What are YOUR game-changing ideas?

[Simple Mathematics]

There has been a lot of talk about everyone's ideas that would change the NHL Series for the better. So I was wondering, what are these ideas? I figured it would be a good to get all of these impactful ideas into one thread.

I'm not talking about the little additions like "they should add in the newest CCM stick" or "they should add in glass breaking." I mean big ideas that would have a positive impact on the way we play the game/game mode.


My ideas (I will add more as I think of them):

1. Physicality- right now, there is none besides big hits and fights. There needs to be a more physical, in-your-face defense. In real life, players can't consistently dangle past defenders. If any player tried one of these moves against any NHL defender, that defender would simply take good positioning and muscle them off the puck. No big hit involved, just the fact that one man is trying to skate through another man just does not work. Also, battles along the boards and in the corners really need some love.

2. Looser pucks- let's face it, right now the puck is glued to your stick. Sidney Crosby in real life can't even stick handle the way George Parros can in the game. Hockey is about sloppy play, dumping the puck in deep to gain better positioning on your opponents. Looser pucks also means that pucks should be deflected off of anything that touches it. No more pucks going through sticks, skates, etc. If the puck hits anything, it should react in the proper physical manner.

3. Full collision detection- EA said they have tried it, but it wasn't fun enough so they did not put it in the game. Why not let us be the judge of that? Personally, I don't think it's fun watching a stick go through someone's skate. I don't like watching a player skate into a goalie with a magical force-field around him. I don't like watching a player skate 100 mph into the boards and nothing happens.

4. Player ratings separation- currently, players all feel the same. Shawn Thornton can do the same things with the puck as Sidney Crosby. Players are all rated in the 80's. This creates a problem in BaGM and other modes during free agency, as good players get stuck in free agency because every other player is almost just as good. I want big differences in ratings. Actually use the full 1-99 ratings scale. A player like Alex Ovechkin should have really high shooting ratings but really low defensive ratings. I want to feel the difference between my first line and my fourth line. And if I put my fourth line out against my opponent's first line, I want to pay for it.

5. Player traits- many other sports games have done this and it has worked out great for them. There should be a large amount of player traits, like shooter, passer, defensive minded forward, PK specialist, clutch, choker, playoff performer, great hitter, great forechecker, great in the corners, leader, dangler, good locker room guy, locker room cancer, fighter, versatile forward, heart, etc. This list could go on and on.

6. Better player positioning- players need to position themselves faster and in smarter, more realistic positions. This is especially true for power plays and penalty killing. It's frustrating watching my players skate around aimlessly when I have the puck on a powerplay. I want them to set up in the strategy/formation I am calling for. Defensively, players need to take better angles to the player with the puck and not get sucked into bad positioning. I don't like watching both my defenders go behind the net.

7. True team strategies- I want every team to play exactly like it's true-to-life counterpart. Physical teams like Boston and Philly should play that way. Skilled teams like Detroit and Chicago should play that way. Defensive-minded teams like New Jersey and Arizona should play that way. And bring back custom team AI with even more details so we can fine-tune how these teams play.

8. Edit player- come on, bring it back.

9. Defensive skill stick- the right analog stick should be primarily used to control your stick on defense. You should be able to use it to poke, block passing lanes, reach, chop, lay on the ice, etc. A modifier like L2 or something should have to be held in order to turn the right analog stick into a body check.

[AdamJones113]

Hell yeah. You got basically everything.

1. Goalies need a major overhaul
They are all the exact same, play the exact same and have the exact same flaws. Find more in the Goalie Suggestion Thread.

2. More cycling
Most goals in real life are scored after cycling the puck (and the intensity that comes with it, backhand to cycle to backhand) but this couldn't be farther from the truth in the NHL "Dangle" series. The game is all rush hockey:

3. Neutral Zone pressure
We want some! THIS is why open ice hits are considered super impressive! I want someone like Alexei Emelin to step up and clock me! I want Pavel Datsyuk to pick-pocket me and not retreat into his own zone! I want to feel the need to dump the puck!

4. Make true hitting AND deking harder
More clips and bumps, but much fewer crazy hip checks and massive body checks via making hitting harder and more based on positioning than rating. Nobody, and I mean nobody, should be able to deke with the consistency the SuperStar Skill Stick and One-Touch Dekes provide. Again, this is why it's so amazing to see a goal like Tarasenko's! Dangles like that are super rare when multiplied, the one-moves are fine but stringing them together is too much empowerment. Can it at least be turned off?

5. Bring back Player Edit
Duh.

6. No Ability to Redirect Pucks
We need something like this, so that when you pass it up to the winger waiting at the opposing blue line said winger, sensing the presence of nearby defenseman, can redirect the puck into the zone without needing to control.

Simple, I think you got all the other things I'd have said.

[Cletus]

I don't have a huge detailed list but here goes.

1. New stamina system -- In the third period players should be tired, not fully rested like it was their first shift of the game. Stamina and recovery should be weighed equally between CPU and Hum. There should also be a way to go back to the old stamina system

2. Line Changes -- Why does it take 30 seconds for my guys to get off the bench for a line change?

3. Fix the pivots -- I like the new skating, but if my guy is going somewhere EA doesn't want me to go I fight my guy like he's a tank.

4. Zone or man assignments for defense -- If I want to put Steve Ott on the other teams best scorer that should be an option.

5. Better forechecking AI - The problem with neutral zone pressure is that after you break out there's nothing but the dmen waiting. Forwards are either too deep in the forecheck, trying to figure out where to go, or sitting back at their own blue line. If you chase a puck carrier, and it's not the guy that's supposed to chase him, the AI gets all out of whack. Make the AI play more toward the center ice line and make them stay in their zone unless you put it on a super aggressive fore check.

6. Line specific rating system -- NFL Head Coach 09 had something like this. Have a rage of ratings for each player instead of a concrete rating. Someone used Brian Boyle so I will use him. He's doing well on a line with Brendan Morrow and JT Brown this year as well as the PK. So instead of an 84 make his rating be 72-82 with his role as a PK/bottom 6 fwd. Put him on the 4th line and he's an 82. Put him on the 1st line with 2 offensive forwards (Drouin and Stamkos) and he's a 72. He would be a 72 because he doesn't play 1st line minutes and he's with players that don't fit his style.

7. Add in player badges -- Since revamping the ratings is a pipe dream and will never happen, add in badges to differentiate players, Ovechkin and Stamkos should have one timer badges. Toews, Bergeron, Datsyuk should have Pickpocket badges. They already have something similar to this but we can't see it unless we dig deep with tools that EA doesn't provide the users.
Make the badges affect your team mates. If your badge level is high enough, let it affect team mates. Want to help your young stud defenseman develop? Sign a veteran with high poise and a leadership badge to help show him the NHL ropes. Your sniper not getting enough goals for you? sign or trade for a center with the Dishmaster badge.

8. Defense -- When I get scored on (we need more 2-1 games, not less) I WANT TO GET SCORED ON. Give us full stick control, better pivots and better man on man coverage on the ice. I want the AI and other users to score on me because either 1. I made a mistake or 2. I was at a disadvantage due to the players I had on the ice. If I have a bad defensive pair matched against a good forward pair, I want to notice that. Now it seems everyone makes the same mistakes, but some players stop the puck more. If I have Kyle Quincey out there I want him to get lost on Defense, if I have Drew Doughty I want him in position and patrolling the defense.

[TheKid40]

As I would like to help out this community the most I can, I have decided to share some of my ideas that, are probably similar to everyone's views. I have just officially joined Operation Sports this year, yet I have been looking over these threads the past 2 years and have seen the hard work done by the revamped team that inspires me to be an active part in this great community. Anyways, enough blathering, here's my list.

1. Add in Coaches. I think that if this was done right, it would be pretty cool and effective. If I like to play a certain way, I should try to hire a coach that will promote that style of play. For example, if I wish to play a tight defensive game and have very strong Defensemen, I should hire a John Tortorella for his emphasis on blocking shots and tightening up the defensive zone. There could be a 'Free Agency' for coaches, and younger coaches could have potential to grow into a great coach. For example, Dallas Eakins in Edmonton could have 'Franchise Coach' potential. Not too sure about the potential thing yet lol.

2. Goaltending. This is a MASSIVE one. If anyone would like to start something I am calling 'The Goaltending Project' with me, I would greatly appreciate it. In my mind, The Goaltending Project is going to be a project (duh) that ranks the Current NHL Goaltender's strengths, weaknesses, reactions, and most importantly, their style. As well, this project will be making goaltenders more realistic as a whole... T-push, anyone? It is going to be a guide that will differentiate goaltenders and break down their own style that I am hoping EA could use, or that anyone who goes to the NHL Comittee from Operation Sports could take with them to share. I would like to put a lot of work into it, and would like at least one other persons help. Hopefully @AdamJones113 will join me.

3. More systems. The NHL is dominated by systems. There are too many times in this game where you are able to gain the zone on the CPU too easily; you need to feel pressured to dump he puck and retrieve it. As well, I would like to see stuff such better forechecking, neutral zone breakouts, D-zone breakouts, and neutral zone regroups in the game. For example, do your forwards swing low and cross when your Defensemen has the puck in the neutral zone, or do they stay in their own lane when doing your neutral zone regroup? Or for your d-zone breakout you could have the option of stretching the zone by sending a forward to fly the zone to open up more room in your own end. The possibilities with this are endless.

4. Full control of a player. What I mean by this is that a player doesn't have to stop the puck in order to pass or shoot it. Things such as one touch passing could be implemented in the way one-timers are, and EA could incorporate the 'slap-pass'. You know, the old fake slapshot pass. It would look pretty sick. As well, redirecting pucks into a zone is crucial; players redirect pucks in deep more than they actually dump the puck in! As well, like @Cletus said, you should be able to match players against other lines. That would be incredible.

5. Player personality. Every player should have its own, on-ice personality. These could be grouped by a player personality category to help simplify things and make the work for EA much easier; Brad Marchand and Antoine Roussel would be known as something along the lines as 'Scoring Pests'. After scoring in a road game, these pests should do something such as taunt the crowd with the celebration, or give guys jabs after the play. Jonathan Quick is known as a goaltender that likes to get under the opposition's skin, so I should see him interact with players from the other team more; join scrums around the net and use his stick on opposing screeners.

6. Line ratings. Guys like Raffi Torres and Tommy Wingels don't have the same chemistry that Henrik and Daniel Sedin have. There should be lines that just click, and some lines that don't mesh. Of course you could say that this is already in the game, but I would say it's quite random in the game. Have players attributes affect whether they mesh well with other players, and player chemistry could be helped if you played to guys from Finland on the same line. That sort of thing.

7. Not as much 'Big Hits'. Players use their body position quite a lot to protect a puck and to protect themselves against a hit, and there aren't many big hits in the NHL anymore. The majority of hits are rub-outs along the boards, or a little shove in order to get the puck. Defensive players should be able to interact with screeners in front of their goaltenders and should be able to bump and push them to a degree without getting a penalty. As well, add in suspensions and knee on knee collisions. If my player runs a guy from behind and gets a 5:00 major, he better be sitting a couple of games.

8. Defensive AI. See @Cletus' wonderful answer for this explanation. Spot on. We need full control of a defensive player, with more options.

9. Player ratings. Revamped team=gold. EA needs to bring in all of the revamped team, they have done amazing work for the community. The only suggestion I have to player ratings is sure, Steve Ott shouldn't be as good as Sidney Crosby, but Steve Ott was also a 100 point guy in junior. So don't hamper these 4th line guys too much. They still have an ability to put the puck in the net on occasion. See Raffi Torres playoff goal against Jonathan Quick if you don't believe me. Snipe.

10. Better presentation and more realism. Yes, I said it. This one is strictly for BAGM. The addition of the draft was a great one, as the draft is a lot more realistic now. Now can you give us no trade clauses, modified trade clauses, and conditional draft picks in trades? Maybe you should be able to trade a player for future considerations, which will strengthen your relationship with a team and make them easier to trade with. Not only that, but special games need to be added to BAGM Mode. These games include the Winter Olympics every four years where you can be the GM of your own country and the World Juniors where you would still be able to play your own NHL games but would have the option of being the GM of your own country and choosing which prospects play in the tournament, and also being able to play as your team and scout the players. These special games should also include the Winter Classic each year; the teams determined in the Winter Classic could be chose by the User, or could be randomly determined, and the Heritage Classic and one Stadium Series game should also be in the game under the same circumstances. Bring back the All Star game, but also add in a skills competition. Yes that's right, the skills competition. Make BAGM more interactive; have players demand trades (ALA Martin St. Louis) and have owners influence your team and your salary cap.

11. Ah yes, Player Edit. Self explanatory.

More ideas will probably be added as I think of them, in the meantime I look forward to reading everyone's ideas.

[NEOPARADIGM]

Pipedream and all that, but they should use CBC/Hockey Night in Canada presentation/announcers instead of NBC.

[HouseKeepinItReal]

all of these suggestions are a pipe dream but do not get me wrong. They are awesome suggestions. I regret ever buying this game.

[bigwill33]

I would like to sound-off on this, but I fear it would fall on deaf ears. I have pages of improvements or changes I would like to see implemented into the game, things that nobody else has probably even thought of. But it just honestly isn't even worth my time to type it all out and organize for this if it is not going to ever be brought to EA and considered.

I don't possess the time to have a youtube channel that can show examples either, so I guess if anyone really wants to work with me on any of this they would need to reach out specifically and let me know because otherwise I will not waste my efforts.

[DJ NEO]

Fantastic list op, u pretty much nailed it all!

I would add finish realtime presentation, so its 100% realtime and thats it.

Great ideas guys!