It’s almost that time of year again! Before you know it, we’ll be inundated with new information regarding the latest iteration of EA’s long-running hockey series. As we get ever closer to that date, it’s time to get our brains into gear and think about what we’re hoping to see in EA’s upcoming addition to the franchise.

What do we know about NHL 18 so far? Very little. It seems doubtful the Frostbite engine will make its debut, given there's been no indication of its inclusion during EA’s recent earnings conference call.

Here at OS, we’ve always loved creating wishlists for our favorite games, and the NHL series is no exception. I’ve used this opportunity to detail both my own personal desires for NHL 18, as well as including some items found in our forums over the past few months. 

We know there are more suggestions you’ve got for us though, so don’t be shy about leaving a comment below. 
 

Enhanced Presentation

Right off the bat (stick?), let’s talk presentation. To me, the potential of the series’ current presentation suite is being wasted with a general lack of variation. 

If you’re a newcomer to the series, you probably haven’t noticed this. However, long-term veterans have been dealing with many of the same cutscenes, camera angles and commentary for the past few seasons, and more variety is desperately needed. Whether you’re playing an NHL playoff, minor league, or World Cup of Hockey game, it all feels just a bit too similar.

Greater diversity in NHL 18's presentation would help to enhance its longevity and cut out the annoyances that plague it at present. Of course, it's not just about variation. The game's atmosphere needs to feel more alive in general, particularly in the playoffs.

AI Upgrades

It might not seem like it at times, but NHL’s AI has come a long way in the last few years. That said, when it fails to perform up to standard, it’s an immersion-breaking issue that causes irritation on a semi-regular basis.

I think particular attention needs to be paid to defensive AI, which suffers the most when playing in EASHL or Be A Pro. Players still have a tendency to get stuck behind their own net, board themselves for no reason, and even challenge their own netminder due to horrendous decision-making. 

Also, goalies are still prone to a variety of errors despite their overhaul in NHL 17. Scenarios such as a looping puck or defensive mix-up are evidently tough for them to deal with, sometimes resulting in goals that don’t replicate a real-life scenario. As a result, it’s easy to grow irritable with the way they perform in-game. 

These AI issues are evidently tough to fix at present, but improvements are being made on a yearly basis. Another year of refinement to the Ignite engine would stand the series in good stead heading into an inevitable transition phase, so let’s hope we can enjoy some significant upgrades to this element of the game later this year.
 

Refined Player/Puck Control

NHL 17's focus on an arguably sloppier style of hockey has been praised, but it occasionally falls short of the mark.

There’s still work to be done with the way players interact with the puck. Sure, it’s realistic that a bouncing puck is tough to handle, but there are other times when players seem inept at collecting the easiest of loose passes. 

A particular gripe of mine relates to danglers who find their way through too many attempted checks. I’ve often found myself explaining, “you just need to learn how to get around that,” to series newbies who are left disengaged by this aspect of the game. 

I think EA has done a good job at replicating a more authentic side of the sport in NHL 17, but an extra layer of balance and refinement would help to get the most out of it. 

Custom Music

Those who enjoy EA’s NHL series often fall into two categories: they either don’t care much for presentation, or they’re desperate for anything to add more immersion in this area. I fall into the latter, and custom music is something I’m hoping to see return to the franchise for this reason.

Hockey is a game very much complemented by the use of music, and fully replicating the feel of an NHL arena just isn’t possible without it. Since the move to current-gen, custom music hasn’t been available in EA’s NHL series, and while console limitations appeared to prevent its inclusion for a while, similar franchises like Sony's MLB The Show have proved it can be done in recent years.

I don’t even mind having to jump through a few hoops if I have to; I just really want to customize each team's audio. 
 

GM Connected

The reasons why NHL’s answer to Connected Franchise went away are well-documented, and it generally comes down to a lack of continued investment at the time.

I still think there’s an audience for GM Connected, but its original incarnation wasn’t as user-friendly as we'd have liked. It was clunky, took forever to transition between menu screens, and ultimately never managed to move at a fluid pace. For that reason alone, many of us gave up on it.

GM Connected is a big undertaking for any development team. There are potential risks involved, and it’s perfectly understandable that EA hasn’t wished to include it in recent years. That doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to dream though, and I’d be as excited as anyone if it turned out as a big surprise later this year.

Expansion Draft

We’ve got a new team entering the NHL later this year in the form of the Vegas Golden Knights, and what better way to celebrate than to add the expansion draft to NHL 18's franchise mode?

The barrage of customization elements added to NHL 17 have made a huge difference, allowing us to create new teams, jerseys and arenas on a greater scale than ever.

But, we’re still missing the ability to take advantage of an expansion draft to add players to our created teams in franchise mode. Given the timeliness of Vegas’ addition to the real-life league, it’s almost inevitable that we’ll get an expansion draft before long. Hopefully, we’ll only have to wait a few more months for it.
 

Outdoor Games/All-Star Weekend

It’s been a few years since outdoor games were included in the series, and although they haven’t been greatly campaigned for in the years since, it makes sense to put them back in. Not only do they add variety, but they enhance the immersion factor for both franchise mode and Be A Pro schedules. 

And then, what about the All-Star Weekend? It’d take time to implement -- especially if the Skills Competition were included -- but it’d also provide a fun side-attraction to fit alongside the main game.

Believe it or not, NHL 97 was the last game in the series to include a Skills Competition feature. Over 20 years later, it’d be great to see it make a long-awaited return. 

Roster Sharing

For years, customization was somewhat lacking in the NHL series, but NHL 17 has remedied that with a host of tools at our disposal. Now, creating new teams offers a good range of possibilities, and that means we can be more adventurous with our ideas than ever. 

If you want to, you can create a 30-team league of NHL teams from the '90s. Alternatively, you can make a brand-new set of teams from countries that aren’t replicated in EA’s series yet. Or, you might just want to create your own interpretation of the latest real-life rosters. 

If you don't have the time to do that, you're currently out of luck. With the addition of roster sharing, we could vastly customize our games, downloading others' creations at the click of a button. Without a doubt, roster sharing would prove a very meaningful addition to the series.

We want to hear what you would like to see from EA’s NHL 18 when it arrives later this year. Leave us a comment below!