It's the same as every year, it's comical to me how people go through the same cycle and don't pick up on it.
So let me break it down for you guys:
Off the start of the year, it's hard to score, EA has their tuners set high. CPU AI on defence is impossible to get around, so players just don't switch to them. Goalies make incredible saves.
Why? So the average player thinks "shit, I need to bust some packs to get McDavid and then all will be fine!"
Once the pack flux dies down off the start of the year, they revert settings back to normal. All glitch goals and stupid hockey is back. Every single f***ing year since NHL 14 and people still expect different and defend it.