NHL 17 Wishlist: Features We'd Love to See

Feature Article

Submitted on: 05/02/2016 by Fraser Gilbert

EA recently treated us to our first look at NHL 17 with the unveiling of a brand-new “Vision” trailer. Throughout the course of the video, numerous new features were hinted at, such as a World Cup Of Hockey mode and seemingly major improvements to Be A GM mode.

We’re going to have to wait a little longer to see what EA has in store for us, but in the meantime, I've drawn up a wishlist of the some of the most commonly requested features ahead of the game's release later this year.

AI Improvements

Particular attention needs to be paid to the defensive AI in NHL 17. At present, we’re still inundated with incidents of players getting stuck behind the net, and failing to adapt on the fly and move into correct positions. NHL 16's AI was a big upgrade over the previous year's efforts, but there’s more to be done.

Net Battles

If the new trailer is anything to go by, it would appear net battles stand a chance of being heavily improved in NHL 17. As it stands, battling in front of the net is far too favorable for the offensive team. An improved net battle system would make this scenario a more strategic affair.

More Presentation Features

Doc and Eddie are doing an excellent job in the announcing booth, but there’s still too much repetition on their part. Adding more TV-style presentation aspects, including real-life statistics, would also be a nice touch. I'd like to see even more arena-specific features depending on the arena we’re playing in, too.

A New Stanley Cup Celebration Scene

Every year, we’re faced with practically the same Stanley Cup celebration scene. It feels stale, and it has been that way for far too long. With the next incarnation, I'm hopeful for something a bit more interactive. Imagine skating along the ice with the cup in hand! It’s time for a change.

Be A GM Upgrades

It would appear the new trailer was hinting at some potentially big changes in NHL 17's Be A GM mode, including relocation features. It'd be good to see improved scouting options as well as an upgraded morale system. There are all sorts of ways this mode could be improved, so hopefully EA will give it some serious attention this year.

Be A Pro Needs Attention

Be A Pro doesn’t come equipped with all the bells and whistles that, say, NBA 2K's equivalent does. We don't need necessarily need a storyline, but more interactivity is required to create a more immersive experience. At the moment, it's far too difficult to differentiate between this mode and Be A GM.

The Return Of GM Connected

GM Connected’s brief tenure wasn’t a successful one, but the mode wasn’t that great anyway. Remember the painfully slow menus? The introduction of an overhauled franchise mode we can play with our friends would be great. It seems doubtful EA will look to bring this back in the near future, though, so don't get too excited about this one.

Additional Customization Options

Customization has all but dried up in the NHL series in recent years. In NHL 16, the ability to create a team is missing, and customization in terms of EASHL and HUT teams is lacking. At the very least, we should be able to to create our own EASHL jerseys again! Luckily, the new trailer is hinting at more customization options for the upcoming game.

Winter Classic/All-Star Weekend

The series' transition to the next generation of consoles forced the disappearance of the Winter Classic mode. Now, it's time for it to make a comeback. There has not been an in-depth All-Star Weekend experience in the EA Sports' NHL series yet, either. The skills competition, in particular, would be an exciting addition.

Custom Music

From the days of the ditty importer to assigning playlists on the Xbox 360 and PS3, many of us have spent countless hours tinkering with custom music. Current-gen consoles are partly to blame for the removal of this feature, but we can be hopeful that EA will find a way to bypass any limitations and bring it back.

Responsive Menus

After two years in existence, the menu system in this game still feels slow and buggy at times. Despite the improvements made in NHL 16, an overhauled design with much faster transitions would be preferable. This is especially the case in HUT, where rapidly switching between different menu screens is a necessity.

NHL 17 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 ttrobbins84 @ 05/02/16 12:39 PM

Of all the flaws that are in NHL 16 the most frustrating thing is for sure the menus. Why do I have to press the button 10 times to get it to take?

AI: I would love to see improved AI. I wish that the players that tend to cherry pick or are quick on the breakaways would take off for a chance at a tape to tape breakaway. Players seem to act a lot alike regardless of their "player type". I would like to see if I'm playing a team with speed and skill they'll move the puck quickly and look for open shots. On the reverse if I'm playing a gritty team that checks, see them fighting for the puck down low. Teams feel the same to play against, just with different star players.

Crowds: Crowds noisier during playoffs and a general interaction with what's going on. Love to see them stand on a breakaway. Get excited on a clear during a tough PK situation. I know we will likely never hear them chanting a goalie's name but if that were possible that'd be a nice addition too.

BAGM: Coaches with play styles and attributes. It doesn't even have to be the real coaches IMO. I'd settle for generic coaches just for the sake of actually having them. Have certain coaches have strengths and weaknesses. Ability to hire assistant coaches as well. I hate that the franchise mode for NHL is about as featured and detailed as some of the earlier franchise modes we've seen in games. Morale system is okay, just not enough attention to it. Integrate world championships with BAGM. You can be selected to manage a team just like in Fifa. You can select from the pool of available players the same way.

I for one feel that NHL gameplay wise has made some great strides in the right direction. The improvements have made the game play and feel so much better. The sliders tend to work a little more responsively than in years past. The sliders I play with, 7 minute games tend to finish with very realistic results and are difficult. I still see the computer having games they are in when they haven't put many shots on net. Some of those are my fault for playing too aggressively but some times it's just frustrating to feel the "tilt". Year after year I feel like this could be the big year. I'm not so sure this time around with so many years of being disappointed. I'll stay optimistic and look forward to what new info they release.

# 2 Dazraz @ 05/02/16 12:51 PM

Menus!!! Ha ha. How can NBA 2K & MLB The Show have far more detailed looking menus yet be so fast to navigate while those on the NHL series look like they're a couple of console generations old yet take a ridiculous time to navigate. It could be an EA thing. Madden is much the same.

# 3 ttrobbins84 @ 05/02/16 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dazraz


	Menus!!! Ha ha. How can NBA 2K & MLB The Show have far more detailed looking menus yet be so fast to navigate while those on the NHL series look like they're a couple of console generations old yet take a ridiculous time to navigate. It could be an EA thing. Madden is much the same.

I have absolutely no idea to be honest. Their menus are the worst in any game I've ever played. I just don't understand how that gets through development. They are insanely sluggish. Madden does have some sluggish menu response times as well. I haven't played any of the other EA Sports titles so I can't speak for them. It's been obvious for many years that EA doesn't care that much for the NHL franchise. I wish it wasn't exclusive so that we may get the option to try out a 2K version. I wish that the amount of detail that Sony puts into The Show would be put into this franchise.

# 4 Godgers12 @ 05/02/16 01:13 PM

One Be a GM feature i'd love to see is the implementation of other leagues within the mode. So in the offseason NHL FA's may decide to play in Europe the following season, and vice versa. Stats from those leagues should also be tracked and viewable on player cards. Fifa does this, on a much larger scale than NHL would have to. So it is very feasible.

# 5 norml @ 05/02/16 01:45 PM

Hopefully the skating engine works this year.

Vision control that actually allows you to play square to the puck without constant random spins.

If they do the net battles like in NHL Legacy they will be fine.

DEFENSIVE SKILL STICK! The way the manual stick sweep works now would be tolerable if it didn't automatically do a chop as soon as the puck came off a stick.

Would love improved collision detection and the ability to pick up a loose puck.

Fix the seamless puck pickups.

If the EASHL builds are staying make them NHL caliber.

Passing needs tweeks. Every player in the NHL can pass the puck at high speed. Make this possible.

Get rid of the dangle bubble.

All the automation needs to go.

# 6 badazzleroybrown @ 05/02/16 02:13 PM

all i want is a pc version
so that we can have online modding sites like the good ole days
they make your product way better than you as there are more of them doing it

the use of legends offline game play

# 7 DoubleD914 @ 05/02/16 02:43 PM

Hope they bring back the create-a-play feature.

Line Changes need to be less distracting to initiate while controlling your player and shouldn't take as long as they currently do.

Loose puck battles around the boards and in the corner should feel like you actually have some control in winning or losing the puck. Would be great if they updated this mechanic. There was a feature in NHL 05 (I think) where you could control a teammate with the right stick to come help out while pinning your man against the boards.

AGREE 100% they need to make an "accept puck" button that makes your player orient his body toward the puck for a seamless transition up the ice or receiving a pass while moving. Which brings me to PASSING. It's very clunky. Can't tell you how many times I want to make a quick pass and the animation takes way too long or I have to hold down the RT for a hard pass. Why not just let me use the right trigger like I can for shooting. Use RT as the pass modifier button. When you want to pass you hold down RT and flick the right stick in the direction you want to pass. When you want to shoot you would do so with the right stick as you currently do. Might be worth trying out or at least have the option to turn on or off new gameplay mechanics like you can in MLB the Show each year.

Introduce a more personalized and colorful Be a Pro experience. The best be a pro mode in my opinion was in the NCAA franchise. You had a college dorm room and could look back on your achievements and felt a sense of purpose rather than just seeing spreadsheets and tables in the game menus of your progress.

Dynamic Camera was a step in the right direction. I'd like to see a camera that zooms in and out when appropriate. Or give the user a button that he can press to zoom the camera in while playing..ie...battling along the boards or in front of the net for a loose puck. Although the camera is in 3rd person, I still want to be able to see what my player sees if that makes sense.

Bit of a ramble but thought I'd add my thoughts. Looking forward to NHL17...hope they partner with the Gongshow to get a little inspiration for the passion and love that hockey fans have for their sport

# 8 snc237 @ 05/02/16 03:03 PM

A.I. Need the biggest upgrade. When a person can call a line change and skate around in the offensive zone with only one guy vs The rest of the team and the AI just stands there letting the other guy skate freely till his teammates come back. There is really no urgency to the CPU in anything they do. Line changes take far to long, and sometimes are very questionable when they happen. If your goalies pulled they don't seem to know and play D like there is a goalie in net. Don't get me wrong, the AI is better then prior years but still has a long ways to go.

# 9 extremeskins04 @ 05/02/16 05:12 PM

My wishlist for NHL 17:

1. Coaches: We need coaches with their play styles, schemes, attributes and the ability to hire and fire them. I want them to impact the game either positively or negatively in BeAGM mode.

2. Better Scouting and Potential System: We need to be able to hire our scouts and look and see their styles and attributes. Right now we just assume we have "good scouts", we really have no idea.

3. A Deeper Draft Presentation: It's nice that we can trade up or down in the draft but Draft Day is pretty bland and boring.

4. More Intuitive Free Agency and Contract Negotiations: Right now I can offer a player a sum of money and they accept it regardless of which team I am, how well I did the year before, and other factors.

If there is a player like Stamkos or Benn that enters Free Agency and I'm playing the GM as the Bruins and we came in dead last in the standings that year prior, then he should NOT want to come to my team but would sign if I gave him a TON more money than other teams.

Make it realistic with contract negotiations and free agency signings.

# 10 SuperGoalies @ 05/02/16 06:18 PM

my wish list is: anticipation goalie saves (with left or right stick whichever),
out of town stats and scores & replays of other games (TSN & sportsnet & CBC & NBC), able to watch older games around and out leagues, replays of other games and old games could be cinematic, kinda like NHL 16 Simulation video, hot and cold streaks, more stick curves (NHL 12-14), 20 minutes of low shots in be a gm =p, ability to run so close to goalie and slap it in close and score, realistic sliders from HUT to other modes etc.. (Be A GM & Season & Playoffs), bring back NHL Helper please =p

# 11 Caniac94 @ 05/02/16 06:24 PM

It would be awesome to see the stupid auto rotate and random animations done away with. That has really been grinding my gears for years now.

Give us neutral zone pressure! Make the neutral zone a lot tougher to navigate and tougher to gain O zone entries. Plus the AI needs a complete overhaul.

Not gameplay related. How about a new Stanley Cup celebration? EA promised one two years ago but we still have the same celebration we've had since NHL... 09? The current celebration has been used for years now and is so stale it's not even funny! It's also a really cheesy celebration to boot. Allow us to skate with the Cup maybe? I would also like to actually see my pro in Be A Pro in the celebration and have the chance to control him with the Cup. That would be sick.

# 12 mjarz02 @ 05/02/16 06:29 PM

Board play needs an upgrade. Often times the players stick and even the puck will go through the boards resulting in goofy animations.

Penalty kill lines in game need to be flexible to allow to sub fatigued players.

# 13 HisAirness53 @ 05/02/16 07:44 PM

It would be awesome to see SAP overlays and have breakdowns highlighted in replays. It's a stretch but hey this is a wish list right?! I also am among those who would love to see Connected Franchise back. I loved starting franchise with friends in the past. I would also love to see them go back to the old Format of EASHL I hate the fact I have to use generic player type, rather than being able to spends my points how I see fit. Last but not least HUT, imo Madden does it perfectly with endless thing to do weekly challenges and coin ups and what not. I would much rather enjoy playing HUT if it resembles the Madden offering.

# 14 Sheba2011 @ 05/02/16 08:18 PM

The GM Mode needs a major overhaul, the current one is the same one they have been using for a decade just with sleek new menus. Some things I would love to see changed:

1. A full relocation suite.
2. Ability to scout individual players/overhaul of scouting system
3. All prospects having a picture, completely kills the immersion for me when I have to stare at a black silhouette.
4. Playable all star weekend with skill challenges.
5. Realistic GM AI
6. Scrap or overhaul the morale system.
7. Actual coaching staffs that can be fired/hired.

# 15 clarkerots @ 05/02/16 10:24 PM

Besides the ones mentioned I would like to see goalie fatigue (was back in 02 I think, where goalies would be tired after 4 or 5 games) should depend on durability or fatigue rating.

More injuries. Lets face it, if you don't sim any games, at the highest slider, you can go a whole season without really needing your AHL team at all.

Goalie injuries. Its huge and it happens. I shouldn't be able to use Quick for 78 games in a season, and the only reason for not 82 is because I just decided to give the backup some work.

Total edit control. I've been saying this for years. If you play online, then you have to use the online roster, which has the correct teams and ratings. For offline, its all mine. Who cares if I give my entire team the same last name, face, and hair. Its my offline league, and I should have total control.

# 16 BurghFan @ 05/03/16 12:48 AM

I have been waiting for them to add the ECHL so we have another level to develop young prospects instead of having the lower rated players sitting on the bench and not getting any experience in the AHL.

# 17 Gotmilkman24 @ 05/03/16 01:05 PM

Someone did mention it, but crowd improvement for you offline mode players would be nice. And with that I mean, let them stand up on a breakaway, or make some sort of sound when you hit the bar. Some sort of interaction when the goalie makes a huge save. 2K had it in their game 10 years ago. No excuse to be in a current gen game now.
And as everyone else has said. AI needs some big improvement. They don't need to be the best poke checkers or great at stick lift. Just some sort of awareness would be nice.

# 18 KidShowtime @ 05/03/16 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gotmilkman24


	Someone did mention it, but crowd improvement for you offline mode players would be nice. And with that I mean, let them stand up on a breakaway, or make some sort of sound when you hit the bar. Some sort of interaction when the goalie makes a huge save. 2K had it in their game 10 years ago. No excuse to be in a current gen game now. And as everyone else has said. AI needs some big improvement. They don't need to be the best poke checkers or great at stick lift. Just some sort of awareness would be nice.

Just to add to this:

- The Crowd yelling 'SHOOOT' on the PP when the puck gets to the point or during offensive pressure during the final seconds during a close game.

- Up the decibel level on the crowd during playoffs. In HUT, EASHL & Offline Season modes. Let's FEEL that it's the playoffs.

# 19 unisol_us @ 05/03/16 03:27 PM

A couple of additions I would love to see in the future have to do with gameplay. Not just skating, shooting hitting ect.. but all of the games within the game that make hockey so fun to watch and play. Here are a couple of ideas.

- Momentum. Some ways for the player to shift momentum especially when they are playing poorly. Maybe a coaching decision, puck possession, pep talk, stretch passing are just some ways to influence gameplay. Maybe some type of meter that shows the current balance in the game.

- There really needs to be more coaching / strategy options within the game and a much better tutorial on what the current strategies do. Perks for prepping your goalie for tendencies of opponents, much more line match up options, ability to key certain players on the opponents. This could be very robust and I think would add to the overall enjoyment of BeApro and BeAGM.

- Lastly has to be improved AI. I do not want to ramble as I do believe that it is much improved this year, but a good step for 17 would be improved odd man rushes for both the AI and the human player and the neutral zone really needs some work. AI offense is pretty unrealistic, at least on the higher difficulty levels, by the infinite passes in the neutral zone that is designed to pull your players out of position while the CPU works for the on timer in the slot. As the human player it is very hard to set up your players on a 3 on 2 or 2 on 1 and when it works its almost always the same one timer.

I have more but if any of these areas got an upgrade I would be extremely happy.

# 20 headzapp @ 05/03/16 04:34 PM

I have one, from playing a few games last night and getting frustrated. Puck IQ. As in if there is a loose puck in front of the net, have your teammates push forward and try to shoot the puck. They just skate around. Attack the net please! Help me out a little. I shouldn't be the only one in control trying to score.

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