After Today's NHL 18 Reveals: What Do You Think About This Year's Game? (Roundtable)

[Steve_OS]

After yesterday's release of NHL 18 info, we figured it was a good time to gather our hockey guys here at Operation Sports to talk about what we just learned about. Check out our responses to today's release below!

Also be sure to add your own in the comments!
What Did You Think of Today's Information Release from EA on NHL 18?
Mike Lowe
I'm excited to see both the EASHL sim-style play, and the franchise mode with expansion. EASHL really started to progress more towards a sim-style as the year went on, so continuing in this direction will be beneficial to the community. EASHL is fun, so long as your opponent is not gimmicky, and this should help with that. Why don't we have an OS Official team?! Or do we?

As for expansion, I'm hoping we have some options to pick and choose from for the expansion team details (city, branding, etc.) we get to work with. I'd love to see something similar to NBA's 2KShare or MLB The Show's team customization for Diamond Dynasty. I hope this wasn't the only improvement to franchise mode as the menus are still bulky and slow, and franchise would benefit from the game's beautiful usage of synergy in HUT. Franchise mode as a whole isn't terribly deep either, but I'm not holding my breath for further changes. I am, however, disappointed that GM Connected didn't make it in because this game plays quite well online, and I'd love to setup a small league that doesn't involve cards where every team is 92-plus overall. I'd love the challenge of choosing which 75-overall winger to play on your fourth line, and feel folks would too with leagues where commissioners could earn prizes (coins, cards, etc.) to give away to participants -- if we must connect it all to microtransactions and the like.

Quote:

"I am, however, disappointed that GM Connected didn't make it in..."

Joel Smith
Expansion. EXPANSION. We gonna talk about expansion?! OH SWEET DAY. After the whole suite of customization options NHL 17 gave us last year, team expansion in NHL 18 is a HUGE addition in my opinion. Las Vegas got an NHL team this year and are about to put together their team in the next upcoming days/weeks. Now you're telling me I can potentially go ahead and bring hockey back to Quebec? I can revive the Nordiques?! As long as EA has left the customization suite as is or improved it, I will love running a franchise and using the expansion feature. I can tell you right now that's the FIRST thing I'm doing out of the gate.

EASHL sim is also exciting. I love playing EASHL the most (when I find a good squad, or proper drop-in teammates) so knowing that I can enjoy my favorite mode and not deal too much with the nonsense that used to be endured is refreshing to see.

Quote:

"...knowing that I can enjoy my favorite mode and not deal too much with the nonsense that used to be endured is refreshing to see"

Chris Sanner
This is the year I'm going to totally get into hockey, both the real and video game form. I'm officially a Las Vegas Golden Knights fan and I plan to take my Golden Nights to the Stanley Cup and beyond!

Hockey has always been the intriguing sport on the side that I’ve never been able to fully pick up. I’ve enjoyed the EA NHL series for what it is, but I offer far from a hardcore "this is not sim" take for the on-ice action.

For me the announcements today are welcome. First, being able to do my own expansion draft with the Golden Knights is a pretty cool feature, though I’ll likely just trust the front office over in Vegas on the roster building aspect of this initially. The new controls fit in with EA’s mantra of making their games more eSport friendly.

The threes mode is another eSport friendly addition (though IDK if they’ll admit to that). A 3-on-3 fast-paced hockey game makes a lot of sense if you want to get a team together, as it is way easier to find three guys to play another three guys at a single moment versus 6-on-6.

Overall, while the announcements today won’t make sim-heads happy, they do tip EA’s hand on where they think the future of this franchise lies. We’ll be following everything as we get closer to release.

Quote:

"...it is way easier to find three guys to play another three guys at a single moment versus 6-on-6."

Josh Houtz
As a fan of the NHL games growing up, the recent news is a welcomed addition. Being able to control the Las Vegas Golden Knights and start from the ground up is an awesome concept, as each team's roster will vary. Whether or not you're a fan of the new team like Chris, or just want a different approach to franchise, this is a great way to put your stamp on a NHL franchise.

The thing I enjoyed most about the recent games is EASHL, and today's news is something many have wanted for several years. I can not wait to control Josh Houtz, and team up with fellow Operation Sports writers to take on the rest of the world. Being able to make the game more "sim" appears to be the direction many of these games are headed, and I'm a huge fan of that.

As long as EA kept the core of recent NHL games intact, NHL 18 will be a must buy for myself.

Quote:

"...today's news is something many have wanted for several years."

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[Gotmilkman24]

I'm excited for it this year. I'm a hardcore EASHL player. Now if my squad can't get 6 players on we can play 3 vs 3 which will really help eliminate the computer. We have no one to blame, but us. However I have already mentioned this, but I'll bring it up again.. does 3 vs 3 mean no human goalies?

[Madwolf]

I personally am very excited for the game after seeing the trailer and hearing what we know thus far. It's a big disappointment that Connected GM isn't in for yet another year. I do understand, as I did last year when they explained their reasoning, but it is still disappointing.

I'm personally excited for the news leaked on Player Development, and the draft from the screenshot that's been floating around today. Being able to grow your team and truly draft good players has always been a point of frustration for many in NHL 17. NHL 18 looks to finally address these issues in spades, and give us more consistent performance, which has been asked for by many for years now.

NHL 17 was a much improved on-ice performance form 16, and hearing how they've again improved the AI, and added the "skill stick" on defense is fairly exciting. I can't wait to get my hands on that. I would like to see more goalie improvements and better board play announced, even if it's just a small step in the right direction.

[Madwolf]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gotmilkman24

I'm excited for it this year. I'm a hardcore EASHL player. Now if my squad can't get 6 players on we can play 3 vs 3 which will really help eliminate the computer. We have no one to blame, but us. However I have already mentioned this, but I'll bring it up again.. does 3 vs 3 mean no human goalies?

That's a great question. In my head I think they're trying to create a competitive scene for EASHL, and 3 vs 3 looks like the mode that they want to center it around. I think they want to encourage scoring, and may leave the human goalie out for that reason.

[jcas007]

Any news if u can shorten season in franchise mode or do u have to play entire season it's a turn off for me takes to long AND I hate simming games

Sent from my SM-G930T using Operation Sports mobile app

[brandon27]

I normally play franchise with my team, the Wings non-stop. It's essentially all I do with NHL, and maybe a season or something with the Windsor Spitfires, my hometown team. However, last night, while watching the expansion draft I, for the first time went into the team creator in NHL17. Wow, it's pretty impressive. It's pretty deep in what it allows you to customize for a first year feature. Now, reading that I can start a franchise mode by creating a team, importing it as a 32nd team and doing an expansion draft process to start my franchise off? Now that, that right there is enough to make me abandon playing as my favorite team for multiple seasons. That's a pretty great feature IMO. I actually wish all sports games would allow it. Typically, sure you can replace a team with a created one, but whats the fun in getting rid of a team completely. In Madden, to do this I usually pick an awful team, trade everyone away for picks and re-locate the team the following year, but now I'm down a real team too. This feature to NHL allows me to create my new team wherever I want them, and still keep the league intact. I like it. I'll definitely be doing that if I pick this up.

[Blackwood Bully]

All I care about is the expansion mode. Start something from nothing and build it from the ground up.

[don28]

For me, it comes down to defensive AI. The computer can't allow guys to be wide open in the slot for one timers all game long. If I'm playing as a defenseman, the other D and center should be covering their man. If I'm the center, the D should be watching their men. Too often, that's not the case in NHL 17.