New game engine.
Double/triple checking of all player stats, ie Ottawa's Colin White has played 4 years in the NHL now and only has to his personal stats, 1 career playoff game back in 2016/2017. This has been a constant issue since the guy was eligible to be put in the game, I;m not even a Sens fan or even care about them in general and even I'm fed up with seeing this every year.
Double check players mugshots, at launch day American goaltender Keith Kinkaid had Swedish forward Joel Lundqvist file photo, I'm not making this up. Though I see how you can mix them up, they both uhh, umm.. have hair and beards, thus look virtual identical!
Find a new sports scouting team to get overalls from, in no dimension/universe should Jack Johnson have a higher overall rating then John Mario, nor should Nickals Backstrom be a faster skater in both speed and acceleration then Bryan Rust and Brendon Tanev, Backstrom is a great player and all yes, but he isnt nor was he ever a burner.
Bring back the breakable glass from misaimed booming slapshots or huge checks, why the hell was this even removed twice?
Instead of randomly assigned double minors that happen VERY rarely but do occur, have a player fall to to ice clutching his face, have a cut scene pop up were the ref is checking a player, and have the ref hold up four fingers, if you won't show blood, use this as a work-a-round.
Since they reached an agreement with DaveArt, update the goalie masks, have either the fully licensed masks, or in the case of a Cam Talbot who has the Ghostbusters logo, or Tristen Jarry who has Tom and Jerry on his mask, both registered trademarks, have newer more creative masks. Or even a create a mask feature, have something like all the team logos, a few stock images for goalie prospects/ BAP/Franchise, that would be awesome, I'd say add an alphabet and numbering feature for a goalies nick name but the immature/wannabe edgy tween-teenage/ racist crowd would kill this by putting a bear on it, "Mo" on one side, "Lester" on the other with "69" printed on the chin, so this will never happen. Because "HUUUUUUUURRRR DUUUUUUUUUUUR PEDO BEAR!!!!!!!!!!11111111111111 "MO LESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111111111," 69!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111 I'M SO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!111111111111111
Fully licensed head/ assistant/ goalie coaches in the NHL/AHL would be nice.
ECHL in franchise/some type of loaning to Europe system so I dont have to carry 4-6 frigging goalies on my AHL team.
New equipment, most of this stuff skater and goalie alike is long since retired, who even uses KOHO goalie stuff anymore? Is Warrior goalie equipment even a thing? Majority of the goal sticks are long since retired/ discounted also.
Build on Be a Pro.
I could care either way about the All Star Weekend, I don't even watch the thing in real life.