FRANCHISE MODE GAME PLAY IS RUINED

My franchise mode is going fine except for I'm 45 games in and the computer hasn't taken one penalty yet That's the only thing that's stupid in mine other than that stats of realistic gameplay is good can't complain but the penalty thing is really dumb especially since I get penalties and they're realistic the amount of them I don't even mind it but I should have had one power play by now lol

I am 60 games or so into my 2nd season of my franchise (playing every game). I have found that its been a fun experience. The game scores, stats, shots and GAA are actually all even for mine at least (a few catered sliders). Penalties are still something I have to figure out. The updates to Franchise can be broken at times but overall can be fun to use and make negations a lot more enjoyable. Once you learn how the AI works its actually better then last game and you can actually set up for powerplays now as long as you are good with the passing. This is the most I have played NHL since 22, for being an offline only player that is huge. 

Be a Pro is a dead mode sadly, no real updates or patches since its inception, has caused that mode to have a low population, which means EA won't put much to any time is it. EA created this issue: No updates or changes = low player base - so they won't work on something before and won't now cause no one plays it.  

I can't speak for online at all cause I gave up on that mode back in NHL 22 due to poor matchmaking and I have heard that it is worse this year with what they changed. 

So what is going fine? 

I have Tom Wilson in my team and he got 97 in hit but when i hit anybody they slide away or bounch back….. but like i said small player can bodyslam him to the ground or puch him from behind so he (and everybody else) have to try not to fall in 15 min.

70% of your one timer hit a stick or you own player.

even when you clear the zoon with a slapshot you gonna hit your own player or the other them just take in down with their hand HELLO!!!!!! 

And you tell me how to win the puck in the corner? i have 3 players on one and he comes out with the puck every time or he kick out the puck to the most perfekt breakeawy pass 

naaa franchise game play is crap

I use to play 3 games a season just to win in all years but now i can’t win?!?! … and now you will say i got no skills so explain this: i play a game and lose it cuz i can’t score even if i have 43-16 in shot and AI score crap goal on me….. so i restart the game and play again cuz i wanna win and now i can score easy and i win the game like nothing?????

if you skate with the puck and have an AI behind you and want to try to trick him away, the moment you move the joystick the AI ​​follow you his reaction is milliseconds

You can’t switch players like before, and once you do switch, it’s too late. My center was after AI on a breakeawy and he started skate backwards 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

The menus are full of syrup, slow and laggy

But penalties are not a problem for me... maybe the only thing I think works well

To each their own.

I personally put in 200 games between 2 franchises so far and been having a great time with it. 

The gameplay for my games are close to even and real stats, scores are not crazy unbalanced. I find that hitting is harder overall but makes it more worthwhile, along with more risky if you pinch at the wrong time. The 1 tee green goals have lessened but I still get them in (this is due to the nerfs they made due to over usage in Online play).

Winning the puck in the corner, its hit or miss for me. I tend to try and force the player to dump it along the boards in hopes one of my players get it. If I can get a player to come down and help it tends to not always work and leaves a opposing player open to get the puck and make a pass out. 

Goalies overall, from my personal game experience ( my team GAPG is a 1.89, both goalies with a .904 or higher and sub 2.00 GAA), thus removes the whole 25-8 shot games where you lose 3-2 (which was an issue for so long). You have to work for goals in this game, as you said, the ice isn't open for you to take shot after shot. I rarely hit my player unless I'm shooting into a lot of traffic (then its a toss up).

Hitting I find is a lot more risk or reward, where you can make a good hit but then if its a unwanted pinch can leave you susceptible to an odd man rush. Stamina is more important in this game (where you need to actually utilize it to help gain more scoring chances), which I have started to play a true experience with dumping to make a change or a dump and chase.

I have learned that if you play along with the AI, then there are far less instances where the players are out of place which has allowed me to be within the top 3 in both seasons of my franchise in team defense (this is a huge update over last year when I would have no idea what it was doing 70% of the time).

Plus, the slower speed of the game, puts in on par to what the speed would be in the NHL (which is a huge change from the arcade style it has been for years).

I have heard there is issues with line adjustments if you change coaches but I have not experienced it myself, also some of the contracts, morale is still not working (but hasn't ever really worked - which is why I play with it off). 

I experience the same thing since quite a while with the EA Sports NHL series. From one moment to the other, your team is getting much weaker, slower, when the opponent is suddenly so much faster and stronger and NO - thats not because I suddenly dont know how to play the game! That leads to extreme frustration! I remember when I played NHL 2003. The game was won because you were better - as simple as that. But when you are better but KI interferes, then it is super frustrating.  

I only play Franchise mode and have for years. Tried BAP for a bit each of the past 3 years and it was so terrible I went back to franchise mode. I have been playing it since they first introduced Franchise. Online is trash, as people are toxic. 

I would say there are positives and negatives. They 100% should open up player editing with no limits (age, size, ratings, name, even add in preferences).

I like that the coaches are now actual people, but this really needs to go deeper to all coaching staff and include many who are in the pool of available coaches. Only just introduced, so I imagine that they will build on this.

Goalies definitely suck, I can limit to 8 shots or less and guaranteed every 3-4 shots are a goal. So to counter this I just don't spend cap on goalies, I add that to defense, which does reduce shots on goal, but I also play every position except goalie. I also win 80% of the games I play. I do tend to play a fast game, meaning I prioritize faster players on Forward who can avoid hits and get up the ice fast. D I like a mix of big size and small paired together, someone who can block shots and lay hits, and the other to play the puck and get it out of the zone. Its a strategy.

Contract negotiations are a big pain. I get not every player wants to sign with every team, however when you negotiate with a player it isn't consistent. A "persuasion" may work one time on a player, but then if you go out and go back in it won't work that time. It literally makes 0 sense and is completely random. They also usually will prefer short contract lengths and I like longer contracts so that I don't develop a player and then have to part ways after 2 seasons. I don't play with morale either, as that is a pain. 

I like that coach and player conversations were added in, but the way it is done is not great. It is the same thing repeated over and over again. Needs to feel different and fresh for each interaction, would be good if there was an actual video scene or something more than just some words on the screen. Again this is fairly new though, so it can be developed, have to start somewhere.

Trading is always a drag as well, most of the times you are giving up far more than you should in a realistic trade situation. Its like the devs want you to get screwed in every trade.  This has been a problem for years and I don't see this changing.

Scouts are terrible when you first start and are in all the wrong regions for what they are actually good at, also been a problem for a long time. I fire at least 50% when I start out, but the pool to choose from isn't great. That being said your budget for scouts and coaches are unrealistic as well. However, I have also found that scouts aren't really great anyways, as the draft pretty much goes in the suggested order, with a few gem exceptions, which is where the scouts actually do something. 

I do also wish when creating a team, the AHL affiliate could be done at the exact same time, with better logo choices and more options in what names the announcers are able to say. And that these teams showed up in player movement screens to avoid duplication of players, as hiding players is just annoying and it is such a simple fix. 

When starting a season, also let me choose the start date, following year before the draft, immediately following the draft, but right before the season as the default for a new league is a ridiculous start date. 

I am getting used to the hitting mechanism, though the one button hit should be brought back as an option, so kids or small handed people, or those with disabilities can go back to using that as its simpler, and works better for small hands. 

The grudge matches are good in theory, but get repetitive as well. Also a new feature so this will improve. 

Would love the banner presentations to come back for Stanley Cup, Conference and Division champs. And trophy presentations would be nice. Also for the Stanley Cup win to be more of a celebration that is a bit longer, it seems short and choppy right now. And bring back the three stars presentation after each game.

I love the trophy section for each player, this was asked for and delivered. 

Overall, every game is going to have positives and negatives. Never going to please everyone, but would be nice if the devs actual had focus groups with us long time players to figure out what needs to be fixed/changed.