AdamoR61
Registered User
- May 16, 2019
- 84
- 47
Being a bored Canadian teen in the middle of self isolation, playing video games is one of the things I and many others do most. My personal favourite video game series is EA Sports NHL. Obviously the newest game NHL 20, is the latest and greatest game from the franchise...or is it? How is it that every year it seems that we take steps backwards? Features such as GM Connected, Winter Classic mode, EASHL practice, interactive Be A Pro and many other features have been taken out of the game for what it seems like no reason. Therefore, I went out and watched/read every NHL 21 wishlist I could to take the ideas of the community combined with my own to create the ULTIMATE NHL 21 WISHLIST. Keep in mind that I created this realistically speaking. It isn’t realistic to implement a ‘Be a Ref” mode or even a drive the zamboni mode from NHL 2k. I also left Ultimate Team out because I personally do not know enough about that mode and EA is already going to make many changes to that mode since it is their money maker. This list is broken up into 2 categories, SPECIFIC (where it is only for one mode) and GENERAL (where the feature could be applied into multiple game modes).
Even though this took me weeks, I’m sure I missed a whole bunch so add to this thread with your ideas and comments!
SPECIFIC
Online Specific Modes:
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Franchise Mode Specific:
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Be A Pro Specific:
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GENERAL
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Even though this took me weeks, I’m sure I missed a whole bunch so add to this thread with your ideas and comments!
SPECIFIC
Online Specific Modes:
Mode | Description |
EASHL Practice | Allow you and your 6s or 3s EASHL team to take the ice at the teams arena to practice plays and build chemistry between teammates. |
Online ONES with friends | Allow for you are your friends to matchmake in a private online ONES game with you and 3 other friends where you can pick the difficulty of the goalie so that it is not on beginner mode like it is in NHL 20. |
Private EASHL tournaments | For those who play competitive and recreational EASHL like myself, I would like to be able to create and join private EASHl tournaments where I could take my team and play in a playoff style tournament against my friends other clubs. This feature could be used for private leagues such as LG or FBHL. |
GM Connected | It was inevitable to add GM Connected, a mode that was in the game 8 years ago where you could play franchise mode with my friends in the same league. Nothing else to add but this is must have for hardcore franchise mode players like meyself. |
Online All Star Team Up | This mode would be a mashup of NBA 2k’s “all star team up” mode with the NHl’s online team play. Allow 12 players to queue into a lobby, lock onto a position and choose any current or some former players to play in an EASHL game style with their favourite players. |
Goalie controlled by player when pulled | Very self explanatory, if we pull our goalie in 6s, let the goalie control that extra attacker. |
Ping System | Say everyone is readyed up while one person is looking at their phone or eating - make a little noise or make their controller vibrate to tell them to ready up. We are ALL guilty of this, don’t lie. |
WOC unlocking system | Allow for the user to trade jerseys and animations with others. I am a Leaf fan with all Bruins gear but my friend is a Bruins fan with all Leaf gear then we should be able to trade. |
Franchise Mode Specific:
Feature | Description |
Counter Offers | Why isn’t this already a thing? It has been in sports video games for literally decades. If I propose a trade, why doesn't the other GM counter offer it? |
Analytics/More Stats | I want analytics to play a bigger role in acquiring and dealing players. Stats like GAR, WAR, RAPM, xG, CF, FF should all be in the game like they are in the MLB and NBA 2k franchise. |
Draft Busts | I think that if I draft a player 5th overall and rush him into the NHL as a 70 overall that it should hinder his growth. It seems like if I draft a player in the top 5 he becomes an 85 overall or higher no matter what. This is often not the case in the real league as plenty of top 5 picks don’t always pan out. |
ECHL | As a Leaf fan, I know that the Leafs use their ECHL team in Newfoundland as a developmental team for prospects and staff. I also find that my AHL team in the game ends up with like 9-10 healthy scratches and I would like for me to be able to send those players down to the ECHL. |
Real Life Insiders | Instead of the fake dude who hashtags every rumour, have Elliote Friedman or Bob Mackenzie break news and spread rumours. |
Power Rankings | Every week or so have a power rankings to see who is hot and cold around the league. |
Improved growth/decline stage | I dislike how players like Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza all have monster seasons and become 84 overalls as 35+ year olds. It just doesn’t make sense. Have these players gain poise but lose speed and agility rapidly |
Conditional Picks, NTC/NMCs and Performance Bonuses | In the NHL, a lot of trades happen where draft picks are moved conditionally and it would make sense to put them in the game. Performance bonuses will give a player more incentive to do whatever their bonus is. Also, No trade clauses are also a huge thing in the NHL that shouldn’t be too hard for EA to implement. |
Real/Custom Coaches | I’m not too sure if they are allowed to do this one but it would be nice to at least customize my coach. |
Jersey Modifications | I think it would be nice once in a while to redesign my team's jerseys after several years of wearing them. |
Improved Coaching and Line Deployment | NHL teams have been running 4 forwards and 1 defencemen on their powerplay units for years now. In game they should be deployed as units and not 2 D and 3 F. Same goes for the PK, teams don’t just have a fixed 8 penalty killers that go out. Let us just create special team units that could be deployed as one. |
Banner Raising/Jersey Retirement | Let’s face it, when Crosby retires, 87 will be retired in Pittsburgh forever and I would like to see that ceremony in game. Another thing that I would like is if my team wins the cup, the next season on opening night I want to witness that banner be raised to the rafters |
Keeping Track of more Data/Records | I want to be able to click any random game and be able to see the box score for it. I would also like it so that I can access any record whether it be team or player. This includes being able to see who won the cup longer than 5 years back |
Trade Deadline Rework | I would personally like to see something like a 1 hour (let the user pick in settings) timer during the trade deadline. This would give the user the feeling of being an actual GM knowing that there is a deadline for all trades and deals to happen. |
Realistic trade times | Allow trades post deadline, during playoffs and resign phases like they are in the NHL. |
Custom Tactics and breakouts | Let me pick the way that I want my players to play, if I want say a guy like Zach Hyman to fully forecheck but having someone like Auston Matthews who I want to protect play high in the OZone then I should be able to. Also custom breakouts from NHL 14 were fun and I would like to see them comeback. That being said, get rid of the stupid “line chemistry” setting and let the user discover what works for their team and what doesn’t |
Secondary Positions | Many players in the NHL don’t only play one position. Take a guy like William Nylander for example. He played RW, LW and C all over the last 2 seasons. Brent Burns literally played forward and defence. Make it so that I could play my players in their secondary position. If they don’t have this secondary position but I put them there anyways then their play should be hindered. |
Start Today feature | We should be able to start our franchise modes on the date it is in real life like you can in Madden and 2k with the updated stats, ratings and injuries. |
International and College Free Agents | As I am making this the Leafs just signed Alexander Barabanov and Mikko Lehtonen. Let us interview players from overseas to see if they would make the jump to North America. I remember when Jimmy Vesey was the must get player from college. It would be cool to see something like that get added into the game |
Be A Pro Specific:
Feature | Description |
Start in Europe | Here’s one that I haven’t seen before actually. Instead of starting in the CHL, why can’t I be a key contributor in the SHL or Liiga before getting drafted to NHL. Or maybe even play in the Champions League before getting drafted. |
Interactive Storyline | I personally don’t even want a “The Journey” type of thing from FIFA because of how little control I really had. That was literally a Marcus Rashford simulator. It was dull and very boring. Cut scenes of my player and a general storyline would be nice. Something along the lines of me starting as a 17 year old deciding to either go overseas like Auston Matthews or take the traditional CHL route and be drafted to a CHL team. They could have cut scenes of interactions such as being promoted up a line or being named captain, or pre-game speeches. |
Better Draft | Instead of the drafting progress being 10 seconds no matter what, I want the anticipation to build of seeing who goes before. Let me watch my player walk up to the podium if he is a 1st round pick. This should be optional in settings or on a button to just “skip to pick”. |
Media | Part of being an NHL star is talking to the media and creating a personality for yourself. Even if it's not a cutscene, allow me to pick my personality through the answers I give to the media. |
Endorsements | I can’t be the only one who picks all CCM or Bauer with all of my equipment just to feel like I am signed with a company. EA make this happen, it can’t be that hard. |
Training | During the offseason and even during the season, let me workout with my player to grow him. If I want my guy to get faster then have me doing sprinting and power skating drills manually. If the user doesn’t want to do it manually then they should just be able to simulate it as it currently is but only gaining half XP. |
Relationships | Let me grow my relationships with players and front office members that will actually affect team chemistry. |
Contracts | If I score 50 goals in a contract year but my overall is 82 then I am only getting like $2.5 million for 2 years. Let me negotiate my contract and other GMs should start off with realistic offers. |
Becoming GM when retired | Pretty self explanatory here, nothing much else to say but I think this would be cool. |
Trades in the CHL | In the CHL trades actually happen, if a team is trying to make a playoff run then they should be able to trade for good veterans in exchange for millions of picks like they do in real life. This includes having my Be a Pro player getting traded |
GENERAL
Mode/Feature | Description | Game Modes Applicable |
Winter Classic | Even if it's just in a generic football stadium outdoors, I do not care. Put this in the game. Another cool add would be letting me create Winter Classic jerseys for my team in GM mode if we were to play in the Winter Classic. | GM Mode, Play Now, Be A Pro. |
Roster Sharing | Personally, this would be a top 3 most important thing to add to this game however unfortunately there is a very real chance it will never happen. The updated rosters are one of EA’s main selling points and having this feature would defeat that purpose. We should be able to share rosters and draft classes like you can in every other sports game. (except FIFA I think) | GM Mode, Play Now, Be a Pro |
Much Improved Player Likeness | I can understand how some AHL bums wouldn’t have their faces scanned into the game but how is it possible that a player like John Carlson isn;t scanned into the game? How is it possible the cover athlete of NHL 20 hasn’t had an updated face scan since his rookie season 4 years ago? It’s time for every single NHL player to have a realistic and UPDATED face scan, can’t say we don’t have the technology for it. | Everything |
Player Tendencies | Who in EA thought it was a good idea to just give Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson of all people ridiculous magical shooting tendencies so that he is just a consistent 30 goal scorer no matter what. Like they do in 2k, have editable player tendencies for things like shooting, passing, blocking shots, deking, etc. | Everything |
Custom Soundtrack | Minor but could be a thing, instead of me turning off the EA sound track so that I could hear my Spotify through my PS4, just let me upload my playlist to the game. If this feature is added, let us use our music as a custom goal horn. | Everything |
World Juniors | Even though EA doesn’t have the rights to the IIHF, I think it would be cool if we could play in what is my favourite hockey tournament. Call something like the “World Under 20s” or something to that nature and have that actual tournament in the game. This could be in Be A Pro where my player makes Team Canada and competes for the gold or in GM mode where I can use this tournament as a tool to scout players | Be a Pro, GM mode, Tournaments |
Tournaments | Many didn’t know this but custom tournaments aren’t a thing in NHL 20. You can’t play the World Cup of hockey or even an international tournament in general. That is an absolute joke. Let us at least have that but if the developers are feeling generous, let us play in an IIHF world championship type in Be a Pro in April/May. | Tournaments, Be a Pro |
Warm-Ups | In NHL 12, my player was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers when they still sucked but my 8 year old self still remembers my player skating out to warm up with the lights dimmed and the music blasting. It got me hyped and I would like something similar to that in NHL 21. Let us shoot around on the goalie or even an open net during pregame warmups for like a minute or so just to have the feeling of being an professional hockey player. | EASHL, Be a Pro |
Scoreboard and Presentation | First of all, this isn’t football meaning the scoreboard goes on the top of my screen. Whether it be in the corner like ESPN or middle like Sportsnet, I don’t care whoever suggested puting the scoreboard on the bottom deserves a stern talking to. That being said, the presentation this year was really good but hearing this new animated like commentator made me miss some of the calls from Doc Emrick and Eddie Olzcyk. Bringing in a guy in the NHL with an icon such as Joe Bowen would go a long way to making this feel like an NHL simulator. | Everything |
Improved AI | This goes without being said every year but some more AI logic improvement would help the game a lot. Things like gap control, breakouts and repetitiveness need some serious improvements. Same with shootouts and breakaways; I had always wondered why the AI’s have always been so bad on these when I feel like it would be the easiest thing to code. (Now that's just me and my basic grade 11 computer science knowledge) | Everything |
Improved Animations | Picking up the puck always is tough but improvements to that would go a long way. Passing seems weak oftentimes, saucer passes rarely work, more dekes would allow us to be more creative, rebounds need to be much more realistic but most of all, poke checking. I think they should completely overhaul the poke checking system in general because it just seems unrealistic. It’s a penalty 99% of the time if you do it from behind to someone. Anyone who has played hockey in real life will tell you that it is near impossible to spam pokecheck and skate backwards at full speed. They should make poke checks a high risks but when they work high rewards. If a defender misses a pokecheck in real life then you best believe that they are either getting dangled or getting made look like a pilon. These aren’t the only things that could use improvements but they would definitely help. | Everything |
Breaking the glass | It was always so much fun as a kid to be able to break the glass whether it be a Shea Weber slapshot or a Zdeno Chara hit, EA needs to bring this simple feature back into the game | Everything |
Celebrations | They have literally been the same since NHL 15, and it's time for an updated celebration menu. I want it to be like FIFA where different button combinations do different celebrations. | Everything |
Goalie Mask Editor | If NHL 2k11 on the Wii could do it in 2010, then I think EA Sports NHL could do it on the PS5 for NHL 21. Even just something like 15 different templates with and we just use the colour palette, it would be better then the same generic masks we’ve had since like NHL 11. | GM Mode, EASHL, Be a Pro, Custom Rosters |
Suspensions | If a player lays a dirty hit or if they are in the CHL and fight more than 3 times a season then there should be an actual suspension system. | Be a Pro, GM mode |
Nintendo Switch/PC | If this game were to come to the Nintendo Switch then I might just go out and purchase one for myself. Games like FIFA and 2k are already on the switch and it's time for the NHL series to hope on the trend. | Everything |
More International Leagues and Teams | Obviously the NCAA wouldn’t allow this and I’m not too sure if the KHL either but to see more leagues in the game would be a nice little touch. Add leagues like the Swedish and Finnish 2nd league for Be a Pro too. There should also be more international teams such as South Korea, Lithuania and Hungary. | Everything |
Improved Draft Interview Stage | For GM mode, allow for more draft interviews with more questions. As for Be a Pro, let me get interviewed by however many teams are interested in me like in NHL 14. Let me give them answers that will make me seem more enticing for them or answers that will turn them in the wrong direction. | Be a Pro, GM mode |
Goalie injuries | During play it is literally impossible for goalies to get injured. Make this feature optional for offline game modes | Everything |
One-Touch Passing | One touch passing could make for some sick highlight reel passing plays. If they could add one-timers in NHL 08, then they could certainly do this. | Everything |
Custom Teams | When it comes to customization, NHL is actually really good compared to other EA games but it could always be improved. One thing I would like is for the user to be able to write their custom arena name around the circle. Custom and uploadable logos like there are in NBA 2k would be a dream but I doubt that happening. | GM Mode, Custom Teams, EASHL |
Player DNA | This option is in 2k, it is basically where you can take the looks, ratings and/or tendencies of a player and apply them to a CAP. This should also be shareable for users to other users. | Create a Player, EASHL |
Updated Ratings system | Top prospects in the CHL will have like 70s for skating while skaters in the NHL who are awful skaters will have 80s for skating. Get rid of that. Players who are drafted top 3 and are NHL ready normally have all the skills (especially skating) just lack strength and poise, make it like that. | Everything, Mainly GM mode |
Crossplay | PS4 players should be able to play the same game as XBOX players. This game on the PS5 should have the technology for crossplay | Everything |
Quarantine Mode | Maybe add a setting that would make users play in an empty arena with no fans. It would be silly but I feel like it could be cool to look back at this mode in the future to see how this pandemic has affected the lives of many. Not a necessity to the game but would be a neat little thing. | Everything |
Women’s International Teams | I understand that women’s hockey is nowhere near NHL talent but it is still hockey and should deserve a little more respect. Don’t tell me you don’t remember that 2014 Olympics final! Add maybe 6-8 women’s teams to the game. No reason not too, would be a great PR move by EA. | Everything |
More Arenas and Throwback Arenas | I would like to see more AHL, CHL, SHL, etc arenas in the game to give it a more real feel. Also a neat feature would be to play in old arenas like Joe Louis or Maple Leaf Gardens | Everything |
NHL 21 Cover | Finally, over the last 10 NHL games, the cover athlete has been a Canaidan on an American team 7 times. Therefore it only makes sense for Nathan Mackinnon to don the cover of NHL 21, he is a young, Canadian, recognizable face playing on an American team in a diehard hockey market. Not to mention the Avs colours look so sick on the cover! | Cover |