This week, we were dropped with a bombshell that several key modes were going to be missing from the new-generation NHL 15 experience this year.

What were your reactions to the news, and can NHL recover from this to deliver a successful product this year?

James Kerti: I can't help but feel disappointed with the news. Of course you want to put gameplay first. But it takes a lot of trust for fans of the series to take the development team's word for it that this is how it had to be.

On the other hand, I'm pleased with the commitment they seem to be making to get as much of the NHL experience as right as possible. That part of the game looks like it's made big strides from last year. I know I'll be looking for the content upgrades too, but given the track record of different series promising similar upgrades, I don't know how optimistic I am.

Jayson Young: The more AI players that are on the ice, the less enjoyable EA's NHL games have traditionally been. Removing the three modes (GM Connected, EASHL, OTP) where gamers could replace the series' bumbling AI with real people will severely limit NHL 15's potential fun factor. Even if Online Team Play is miraculously patched in before Christmas, by then, how many people will still have the money, much less the appetite, for another $60 videogame?

Following a generation of EA hockey that will be remembered for its nonexistent neutral zone pressure, CPU goalies that could be beaten more easily with bugs/exploits than with legitimate scoring tactics, and CPU offenses consisting of ping-pong, east-to-west passing, I cannot see many consumers wanting to risk their $60 on September 9 (the same day that Destiny arrives) in the hope that NHL 15 has finally created a compelling single-player experience -- something that hasn't happened since Season Mode debuted in NHL 95 on the Super Nintendo.

Robert Kollars: This is obviously going to hit hard with many fans on an emotional level. Some are going to feel cheated, some will cancel pre-orders, and some will decide not to purchase the game at all. All the feelings are somewhat warranted, as for many, the has been the preeminent title they have been waiting for.

With all that said, I think in the end this is the right thing to do. If you can't properly implement a mode in the allotted time, than don't include it at all. It is one thing for fans of the series to disappointed about the omissions, it's quite another for them to spend full price on a title with expectations of quality and depth, only to have the carpet pulled out from under them after said money has been spent.

If EA continues to put forth full focus on this title, by the time NHL 16 drops, fans will have forgotten about this years iteration, and be better off for it.

Glenn Wigmore: As I covered in my piece earlier this week, this omission is not only troubling from a value proposition but also from the perspective of transparent communication.

For the value question, it's absolutely fair to ask whether either version (last gen or current gen) is worth the $60 price point. I don't doubt the NHL 15 dev team's sincerity, but questions about time management and priorities are a real sticking point here. Why was only 12 months dedicated to next-gen NHL 15? What's really been added to the last-gen version? Why should anyone even buy that version when it looks like they added nothing of value (compared to NHL 14)? And on next-gen systems, it's even more disappointing, as the gameplay and visuals are so great and yet modes have been removed. Honestly, I'm more frustrated at EA as a company than I am with the dev team, as clearly more time, people and financial resources were needed to do this right.

As for communication, that's also a big problem. While it's nice to see the developers get out there and try and answer questions about their thinking for these omissions, it all rings a bit hollow when there's been nothing but silence for months about this aspect of the game. On top of that, gameplay has barely been seen until the recent reveal. When users are having to resort to shaky cams to get game footage about three weeks before release, you have a problem. It's frustrating to hear the dev team talk about being "called out" on presentation and then use that as a crutch for leaving out core game modes. This whole situation just looks (and feels) bad all around.

Matthew Coe: I have to be honest, I was blown away when I saw how many modes were going to be either missing, or downgraded from last generation versions of NHL. I expected EASHL to be absent (not that it was any less jarring), but I did not expect the removal or rebuilding of single player modes as well. Be-A-GM mode has likely been reduced in scope, feature, and function. Live the Life is now gone from single player. EASHL, Online Team Play (at launch), and GM Connected Online are all missing from the online component.

Even after the statement this week, I have more questions than answers. Like Glenn, I'm wary of the explanation that the PS4/XB1 version only got 12 months when the team skipped a next-gen version last year. Previous interviews about the development of EA NHL 15 intimated that the team was given extra time for the tech to be sorted out on PS4/XB1. I'm also in the camp that feels that this year's title might not provide the value to be a $60 retail title. I do not doubt the talent, skill, and dedication of the NHL development team, but I do have serious doubts about EA Sports and their priorities as a publisher however.

I can't help but wonder if EASHL wasn't kept out of EA NHL 15 until the suits can figure out how to effectively monetize the mode. I have the same concerns with GM Connected online. EA cites low usage as a cause for the removal of the latter, but I'm not so sure. It's a bad situation for both hockey fans and consumers who purchase the EA NHL series every year.

Today's decision has absolutely affected my decision to buy the game on release this year, as a casual hockey fan. This is Madden NFL 06 on XBox 360 levels of disappointment if you ask me.

Now with a few days to digest the news, what do you think? Are you going to be buying NHL 15 on new-gen consoles? Sticking with the old-gen? Sound off!