Hey everyone, thank you for reading another edition of Pucking Ridiculous (The OBG Chronicles).

This article has been on my mind for a long time now so I'm excited to dive into it headfirst, not only see what I come up with, but also to see what the community has to say. So, of course, your comments are always appreciated, welcomed and encouraged.

So far the NHL 11 season is off to a good start. The EA Canada team has done well to deliver yet another solid title with enough additions to not only justify throwing down 60 bucks, but also enough to keep most of us happy until the next release. That said, of course there is always room for improvement, and I'm sure we all have ideas for future versions of the game.

Personally, I'm ready to see the EA developers match the work they have done on the gameplay side of the NHL series by focusing with the same intensity and fervor on the presentation element in this series. Don't get me wrong, EA's NHL series does have decent presentation. Hell, I'd even say it's good presentation. However, in essence, there's a lot missing.

NHL 11 itself has received a few presentation upgrades. There are more stat overlays during gameplay, although limited in nature. There are new graphics which give the game a fresh look. There are new cut scenes during penalties and after fights showing the offending parties marching off to the sin bin. And, most significantly, the presentation of goal reviews in NHL 11 was done extremely well. In fact, EA really exceeded my expectations with the goal reviews. Excellent stuff.

However, to illustrate what I mean more precisely, check out the YouTube video below that shows off some of the finer points of MLB Today in MLB 2K10. While on the subject, I should also mention that the 2K Sports developers have been using the same stellar presentation in their NBA 2K series since NBA 2K10. They call it a "Living Season" in MLB 2K, and if the EA developers managed to combine something like this with their next NHL release, NHL 12 would be perhaps the most immersive sports game ever released.

As you can see from the video, 2K Sports has truly taken sports presentation to a whole new level. I have said it many times before, but the presentation element found in 2K's sports line is nearly as comprehensive as you would find on a real broadcast on TV. It's truly spectacular.

We all know that baseball, because of its very nature of being a slow-paced game with many stoppages, is more conducive to this sort of presentation. That is certainly a valid point. However, to say that some sort of hockey version of this would be impossible to implement is in no way a valid argument.

Improving the presentation starts with the opening moments of the game. What about the pregame intro? Would it really be such a stretch to see more of an effort given during these intros? For example, show the standings and where each team ranks. Show each goalie with his current season stats, including the proper 'W-L-OTL' format. Talk about what happened to each team last game. Illustrate players who are hot over the last 10 games, etc.

Don't get me wrong, EA is not failing in the presentation department, but the company certainly is not setting any standards either. In other words, presentation is a needed area of focus for the upcoming NHL 12. The offline market still exists EA, and we are ready to see what the developers are capable of outside of the high standard of gameplay we have to expect.

Simply put, the game is great, but please make it come to life in NHL 12.