time and effort as is. Agreed with much of what you said though I’m not worried about the presentation features much

[@skecherkid6411]

be a pro being literally the exact same thing for 5 years now tells me all i needed to know about this game

[@mattmorris8489]

Custom logos is never going to happen. People will go nuts with the out of pocket shit. It'd be sick, but it's never going to happen.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Same with proximity chat haha. Would make for some great content though.

[@ab_tfl34]

I know the nhl community is different than others, but mlb, ncaa, and nba all allow custom logos and it's normally fine. Maybe at first people will go insane with crazy logos, but it won't take long to calm down imo

[@Remmy0930]

​@ab_tfl34 What makes us "different"? I'd actually say the hockey community is much more lax than other sport communities lol.

[@BlueFlash25]

I need release of nhl14 with updated roster and graphics on all platform including PC and I will be happy

[@MongooseMaul]

Spot on!!! just add fix the slow menus to the list And college football shows strictly current gen game can be successful

[@Marko.p]

Great video, tackles all the big issues and more. Personally I would like see separated builds between forwards and D. Tired of seeing 4xPMD and 1xPM stale meta setup

[@kylewiesehan7627]

Solid video and agree with all the points. Would love to see one button dekes taken out of eshl. Also, would love to see traits have more of negative affect on stuff. If you have gold elite edges, then your speed can’t get boosted up to 90+. Make it more balanced.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Thanks Weezy.

[@MYNHLNETWORK]

gonna comment as a competitive / esports eashl player here. Most points are spot on. Only reason EASHL has a fanbase now is due to LeagueGaming, and other 6s leagues. can confirm right now it’s about as dead as ever in the chats. sure some teams play, but it’s just the game is so stale and bad. need 25 to be a massive improvement

[@PowerPlayStudios]

Full presentation return please 🙏🏻 bring stuff for nhl 14 back like the tunnel run out and the three stars of the game and even the arena shots back

[@DougieBoy]

All the suff you said is 100% on point, butI can add to this. Fix the division system, people that are low rank should not be playing blue, purple or red ranked players. So many glitches that I'll only name one, unable to finish a fight (no matter what, you can't take down the opponent, they become invincible), add the ability to change goalies (give us the option to put a backup goalie in if our is sucking. Reduce the amount of menus (it's insane how many menus you must go through just to get to the eashl), permanent injuries, no more of this 2 mins and your fully healed BS, game misconducts, if you do a dirty hit then you should be ejected for that game. I could go on and on but I don't wanna write an essay on what EA needs to fix.

[@GaminJonesy]

When in Be a Pro mode they need to make the computer players on my team play the same way as the other teams computer players. Computer team executes flawless passing, incredible puck stealing, and never lets a loose puck sit for more than half a second before taking it. My computer players pass directly to the other team, never steal the puck one defender can literally just walk through my entire team and score, and they stand on top of loose pucks jacking off instead of taking the puck and playing it.

[@PlatinumLaser]

As someone who’s first nhl game was 24 I did have a lot of fun with the offline content. I really liked how you controlled your stick with the right joystick. Feels really fun to shoot

[@STARPHASE]

"Stop making defense harder" pretty well summarizes the issues with the game. I'm a defender, I've always had a more defensive style of play, and eventually got tired of other players not playing defense, so just said 'fuck it' and went defense full time. And I love it. But every year they just make it more difficult. I get it. People like to score goals. But people like to make good defensive plays too. Stick/body tie ups rarely work, and then when they do, you get a penalty half of the time. EA doesn't know the difference between interference and defending your ice. Net front battles are so often interference penalties that they might as well not exist. It's exhausting getting penalties for playing defense. Like, oh, this team is doing one timers all game, but no matter where you go to intercept the pass it goes right through you? Even though you have 90 defensive awareness, high hand eye, and high puck control? Sucks. Maybe try to do a stick tie up. Oh, nope, that's interference now. Honestly, I think they need to remove the x-factors. For one, they still aren't balanced. The ones that were OP before are still OP, and it just makes the game less fun. Everyone runs the same build, so why even have the x-factors? They're becoming a crutch to people. People who can't score without one tee, or close quarters. Just go back to regular old hockey. I've said for a long time that they need a point system for attributes. The old attribute system for EASHL was broken. Being able to have a guy the size of chara who can skate like McDavid was broken. And EA is SO close. They need to axe the x factors, and similar to how they have it now, give us points to spend on attributes. Then depending on the position/role, determines how many points an attribute costs to improve. So a sniper, it costs 1 point to increase shot accuracy. But if you're a defensive defenseman, it's going to cost 3 points to improve shot accuracy. And vice versa, a sniper it would cost 3 points to improve hitting, or defensive awareness, etc. But I think there needs to be a max cap as well. I feel like they need to bring back the stick flex/curve system, too. That adds another layer of customization to mix things up. But the x-factors really are old already.

[@guyrants01]

i think the way EA did TeamBuilder for NCAA 25 is exactly how the new EASHL Club customization should be. You can upload your own images (given they're appropriate) from the internet, use hex color codes for virtually any color scheme you'd like, and there's a fair amount of uniform variety too.

[@evil3mpiregamingclub]

Nice video....im liking 24 but that's definitely because I took 6 years off. Played NHL 93-17. Glad to be back! Keep up the content boys!

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Thanks!

[@thicccheese4007]

22 was way better than 23 and 24 combined. Not perfect but it’s the best NHL has been in 5ish years

[@Takeahnase]

It’s the only way to play EA sports games. Take 5 years off and you’ll maybe actually enjoy it.

[@coorhagon7236]

Have the ability to customize controls so I can remove check from the right stick. This would eliminate the accidental interference check when anticipating a one timer.

[@inexplicablybad6100]

I know EA just wants to squeeze out every penny out of it's customers, but it would be cool if they just kept one game and updated it every year instead of making us spend 60 bucks every year for some minor "quality of life" changes that end up either doing almost nothing or making the game worse. Updating rosters and tweaking a few things don't make the game "new". It's not worth spending the money on it.

[@marting1984]

Great video. I'm a long time NHL player back to the Genesis days. Seen the good days and bad days. We're in the corporate greed/monopoly days

[@stephengiannone5449]

I hate when you go to block a shot and someone skates into you and you get a tripping penalty.

[@NoKizzieBruh]

I’m a goalie that plays LG at a pretty high level. The Close Quarters trait is responsible for at least 80% of the goals that go in on me despite being fully square to the shooter. This is something that needs addressed by EA because it happens very often and has been an issue for the last 2 years.

[@hashbrown77]

There is no "getting back on track" for EA. They made it loud and clear over a DECADE ago all they care about is their cash cow Ultimate teams. Cut-paste-rinse-repeat........EA Sports business model for the 21st century. 👍👍

[@jestexgarcia3601]

Thank you Alec for the in depth analysis & upload of the vid. I hope EA does address a lot of these key points and we get a well rounded polished game. 💯

[@SJSharks91]

The way they nerfed clearing the puck has got to be the dumbest thing a sports game has ever done. D just catche it at the blue line everytime

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Right?!

[@chrisakers273]

Dude hit the nail on the head with this one! I have had every one of these issues he talks about!

[@baileyIrishCream6984]

Honestly, the Penalties are so bad this game even on 1/4.I just turn them completely off so no team gets Penalties, was so sick of them?My whole team was in the box at one point.

[@rocky_raccoon9396]

Very well said. I agree with everything. Thanks for the great video. Bringing back "Best game location" option in Drop in would be important to me as well.

[@donte9376]

Let us edit players attributes on franchise mode don’t know why they took that out take anyway it gives franchise mode more depth and customization for a player you want fast or really strong or to shoot better

[@BrettMichaelRocker]

A lot of the issues you bring up effect not just EASH Clubs, but I have almost all the same complaints as a guy who just makes custom teams and plays franchise mode with those custom teams. Great video.

[@malcolmmitchell4145]

NHL 25 need to be portable for hockey fans and bring back vintage teams

[@leastmilk6298]

What?????? What the fuck does this mean???

[@AppleAssist]

@@leastmilk6298think he means on pc so you can play it on steam deck or ROG ally or such.

[@randallmorton7981]

Great video. Not sure if someone commented on it yet but one issue to me was mapping crazy moves to the buttons. Oh you want to do a Michigan? Just touch one button. It’s easier to do that than a full body check technically. How does that make sense?

[@AppleAssist]

They could have at least left the Michigan out of total controls…

[@blockbusterunderground]

Great vid....Shocking we haven't heard a peep about NHL 25 yet??

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

I’m thinking an announcement this week for the trailer next week.

[@KcBull]

Honestly, I like the idea of scrapping last gen, and instead adding a pc port. I have an xbox but being a PC player having to pay for an online membership makes no sense. If the game was on pc I would actually play online cause there wouldnt be the xbox live pay wall

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Agreed.

[@wildchild795]

Very well articulated video, great points

[@N_manMETA11]

I'm pausing now at the 8:30 mark, because in this very moment, I've realized to myself exactly why I want nothing to do with NHL25. It's because every suggestion you've made to this point would be a head and shoulders improvement from 24. Yes, why CAN'T we clear pucks? Why can't we have hitting that's somewhat realistic? Why can't we customize our own teams- if not in EASHL, at *least* introduce custom logos to offline create-a-team for franchise... nothing? No new logos have been introduced since 22 and no new jerseys since '22 either. You can't do custom center ice graphics or even at least change the ad placement. That's the first thing that came to mind when you brought up how dated the game is- it is the ONLY EA Sports title currently that has a create-a-team mode, and said mode is artificially limited to very basic extents, seemingly just to make it less interesting and limit your creative options. Why, in 2024, are we going to get a create-a-team that hasn't been on par with NBA 2k or The Show in more than a decade, at this point? All of the suggestions you've made would undeniably make this game better- and yet I can't find myself wanting to care about 25 because, ultimately, we know none of the features we want and (in some cases) NEED, like the ability to clear pucks or have goalies that aren't a travesty of poor coding and clunky animations that don't look realistic, fluid or normal. Of the features you've suggested to the point I've watched, I truly expect no more than half of your suggestions to be included in the next 5 years. They don't care enough for it to realistically happen; the team working on these games have had very comfy chairs for years at this point, they are too well paid for underwhelming work to care. And it shows in the community. I remember this time last year, there were people wondering and speculating about NHL 24, EXCITED for it, wondering "okay 23 was decent for once, what's the next step?" And the next step was to botch the controls, add a battle pass, significantly mess up critical aspects of the sport of hockey, and add nothing of note in terms of creativity or customization. Look at the community now. I have seen maybe 2 or 3 people truly speculating for the game, what 25 will add by comparison to 24. Mainly because, there's no trailer yet, which tells fans that this is probably not going to be any better from 24. Nobody is excited for 25 now. EA has officially ruined most of the hype that the NHL games *once* had, we can say we have it "better" than Madden fans, or that we're just 'wrong' for having expectations, but I'm just tired man. I've been playing the same franchise mode for 10 years, I've been using the same generic looking, uncreative logos, and my created players are all from set, listed cities and not wherever I want them to be from. You want to know a game that doesn't suffer from that? FHM 10. A game that's less than 1/3 of the price and doesn't even have controllable play, is genuinely a better hockey game than the one where you can actually PLAY as the team. That's sad to me, that NHL has fallen so far that having playable hockey doesn't make up for all of the creative omissions and janky 'features' as well as the constant "rebalancing" of features that shouldn't be attached to a slider at all, like hitting, or puck clearing, or a goalie making a save. Things that should rely on simulated physics, and cause/effect environment, but can't be properly represented in a gaming engine that uses preset animation triggers and disregards a player's height, weight, and their vector movement. P.S. A player creation suite like NBA 2k would also go an extremely long way in franchise mode, I'm so sick of 170 reused faces, about 30 reused hairstyles, and not even 10 different colors. But I'm also not holding my breath here, it's EA we're talking about. I probably won't be buying unless 25 either shatters all expectations, or has a PC release.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Geez man, good input and we feel ya.

[@__._._-_._.__]

i miss the old nhl games sm. Winter classics, Anthem intros, Broadcasters just talking about random things etc. The gameplay idec that much about imo it’s fairly good most times there’s definitely things they could fix but it’s just the lack of effort compared to the old games.

[@emobassist]

I personally would love to see Patrick Roy level goalie stick handling in the game lol😅

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

Center ice spin-o-ramas or bust 😅

[@mugshotmalone2358]

Add a feature where you can join back into a game you got kicked from that is still in progress. And/or have players on the bench you can line change with if you have too many friends on.

[@gagadreams]

EA needs to get sued for fraud.. They release the same games every year and charge full price for just a few tweaks that could be added with an update!

[@bryan89wr]

Gamers need to take responsibility for continuing to prop up the poor state the industry has become. There's been zero reasons to buy these games yearly for decades, and if someone absolutely has to buy a copy, wait until there's a sale and get it for like 15 bucks.

[@Ohhelmno]

My issues has always been that the game doesn’t reward playing like the actual game does. The game rewards one timers and cross crease passes which is definitely exciting and the way a lot of NHL teams want to play but it only happens a few times a game not every time up and down the ice. I like to play in their zone, cycle the puck, take screen shots from the point or cycle and wait for someone out of position but the game rewards ragging the puck around until you can find an opening across the crease or they make a mistake and you can deke one on one with the goalie or skate through the center fake one way shoot the other. I think the other style should be more successful despite that it may be boring to play.

[@ryleyw3684]

I am a pc player so I found a modded NHL 09 worth 2024 teams etc, download and play it, but one thing ea can do that will be great is bring the new game to PC. That said though the game (24) seems janky, and the full pressure seems weird

[@DTMagnus]

At the end of the day the only way this series gets better is if they take a 1-3 year Hiatus, but we already know EA is not gonna do that.

[@RR8RR8R]

It’s going to be the crappiest ea nhl game for the 10th year anniversary. 2015-2025

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Put it on the cover art...

[@mikes7446]

Not buying nhl25 so I’m good

[@futuristicfeels]

Great video. So many solid points and things I forgot they took from us. NHL games could be elite if they listened to this video

[@icevenom6238]

There is no more effort..Eashl has become a joke..no sensitivity for the details and realism nothing..the main thing is that people spend money on HUT and buy packs diligently..

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Very true. With HUT championship being paused/cancelled, would love to see esports EASHL. The team environment would make it better to watch in my opinion. Also 6v6 would take computers out of the scenario.

[@maguire9496]

-Eashl needs more playoff modes and tournaments. -Co cop/ online playoff versus -Custom music - NOO X factor/ ability - more realistic game intro/ commentators. - back to hockey celebrations and no animation cut scene - puck hitting the back of the net is sooo unrealistic.

[@TmanTyler619]

Let’s stop removing features and bring back the old hits. Change the be a pro get rid of the stupid chats you can’t skip. Lazy ass team of developers ofc they focus on a battle pass in 2024 I mean that says enough about the game

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

The conversations in Be A Pro make it unplayable…

[@TmanTyler619]

@@razzledazzlesnhl I calculated it I think to unlock one of the X factors ( one of the easiest) you have to sit thru 425.6 hours of conversations to get it. Unless you skip games but even then it’s a RIDICULOUS amount of time

[@TmanTyler619]

@@razzledazzlesnhl and by then a new game will be out so you have to sit thru it again

[@Nichaelas]

YES! I fucking HATE how often in BAP the coach pulls you aside and interrupts gameplay. It wouldn't be as much of an issue if they let you skip through the scene, but they make you watch the entire interaction and the menu for the dialogue/response is slow as shit!

[@Nichaelas]

@@TmanTyler619 Unlocking the X factors is ridiculous. A lot of times the event never triggers. I'm on like my 13th or 14th season in NHL 23 and I'm just about to unlock Wheels for staying on my team for 5 years even though I've played with them my entire career. And there are other locked zone abilities that I've never even gotten a prompt for the challenge to unlock them. Plus its stupid that you can only get certain zone abilities depending on your player type.

[@Musicmelo14]

There are 3 things in life that are certain, death, taxes and pricey pond hockey 💀

[@jerrilynnmorris1639]

Weezy is a clown!

[@Alphabet182RazDaz]

The clowniest of clowns 🤡🤡🤡

[@Stutz_77]

Everything you stated in this is perfect. The thing I want to see most is custom logos for EASHL. I’m big into the custom side of the game. I also get very angered when I can’t one T a puck and I hit someone instead

[@mikes7446]

I won’t be buying nhl 25, it’s going to be crap

[@BunnyMuffins]

Wish i had your optimism for ea nhl but for life

[@denigster]

great video - i m a casual who plays every 3-4 years a nhl title - i had pretty much fun playing against the com - this game felt the same the first games but then i wondered why this game felt so random - i searched on you tube but the most people are ony complaining about the money grab bt say nothing about the game - this video explained so much for me why this game feels different - also its pretts crazy that this game on the ps5 looks worse than years before

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

NHL 24 has to be the most random outcome feeling NHL game.

[@EASHL_ROYALES]

Can’t even begin to explain how awesome this vid was! Agreed with almost every thing you said(besides maybe getting rid of old gen maybe in the far future,not now though) If even half of these ideas were added the game would be one of the best ever.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Thanks mate.

[@Pju31998]

This was the first year with the new production team if I remember correctly. I do have high hopes that this year is going to be loads different. I still believe these new heads that they brought in are going to do the right things. I went in to NHL 24 with the mindset that this is a rebuild year for them and they’ll have better insight for NHL 25. Probably wishful thinking, but we’ll find out soon enough.

[@seppeqespecho4260]

Great video! Contains almost everything I was thinking about.

[@razzledazzlesnhl]

Great to hear!

[@mandoman1993]

EASHL should be the most competitive game mode. There needs to be better AI as you get higher divisions. Goalies need to be 10 times better at least overall. They need to make it harder to score and reward good team play and good defense. If you want to score a million goals go play a different game mode

[@vartisepi7938]

It’s when the goalie makes a save only for the lone defenseman in his vicinity on your team some how knocks it back causing the goalie to fumble around knocking the puck into the goal that absolutely kills me.

[@ACParker13]

Some other things to bring back (or add): Change/modify your build at intermission. At least handedness, as a dman that plays both sides, just this would be amazing. Also, if someone lags out, they can rejoin at intermission. If your goalie lags out, another player (designated as backup pre-game with a build) takes over, rather than an automatic loss. These features might be tough for EA to do, maybe currently impossible, but would be awesome if possible. Change your lines at intermission (versus/hut). If a player is injured, your lines are cooked. Created plays (versus/hut). Those were so fun to create and then use in-game. And it made your AI actually useful. Mini games/free-4-all, except you can play online with friends. Something fun to kill time while you wait for other guys to get online. !!! GM CONNECTED !!!

[@trentwise3762]

This is crazy. I had these exact same thoughts and I’m not even an nhl game guy😂 I only have 24 cuz it was free this month on ps5. And I thought I was just bad on defense (I also have settings on hyper realistic settings so I thought that was also why it was so hard). Glad to know that it’s just hard in general and not just a me problem…. Though maybe a combo of both tbh hahah

[@zaytres-_-]

I just got into nhl lately cause of my friends and coming from other games like nba 2k it was crazy to me what they were missing in customization, presentation, team building, animations, etc

[@ricetomeatyou852]

Make dump and chase an actual thing. Online play is broken. The player base is so small that you play with the same people who always have the same exact builds. And human goalies are just… it never works out anymore. I love the clips you used in this video as well. And you hit so many good points. I used to play EASHL so much, it has not gotten any better