NHL 13 Season Ticket Impressions

[jyoung]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

Little frustrating that it's so difficult to get your players in proper defensive position. The left trigger is useless (I understand this now controls backskating?). Wish the left trigger allowed us to do what it has in the past...

This is my biggest issue with the game right now.

There's no more vision control (square your player's body to follow the puck).

Instead, that button is used for the silly backskating feature.

[canucksss]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

Little frustrating that it's so difficult to get your players in proper defensive position. The left trigger is useless (I understand this now controls backskating?). Even on All-Star / Hardcore I'm getting outshot by nearly 15 per game because I can't get my guys in good position. BUT, the scores aren't reflective of those shots (I use 11 minute periods and try to play a sim-style of hockey). Wish the left trigger allowed us to do what it has in the past...

this is just a guess...but have you created your "team AI"? maybe this is the answer on how our AI teammates will play defense???

those guys claiming that they can see penalties coming from both side...kindly post what sliders u made your adjustments...coz the most i have in AS/HC with 10 mins per period is 1-3 in total...3 is soooooo seldomn.

[fatleg3]

The menus in GM connected look ok, but everything is so laggy and slow

[DrPhibes]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

This is my biggest issue with the game right now. There's no more vision control (square your player's body to follow the puck). Instead, that button is used for the silly backskating feature.

As a guy who primarily plays LD, this is devstating.

How am I able to strafe in front of the net to intercept passes? That is my #1 tactic.

[jyoung]

Quote:

How am I able to strafe in front of the net to intercept passes? That is my #1 tactic.

All you can do now is just stand still in place with no buttons held and make whatever minor adjustments you can with the left joystick.

I basically don't even press the left trigger at all anymore. All that button does now is screw up your body positioning and turn your player around where his back will be turned to the puck.

[theaub]

Time to sim a season and see what goes down.

Trades etc
I simmed until the New Year when I really planned to jump into the trade market. The CPU offered me a few trades during that time. All of them involved them trading third round picks for some AHL'ers. Some of them (3rd for Brandon Saad/Dylan Olsen etc) were dumb, and others (3rd rounder for Rob Flick) were equivalently dumb. I ended up with a couple virtually free 3rd rounders.

Once I got to January, I pretty much made it my goal to rip off the CPU as much as possible. I do like that the game highlights in green players that the other team is interested and in red their players that they are willing to give away (don't know if it was like that last year I didn't own '12).

Chicago receives: Jordan Schroeder
Vancouver receives: Dan Carcillo

Chicago receives: Jarome Iginla
Calgary receives: Niklas Hjarmalsson

Chicago receives: Jordan Eberle, Darcy Hordichuk
Edmonton receives: Nick Leddy, Mark McNeill, 2013 1st, 2016 1st

Chicago receives: Chris Kreider
New York receives: Michael Frolik, two 3rd rounders

So I think you get the point...the trade engine still isn't perfect. Some of the later 1st round picks (like 2016/2017/2018) have far too much value. Also offering all these trades killed my GM rep. Ah well.

Trades from around the league

MIN Granlund, Graovac - Streit NYI
MON 2nd, Avtsin - Brodeur NJD
OTT E. Nabokov - 2nd, 3rd PHI
FLA Versteeg - 1st, 2nd, Cunningham BOS
OTT Gonchar, Greening - 1st, 1st, Fienhage BUF
FLA Clemmensen - 2nd CAR
FLA Kuba - 1st NYR
WPG Hainsey - 1st, Kozun LAK
LA Weal, Andreoff - Fisher, 3rd, Yip NSH
OTT Neil - 2nd, 3rd LAK

On the plus side, there are a lot more trades around deadline day. However, some of the strategies are confusing me. Florida pretty much went into fire sale mode but they were only a point out of the playoffs on deadline day. However, the other teams that traded good players (Ottawa, Nashville, New Jersey) were all safely out of the playoff race.

It was slightly concerning that some teams did not make any moves. For example, the Maple Leafs were 41-14-7 (ahahaha yeah right) at the trade deadline but didn't make a single move. Burke was probably ego-stroking too much to pick up the phone but that's a different story altogether haha

In conclusion, trade engine has some potential. Can still be exploited but I've seen worse from the NHL series so at least its getting somewhat better.

Stats/Standings

West
1. Calgary
2. San Jose
3. St. Louis
4. Vancouver
5. Minnesota
6. Anaheim
7. Columbus
8. Los Angeles

East
1. Carolina
2. Toronto
3. Pittsburgh
4. New York
5. Buffalo
6. Montreal
7. Tampa Bay
8. Washington

Stanley Cup: Columbus over New York

I will refrain from commenting on the sim engine. You can draw your own conclusions.

Goals
1. Crosby - 43
2. Gagne - 42
3. Ovechkin - 41
4. Gaborik - 40
5. Kovalchuk - 40

Assists
1. Thornton - 61
2. St. Louis - 59
3. Backstrom - 56
4. Parise - 56
5. H. Sedin - 54

Points
T1. Thornton - 92
T1. Parise - 92
3. Crosby - 87
T4. Kovalchuk - 86
T4. Malkin - 86

Wins
1. Miller - 39
2. Kiprusoff - 36
3. Reimer - 36
4. Ward - 36
5. Niemi - 36

Goals Against
1. Price - 1.95
2. Miller - 2.00
3. Lundqvist - 2.02
4. Kiprusoff - 2.04
5. Rinne - 2.14

Save Percentage
1. Price - .935
2. Miller - .931
3. Lundqvist - .931
4. Kiprusoff - .931
5. Rinne - .929

No goalie played in more than 68 games. Only 4 played in more than 61. Not a fan of the goalie stats in general.

General offseason notes

- You can't go 10% over the cap when signing free agents which blows (especially since all the CPU controlled teams are over the cap once the offseason starts).
- Signed Del Zotto to an offer sheet for $3.165 mil per year. The Rangers...didn't match. I'm not sure why

So yeah...take this for what you want.

[ezio]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

Little frustrating that it's so difficult to get your players in proper defensive position. The left trigger is useless (I understand this now controls backskating?). Even on All-Star / Hardcore I'm getting outshot by nearly 15 per game because I can't get my guys in good position. BUT, the scores aren't reflective of those shots (I use 11 minute periods and try to play a sim-style of hockey). Wish the left trigger allowed us to do what it has in the past...

I agree. I haven't liked playing defense the last few years and this year is no different.

[ezio]

Quote: Originally Posted by fatleg3

The menus in GM connected look ok, but everything is so laggy and slow

I think the menus and loading etc. is slow throughout the game to be honest.