NHL 16 News Post

NHL 16 Adds United Center, EASHL Drop-In, Shootout Mode, 3 on 3 OT Rule Change & More

01:40 PM - September 9, 2015 by Steve_OS

After listening to fan feedback, EA Sports has announced quite a few additions will be available when it officially launches on September 15 in North America. In fact, all of these features will be available when the game arrives on EA Access this week.

Some of those key additions include EASHL Drop-In, EASHL Player Badges, Shootout Mode, Team Practices, NHL 3-on-3 OT rule change and the United Center, home of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Check out the full details below.

EA SPORTS HOCKEY LEAGUE

Ranked Quick Match � The perfect place to play EASHL if you don�t have an EASHL team or if your teammates can�t make it online. Quickly search for a Drop-In game of up to 6v6 to practice your skills or scout players. Play as your created pro, choose your position and your player class before entering the game.
Invite Friend � Send an EASHL Drop-In invite to your friends.
EASHL Player Badges � Introducing EA SPORTS� Hockey League pro leveling. Play EASHL Seasons, Playoff games, or Drop-in games and earn Experience Points that unlocks badges for different stat categories and milestones. Earn enough EXP and you will level up your Pro.

Once at Level 50, you will earn a Prestige badge and start at Level 1 again to begin the pursuit of your next badge. This is the ultimate display of your skills. Player levels will be prominently presented for other users to see in the Leaderboards, Dressing Room, and Side Select, so level up and brag to your friends.

SHOOTOUT MODE

Online Shootout � Take on another player in a head-to-head match as the goalie or the shooter. Players will get five shots each and are able to play as the goalie. Choose between a Ranked Quick Match where you are quickly paired up against an online opponent for a 1v1 shootout game, Custom Matchmaking where you can customize your unranked shootout settings, or the Invite a Friend option.
Offline Shootout � Take part in a shootout against the AI or a local human controlled player.

TEAM PRACTICES

Practice mode now includes team practices. Players can have up to five players on both offense and defense in three different scenarios from "rush" to "in-zone" plays. There is also the option to play as the goalie in practices, so you can hone your skills before starting your goalie career or taking on online competition.

PRESENTATION

The United Center is now included in NHL 16 and will feature authentic architecture found at the home arena of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Players can now select between five different sizes for Player Indicators that appear during gameplay.
Improvements to lighting, visuals, fan AI and stadium architecture for all NHL arenas.

BE A GM

General improvements to Player Morale.
Added the ability to offer qualified RFAs a contract during the pre-season.
Updated AI trade logic.

HOCKEY ULTIMATE TEAM

Improvements to search filters for Collections, My Bids, and ended Auctions.

BE A PRO

Improvements to defenseman visualization and coaching feedback.

GAMEPLAY

Added NHL 3-on-3 OT rule changes.
General improvements to defensive AI logic.
Added an alternate goalie control scheme based on Beta feedback
Added option to toggle if precision skating is default or not for goalies.
Hint supports added for alternate goalie controls.
Improved logic for goalie interference penalties and allowed/disallowed goals.

Game: NHL 16Reader Score: Vote Now
Platform: PS4 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 0 - View All

NHL 16 Videos

Member Comments

# 1 GrandMaster B @ 09/09/15 02:00 PM

Sick. This should satisfy a lot of people.

# 2 Tonic @ 09/09/15 02:01 PM

Very happy with the Be a GM additions, especially the ability to sign RFAs during pre-season. I'm also pleased with the improvements to defensive and crowd AI, as well as the goalie interference penalties. I'm still really hoping the morale system isn't just a text-based gimmick but I was pleased with the sloppiness of the gameplay in the EASHL beta (with the online "sliders" even) so I'm very hopeful that the gameplay will be more dynamic than past games.

# 3 TDKing @ 09/09/15 02:18 PM

Yup, good job now get GM Connected back! Then we will be caught up to 2014

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

# 4 The Visualizer @ 09/09/15 02:34 PM

Thats a nice list of stuff that will be addressed day 1.

The EASHL dropin games and 3v3 OT features are two of the more glaring omissions I was disappointed were missing.

# 5 BigDisk @ 09/09/15 03:00 PM

Holy ****... That's some awesome additions. Very pleased about this!

Especially the practice mode and EASHL drop-in, nice!

# 6 Madwolf @ 09/09/15 03:00 PM

Love these announcements. The only major addition left is BeAGM Connected.

# 7 brandon27 @ 09/09/15 03:18 PM

Oh thank god the United Center made it, I was getting tired of hearing about it.

Nice list of improvements.

Can't wait to get into the EA Access trial to try it out. In writing everything is shaping up nicely, I'm excited to try. I didn't take part in the EASHL beta since I'm not an online player so I'm excited to hit the ice.

# 8 Ruffy @ 09/09/15 04:55 PM

Great additions....you can't fault these guys for doing their best to get as many things into NHL 16 as possible.

I'm no fan boy but nor am I a "hate-er". Consider myself a realist and for as small as the Development team is they really are showing how much having to produce two games last year killed them.

# 9 DaveDQ @ 09/09/15 04:59 PM

What is drop in? Would that allow friends vs friends?

# 10 BrandH @ 09/09/15 05:08 PM

I haven't played much NHL the last 10 years and only played a little HUT last year and didn't even play enough to notice The United Center wasn't in there, but how is it possible that it wasn't? How long has the stadium been around?

# 11 Stormyhog @ 09/09/15 05:17 PM

Nice set of improvements. Glad to see 3 on 3 ot added in as I always like having the updated rules for the new season.

# 12 baconbits11 @ 09/09/15 05:19 PM

Where are the Chicago Bulls banners in the United Center? You would think they would be included since EA also has the NBA License.

# 13 headzapp @ 09/09/15 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandH


	I haven't played much NHL the last 10 years and only played a little HUT last year and didn't even play enough to notice The United Center wasn't in there, but how is it possible that it wasn't? How long has the stadium been around?

licensing. Owners were probably asking for too much for ea to use it or just declined to have it in. The stadium has been around since 94

# 14 CarryTheWeight @ 09/09/15 05:47 PM

I assume the new Air Canada Centre/Maple Leafs jumbotron is also part of that list. Pre-release videos and screenshots showed the old board, but the last Be a GM Trailer showcased the new one.

This is the kind of stuff most developers should be doing --- making substantial additions to the game as its life cycle progresses. It happened with UFC, with NHL 15 and now with 16. I am fully behind it.

While the additions to last year's game weren't necessarily groundbreaking, they at least added a lot of substance to a game that was incomplete on release day. I'm glad they decided to follow suit this year albeit with minor additions that nevertheless were important to improve the authenticity of the game.

EDIT: I wonder if the recent reports of Jack Eichel getting his face scanned means his actual likeness will be coming in a future patch (or if EA will have to wait until next year). With these announcements, I wouldn't be surprised if that happens, and if we get a "player likeness update" similar to Madden 15.

# 15 desperado462 @ 09/09/15 05:48 PM

Great additions but there is still NO REASON players are not able to be edited during a season..its not cheating, its single player. Many times ratings are just wrong in the very slow roster updates. We should be able to edit these players like MLB:The Show during the season.

# 16 GuyinPA75 @ 09/09/15 05:49 PM

The MOST important part of this article was this:

Ranked Quick Match � The perfect place to play EASHL if you don�t have an EASHL team or if your teammates can�t make it online. Quickly search for a Drop-In game of up to 6v6 to practice your skills or scout players. Play as your created pro, choose your position and your player class before entering the game.

It sounds to be OTP with your Created Pro. This is what I NEEDED to hear.

NHL 15 you could not play OTP with created pro. That meant no purchase for me. I do not enjoy EASHL at all. That mode is 99% of players glitch gosling nonstop -- and I have to even budget and set up my free time to play that mode with friends. Yes. Basically have to budget my time to deal with 24/7 cheating, exploiting, and glitch goals.

No don't get me wrong. OTP is full of that too, but to me not as much.

Plus I can drop in to play when I want to.

NOT have to schedule my day around to play I mode I want to play.

# 17 AdamJones113 @ 09/09/15 05:53 PM

Incredible additions right here. Online shootout mode is going to be great as usual, glad that those people who wanted it got the United Center in, and there's even serious stuff in there for EASHL folk. After hearing time and time again that 3-on-3 was out, very nice to hear concretely the opposite.

# 18 Vikes1 @ 09/09/15 06:06 PM

I needed more reasons to be excited about next tuesday, and this sure helps. The improvements to defensive ai and 3 on 3, really caught my eye, Come on Tue.

# 19 ericromain @ 09/09/15 06:29 PM

Great additions. These are the type of things that EA NHL has been coming up short on at launch. I'm looking forward to getting back on the ice.

# 20 Simple Mathematics @ 09/09/15 06:35 PM

Good stuff. I'm excited to see these defensive AI improvements. Now I want a roster vault!

« Previous12 Next »

More Links

NHL 16 Adds United Center, EASHL Drop-In, Shootout Mode, 3 on 3 OT Rule Change & More