With the help of our readers and EA Sports, we had an opportunity to interview David Littman, Producer of NHL 08.

Operation Sports:  Will there be UFA's and RFA's during dynasty mode?

David Littman:  We have greatly improved our free agency model. Players will wait a few days and evaluate contract offers before making their decisions. At this time our free agency model does not reflect the UFA or RFA system present in the current CBA. This is something we will look into for next year.

Operation Sports:  How is the player progression during dynasty mode?

David Littman:  You will see players improve with playing time in the AHL and the NHL so it is better served to have certain players play an extra year in the AHL just to give them first line minutes instead of playing on your fourth line in the NHL. The model is very similar to what coaches would do for their prospects in real life.

Operation Sports:  Has the Draft been upgraded in any way? More advanced scouting during dynasty mode?

David Littman:  We have improved our scouting this year by having your scout provide ranges for each attribute. The more you scout an area of the world the better the information will be when you receive it. We have also added a Scouting Central page which changes every month or so to tell you where the CPU believes the prospects are ranked in terms of draft position but you will ultimately have to use your scout to determine what the best pick is for you. There are also “Franchise” players that show up every two to five years, like a Sydney or Mario. Those are the years when you will want to trade for the number one pick [or finish last].

Operation Sports:  Will all the AHL teams have real players and no "fake name" players?

David Littman:  The AHL has real players on the teams. We have the PHPA license which allows to use any AHL player who has signed a waiver for use in our game. So there might be some players missing but as soon as we get the ok to use the player, we will be adding him into the game through roster updates.

Operation Sports:  Will the AI, once they get in the offensive zone, set up plays and pass the puck to the teammate that has the best shot.

David Littman:  Yes, we had four people work specifically on AI for the entire year. If the AI controlled team does not have an odd-man rush, they will usually look to set up in the offensive zone and work the puck around until they see a good scoring chance. Also, guys like Jagr will sometimes try and beat a defender one on one to get a scoring chance. The AI team starts to learn your weaknesses the more you play. If you always attack at the blueline, they will start dumping the puck. On All-Star and Superstar difficulty settings, if you start running around in the d-zone, I can guarantee the AI team will take advantage and make you pay.

Operation Sports:  Which international leagues will be included in 360-version?

David Littman:  We will have the SM-Liiga (Finland) and Elitserien (Sweden) as well as over 20 National teams.

Operation Sports:  Will you have the authentic national team jerseys?

David Littman:  At this time we do not have the rights to use the national team jerseys. We are always trying to improve our authenticity and will continue looking into this for future editions of the game.

Operation Sports:  Will it be dynasty mode for the international leagues as well in 360-version?

David Littman:  You can import any team into Dynasty mode including international league teams, but we do not have the Euro league schedules in Dynasty.

Operation Sports:  Will we see commercial ads on the jerseys for the teams in the international leagues in the 360-version?

David Littman:  No, we do not have the rights to do that.

Operation Sports:  Will there be online leagues similar to those in NHL 2K7 (or better)?

David Littman:  Yes, we have online leagues in NHL 08. You can play with anywhere from 2 to 32 teams, and customize the amount of games played. There is full leaderboard stat tracking. We plan on expanding the online league feature set next year.

Operation Sports:  Will NHL 08 allow the user to invite a friend for online coop sessions in season/franchise modes? Coop play rules and it's about time they become part of sports video gaming.

David Littman:  Yes. Co-op play is a big part of our online feature set this year. You can play up to 4 on 4 on the 360, and up to 6 on 6 on PS3. Another cool feature for 08 is online team play. You can play with and against up to 5 other people on 6 different consoles anywhere in the world. You can play as the goalie from the goalie cam mode during online team play. In both modes, you can lock to a position or just play normal. We also have shootout mode online with stat tracking. You can play as the shooters and the goalie.

Operation Sports:  Will "dynamic crowds" be featured this year (for example, will crowds be sold out in Buffalo yet half-full in Chicago)?

David Littman:  There will be dynamic crowds in our game this year. Also, during the play-offs, expect to see the sea of red in Calgary and entire home team crowds wearing a specific team color.

Operation Sports:  Does playing with an AHL or European team have a different feeling than playing with an NHL squad (for example, smaller venues, different crowd chants, limited player abilities such as not being able to perform a specific deke...or different commentary elements altogether relating to the other leagues)?

David Littman:  The stadiums have a different feel to them. There is a really cool AHL arena, and some cool Euro arenas. The audio and presentation brings out the differences between the different leagues, and there are specific chants for each team. You will notice differences in talent but even the players playing in the AHL and European leagues are highly skilled in many areas. 

Operation Sports:  Will teams have their own specific offensive, defensive and special team (powerplay/penalty killing) tendencies or plays in the game? For example, the Sabres mount a ton of tension by passing numerous times in their opponent's zone during a power play. Will we see this from their virtual counterparts and other teams that use similar tactics or will the CPU basically use a generic play?

David Littman:  Yes. Each team has been programmed to play like their real life counterparts. The Devils will sit back and wait for their opportunities, while the Sabres will attack more often. But, their strategies are always changing. If you are up by two goals, the Devils will change their game and take more chances. If you sit back too much in your own zone, teams will start shooting from the point. Different player types will play differently. Bertuzzi will drive wide and use his body, while Ovechkin will try and beat a defenseman one on one. All teams will take advantage of your mistakes. You have to play solid defense or you will get burned. You can’t run around and try and check everyone. Opponents with good puck handling skills will deke past you. You can’t run around with poke held down, or you will get a lot of tripping penalties. You need to stay in the passing lanes and only attack at the correct times.

Operation Sports:  Will the Defensive AI be more aggressive when I put one of my guys in front of the net?

David Littman:  Yes. On the two higher difficulty levels, you will have a tough time getting to the net. You can try a one on one deke with a good player, or get the puck back to the point and work the puck around. D-men will look to get forwards out from in front of the net so the goalie can see the puck. Screen shots mean a lot in NHL 08, so they are a great way of scoring if you see one.

Operation Sports:  Are the PS2/Computer versions of NHL 08 going to be the same minus the graphics as the 360/PS3? Also will the dynasty mode be longer then 10 years?

David Littman:  There are some similarities such as the skill stick, the AHL and some AI improvements, but the PS2 and PC versions were done by a separate dev team. Dynasty is now 15 years long.

Operation Sports:  Will there be user controller saucer passes in NHL 08?

David Littman:  Yes, the right bumper/R1 is the saucer pass. The saucer pass is fully under your control. Tap for a short pass or hold a bit longer for a long sauce. The pass will go exactly where your left analog is, so you can make saucer passes to space behind defenseman.

Operation Sports:  We would like to thank you for your time with this interview, is there anything else you would like to add?  

David Littman:  We worked very hard to make an authentic and fun hockey game. It is also a game that will make watching hockey on TV more fun. If you see a great play on TV, recreate it in our “create a play” mode. Or make your own plays and see if any NHL team uses them. We believe that NHL 08 is so true to life, that the more you watch and play hockey in real life, the better you will be in our game.

We hope everyone enjoys NHL 08 and look forward to seeing your feedback.