The problem with these games is what they did with the AI
From 10-14 (can't speak about 09 since i never played it online), online vs was strictly one versus one. You, and your opponent. The AI was just good enough where it would occasionally bail you out of a bad situation, but for the most part player skill would win the day. I say this as someone who was top 1000 level in NHL 13. I was like...172-52-10 at one point. Great game and when i got beat, it felt like the other guy genuinely deserved to win for the most part.
Fast forward to NHL 15. AI was appallingly bad. Defense was never in position, got constantly burned for chasing and setting up in the offensive zone was a nightmare. People rightfully complained. Next year comes, and for some reason the AI is ludicrously overpowered. They stifiled you in your own zone and the offensive zone with that stupid suction board pin, they could win the game for wussy players if they refused to forecheck (which a lot of them did.) and the fact they would block damn near every shot from the blue line to the inner circles due to the puck seemingly being magnetically attracted to them. It basically made cheesing the only way to play the game at a higher level
19, at beta/launch was legit a step in the right direction. User controlled defense was made both more viable and fun to play since they have you multiple options (well timed poke check, stick lift that actually worked, good positioning, etc) at your disposal. But of course, presumably because all of the "game changers" and people who don't understand hockey is a game played from multiple angles and strategies. Now we're back to almost the same garbage NHL 18 was with the tiresome AI and broken mechanics (puck pickups, puck acting like a superball and refusing to stay anywhere)
Sure you can play 19, but after like...maybe 2 games you feel drained from the fact you're playing against the opposition as his or her AI. It's not to say 11-14 didn't have its issues (EASHL got reallllly exploit-y) but they were light years ahead of what the games are now.