Welcome to our preview of NHL 09. Below are the answers to the user submitted questions, along with the ups and downs of each new feature found in this year's version. Simply scroll to the section most important to you and enjoy!

 

Gameplay Mechanics

Stick Lifts ' This feature is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll do my best to provide a little more info on it. Playing defense in NHL 08 was way tougher than it should've been, but thanks to two new features, it's now almost enjoyable at times. The first of the two is of course the Lift Stick option, which is activated anytime you don't have the puck by pressing the A button. By doing so your player will attempt to lift your opponent's stick into the air, therefore allowing you to steal the puck when he's least expecting it. Although you can pull this off very quickly with little loss of momentum, you should know it doesn't work all the time, which is certainly refreshing. And due to certain player attributes ' most likely their stickhandling rating ' it very rarely works against many of the superior players in the league. In fact, I've found that a penalty is more likely to be called when attempted on guys like Thornton, Nash, Crosby, etc. ' missing your target will cause your stick to smash the opposition in the face, resulting in a high-sticking penalty - than it would when used against the average skater. This I like. What I don't like, however, is the lack of double-minor penalties being called. They all seem to be the standard two minute penalty for high-sticking. I've yet to see an injury due to this feature.

 

Stick Sweeps ' This is the second of the newly-added defensive controls I was referring to. Anyone who was frustrated by their ability to limit passes to the slot area last year already understands how valuable this can be. By holding the RB down (tapping it will allow you to poke check) you now have the privilege of sweeping your stick in a 360 motion using the right analog stick. I would love to tell you how seamless this is, but there're a few issues that hurt its usage during gameplay. Players are still erratic in their movements occasionally, meaning they jerk around, or move to sections of the ice you didn't intend. This wouldn't be too much a problem normally, but combine this with the stick sweeping option and you end up tripping a player you weren't initially covering. Each player's feet aren't necessarily 'locked' onto the ice surface while doing this, either. They still miraculously 'glide' sideways across the ice from time to time, which limits your skill as defensemen to effectively protect a particular area of the ice. So what starts out as a plan to slowly close the gap between yourself and the puck carrier, quickly escalate into situation where you're utterly out of position defensively. Don't get me wrong, the game is much better off with this feature than without, I just wish it wasn't so unpredictable at times. 

 

Pass Blocking ' This is a nice way to deflect a pass when you're certain the opposition is attempting one. You absolutely cannot move while doing this (pressing the LB places your stick directly to the ice), so you have to make sure you can recover quickly if another team's speedy forward skates by you. I've found that almost all regular passes will be blocked successfully, so the only way to avoid this on offense is by skating around them, or with use of the saucer pass.

 

Push Puck ' This is particularly useful for players who lack the puckhandling ability possessed by some of the league's superstars. By tapping the RB your player will push the puck ahead of him while skating. By not directly handling the puck at all times you can gain more speed, and even get by defenders if you're not comfortable making a move on them. I've also taken advantage of this physically, too; anytime I know a defender will stop me one-on-one, I push the puck ahead in open space while I initiate contact. This obviously works better for power forwards, so I'm not sure you want to try it with danglers or speedsters.

Flip Dump ' This is my favorite addition, at least to the gameplay mechanics. By holding the down RB you will slowly build up the trajectory and power behind the puck, which can be unleashed by pressing forward on the RS. This allows you the flip the puck into the zone using customized speed and power settings. It takes a few tries to perfect the height, velocity, and accuracy of the flip dump, but once this happens you can run the dump-in-chase with ease. This also very effective when trying to hit speedy wingers or centers on the breakaway. Flipping the puck over a defenders head or even having it land at his feet while your forward swipes it from him on way to a breakaway is a beautiful sight indeed. Don't angle the right stick too much when using this in your defensive zone, however; doing so will likely send the puck into the stands resulting in a delay of game penalty.

 

One-handed Deke ' By pulling back on the RS and rotating it towards your player's opposite hand, you can attempt a one handed deke. This works on both defenders and goaltenders if performed correctly, and is a highlight reel waiting to happen if you can perfect it on the breakaway.

 

Protect Puck ' Anyone who prefers slower paced, dump-n-grind board play will appreciate this new feature. It's a solid addition offensively that allows you to protect the puck with your body by holding the A button. You can still continue skating in any direction, but you lose the option to puckhandle while this animation is triggered. This means you need to be very selective when you choose to do this. Although I use it mostly during puck cycling, grinding along side boards, etc., I'm sure many people will appreciate its value in one-on-one scenarios. By leaning into the defender on the rush you can effectively use this move to shield the puck with your body. This also leaves you a bit vulnerable against bigger players, though, because you lose some of your stability and balance by leaning into them. This can result in a massive hit if you're not positioned properly. The speed and size of both competitors will play a huge role in who wins this battle, so your ability to protect the puck will vary from player to player.

 

Coaching Tactics

 

Strategy ' This section will allow you to change formations in a number of different game situations. You can switch Offensive Pressure, Power Play settings, and individual line strategies on offense, and adjust Defensive Pressure, Strategy, Penalty Kill, and Forecheck options while on defense. The Forecheck section has received special attention this year, and can play a big part in determining the outcome of the game. Available formations for Forechecking are as followed;

1-2-2 Low (one forward in deep forcing the play up the boards to your two wingers)

2-1-2 Low (aggressive system with two forwards in deep)

3-2 (three forwards in deep with the strong side defenseman looking to pinch)

1-2-2 High (passive system with all players clogging up the neutral zone)

2-1-2 High (passive system with two forwards high looking to intercept)

 

Unfortunately, if you're not sure exactly what these formations can do for you defensively, the best way to learn is through trial and error. You will definitely want to take your team's skill into consideration as well. For example, speedy wingers will be able to beat the defense down the ice so you may want to use the 2-1-2 Low system, while slower teams will likely want to clog up the neutral zone and intercept passes with the 1-2-2 High. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses.

 

Create-a-Play ' You now have more options than ever for customizing your team's strategy. The available categories for creating plays are on the Rush (2-man, 3-man, Breakout), in the Offensive Zone (Behind the Net, Crash the Net, Overload), and on the Power Play (Overload, Shooting, Umbrella). Just consider these to be basic 'formations' that can be tweaked and adjusted accordingly.

Dynasty Features

 

Progress Reports ' Players now progress throughout their career in a multitude of ways. Depending on the player's position and skill type, they will earn experience points during the season in their own unique manner. At the center of this operation are three main categories that can affect progress; Offense, Defense, and Athletics are taken into consideration for skaters, while Reflexes, Puck Control, and Athletics are specific to goaltenders. So depending on the player's style (Grinder, Sniper, Offensive Defensemen, etc.) experience points will be divided up into those three categories in different increments. This way Grinders will not receive unnecessary boosts in agility and snipers won't waste precious time perfecting their checking skills. Of course, you can always tweak the system to achieve desired results. You can find more on this in the Player Training section directly below.

 

Player Training ' As a coach you can assign each player on your team a specific training regime. These are broken down into 8 categories, each of which directly affects certain attributes. These choices can help shape the type of team you want to build throughout your Dynasty. Here is the entire list:

 

General ' Focuses on all skills

Shooting ' Slap shot power and accuracy, wrist shot power and accuracy

Playmaking ' Passing and offensive awareness

Stick Skills ' Deflections, deking, and puck control

Positioning ' Discipline, defensive awareness, and shot blocking

Checking ' Checking, balance, and aggression

Skating ' Speed, acceleration, and agility

Conditioning ' Durability, and endurance

 

Player Injuries ' Injuries are now more realistic than ever. Players can become injured during simulations, as well as through natural contact that occurs over the course of a user-controlled match. Hits, slap shots, and collisions will all play a huge part in this, and the result will be an accurate diagnoses pulled directly from the NHL's database over the past few seasons. It should also be noted that injuries can evolve and devolve over time, meaning broken bones will be upgraded to a sprain if rested appropriately, and vice versa. Here are only a few examples of the almost 100 unique injuries I've seen, all of which will directly affect certain attributes:

Sore Foot, MCL Sprain, Injured Hip, Bruised Ribs, Sprained Ankle, Fractured Ankle, Injured Shoulder, Strained Hamstring, Injured Hand, Abdominal Strain, Concussion, Torn Hamstring, Injured Neck, Separated Shoulder, Post Concussion Syndrome, and Head Laceration.

 

Player Retirements ' The list is now sorted by the games played category, meaning the most relevant, or players who made the most impact in the league will be first on the list. You can also now sort by cycling through various filters. If you want to see only defenders who retired, you can now do that, etc.

 

Signing Period ' The CPU no longer auto-signs players in the off-season in order to keep your roster valid. You can have as few players on your team as you'd like, this way you can have multiple negotiations open at once without fear of salary problems. Your roster doesn't have to be complete until late September.

 

New Notification System ' Tired of all the interruptions caused by other teams throughout the season? Don't worry, you can now turn waiver and trade notifications completely off, or set it to only show you 'Stars' who are being traded or waived. I've yet to determine a cut-off rating for determining what makes a 'Star�, but this is a nice system if you don't like being bothered with players who will make little impact. I for one like finding that diamond in the rough, but I'm sure some people don't share my enthusiasm for it.

 

Be A Pro Mode

 

Your Career ' The first decision you will have to make in Be-a-Pro mode is which player to select. You should know that you can choose any existing player in the NHL and assume their role on the team. Even players like Evgeni Malkin can be selected, and you're still going to start out with their standard overall rating, which would be 90 in Malkin's case. You will also start out on the NHL affiliate ' creating a player sends you to the AHL ' and even be placed on their normal skating line. This certainly takes some of the challenge out of the process, but keep in mind the expected goals and milestones asked of you will skyrocket. Don't expect to get off the hook because you scored 20 goals with Malkin or Crosbyâ?¦it's not going to fly. This should only be done if you seriously want to assume the role of your favorite, already existing player.

 

All others will have likely created their own player, and have found themselves on the AHL roster. By now you will have received your overall rating as well, which is determined by the player type you selected (Dangler, Power Forward, Sniper, etc.) You may also wan to pay attention to the team you select ' viewing each team's roster, and the number of players they currently have at your position can mean a world of difference in playing time. Once you have selected your position, player type, and team it's time to begin your journey.

 

Once the season starts you will begin conversation with your coach and general manager. They welcome you to the team and then proceed to tell you which line you're skating on, and what goals they have for you as an individual player. I, assuming the role as a Sniper, was giving the lofty expectations of shooting at least 234 times, netting at least 36 goals, tallying 64 total points, and accumulating 28 assists throughout the season.

You can check your progress towards these goals anytime during the season by visiting the Career Performance section. Here you can view your position grade, see milestones, and even look at ultra-detailed statistics that are broken down into every category imaginable. You can expect your number of hits, fights, faceoff wins, good shots, turnovers, number of long shifts, successful dekes, etc., to be fully recorded. These are only a few examples of how detailed the stat tracking really is. There's also a more general path to take for those not interested in such astonishing detail. Accessing the Coach Feedback section will give you a couple of pros and cons detailing your playing performance. This is a fairly simple way to find out you need to limit turnovers, for example.

 

Without ruining too many of the details throughout Be-a-Pro mode, it's important to reveal that you will in fact be released from your team for not living up to expected standards. Once this happens your agent will do his best to find you a suitable team. He will come to you with various contract offers, each of which will have their ups and downs. Once you find your new team, it will be time to advance to the next season.

 

Overall, this mode definitely seems as if it could be time consuming, and for the most part controls are a cinch to grasp. RT calls for a pass, the B button lets you change lines when your energy is low, and the A button lets you jump back on the ice for some more action. There's also an arrow that will increase or decrease depending on how far out of position you're. It's a nice simple system that works effectively to make sure you know how to play a particular position. My only problem with this mode in general is the lack of intelligence offered from my AI-controlled teammates. There's nothing worse than working extremely hard to score a goal, only to have the next line lose the game on a stupid play. I've even lost a game due to my teammates shooting on our own goal. Definitely frustrating. But, as bad as this sounds, this has been my only real concern so far.

 

Miscellaneous

 

New Tournaments - You can play in tournaments or as teams from new leagues like the German Del, Czech Republic O2 Extraliga, and the Russian Superliga. You can also substitute these teams into Dynasty mode to see how well they stack up against teams in the NHL.

 

Player Card ' This feature lets you create yourself, and then keep track of your career by viewing your individual player card. All of your stats and history of milestones will be documented, along with how long it took you to achieve these goals. You can even snap an in-game photo of yourself and upload it to your player card.

 

ESHL/OTP Clubs ' Another favorite addition of mine this year. This allows you and up to 5 five friends the ability to play online against a team of 6 other players. This will allow you to create a custom team filled with real-life people only you invited, and then compete with teams from around the World. Your Be-a-Pro created player will act as a starting point in this mode, and you'll slowly gain experience over time that can be used to enhance your ratings. Your team can compete in various custom leagues, each of which will be tracked on overall leaderboards. You can also add friends to your address book, chat in lobbies, and receive e-mails and messages in your team-specific dressing room.

 

User submitted Q and A

 

1) Can you select any game from any schedule, and watch the CPU vs. CPU play it?

Well, first of all, the option to view other team's schedules hasn't been implemented; therefore you have no way of selecting these games, or watch them even if you wanted to. You can only see the calendars for both your NHL and AHL affiliates, and even though you secretly know 12 other teams are playing on the same day you're, you have no way of viewing the scores or watching them play. A central NHL calendar would be perfect for this, but unfortunately, it won't come this year. Thankfully, you do have the option of letting the CPU play your owns games while you watch.

 

2) What new equipment is there to choose from?

Below is a list of all equipment available (except goaltenders):

 

15 total Sticks: Easton Synergy (Elite), CCM Vector V10 (U+), Nike Bauer Vapor (Supreme One 95), Sherwood Momentum, Warrior Mac Daddy (Dolomite), Mission Fuel Grip, RBK Sickick (10K), Easton Stealth S17, TPS R10, Reebok O Stick.

 

11 total Gloves: Easton Synergy 1100, Eagle X70, CCM Vector 10 (Pro Tacks), Mission Fuel 130, Warrior MIA (Kingpin), Nike Bauer Vapor, Easton Stealth S17, TPS R8, and Reebok 9K.

 

9 total Skates: CCM Pro Tacks (U+), Graf Supra G5, Nike Bauer Supreme (Vapor), Reebok 9K, Mission Fuel 120AG, CCM Vector V10, Easton Stealth.

 

9 total Helmets: Nike Bauer 4500 (8500), Easton Stealth S17, Jofa, Vintage, RBK HT8K, Mission Intake, and CCM HT 491 (V10).

 

2 total Visors: Straight Itech, Curved Itech. Colors are Clear, Grey, and Yellow.

 

3) Can I create my very own custom flex or curve in Create-a-Player?

Unfortunately, no. No changes have been made to Create-a-Player mode from what I can tell. You can only pick from four different stick patterns, with each one representing certain shot attributes.

 

4) Can I customize the amount of tape on my stick, along with my butt-end, etc.?

You have absolutely zero control over your stick, other than the model type, and of course the color of hockey tape on your blade. On a side note, you may want to check out NHL 2K9 if you're especially interested in this feature.

 

5) What happens if you don't meet expectations in Be-a-Pro Mode?

Well, for starters, it's actually pretty hard not to meet your goals, or at least a few of them. The CPU, or General Manger in this case, is fairly realistic about the various milestones he wishes you to meet. 4^th line grinders won't be required to score 45 goals in a season, and likewise, danglers and snipers won't be asked to lay 20 hits a game, so it definitely takes your skill set into account. However, I made sure to select a bottom-tier player (instead of my created, more skilled athlete) and actually tried not to live up to expectations. The result was my player only meeting one of the five requirements, and the coaching staff made sure to let me now about my mistakes along the way. I ended up being released from the Los Angeles King's roster entirely, but surprisingly my agent was able to get me a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers. I also had the option of singing with the Vancouver Canucks, but Florida had less wingers on their roster (more playing time), and offered me more money.

 

6) How long are the custom audio slots and what are they?

The sequences in which you can hear your custom audio in game are as followed:

 

Home Team Intro ' Roughly 1 minute in length

Home Goal ' Roughly 20 seconds in length

Home Penalty ' Roughly 15 seconds in length

Home Win Game ' Unlimited in length

Away Goal ' Roughly 20 seconds in length

Away Penalty ' Roughly 15 seconds in length

Away Win Game ' Unlimited in length

Off Play ' Roughly 7 seconds in length

Intermission ' Unlimited in length

 

7) Is there a Playoff and Season Mode?

No, these features have been left out once again.

 

8) Do the National Teams have their authentic jerseys?

Not at this moment, at least in the version I have. There is a spot to enter a jersey code ' just like last year I imagine it won't be released until the game ships ' so maybe the National Team jersey's will be revealed along with the rest of the uniforms when you input the password.

 

9) What changes have been made to this year's offline Franchise Mode?

Not much at first glance. This year's version most certainly lacks that one killer groundbreaking new feature, but at least EA tried to correct past problems and perfect already existing modes. Take a look at the Dynasty category at the top of the page for more info.  

 

10) Do other people get in mini-fights, or grab each other when a fight breaks out?

No, the camera zooms in on the two players currently engaged in the fight, so it would be difficult to see any of your teammates involved in a scrap of their own. This would be an awesome addition, though; seeing a situation where multiple people are at least holding each other back, maybe even throwing a few punches on their own would be very realistic. And allowing them to receive additional penalties would be even better.

 

11) Can you still shoot after the whistle and not receive a penalty for it? What about slashing after the whistle?

You can still shoot and slash after the whistle, and you still won't be penalized for it. Although, the goaltenders do react now, and will actually stop the puck from going in the net after the whistle. I would also love to see penalties handed out for rough activity during stoppages, especially to all the kids online who like to slash repeatedly. Nothing would make me happier, but it looks like this isn't even on EA's radar, at least in NHL 09.

 

12) Is the Stanley Cup Playoff logo added to the ice during Playoff time?

Unfortunately, not.

 

13) Do a lot of the players have ridiculous stats when the season is over? I'm sick of 20 players having 100-point seasons.

Well, it wasn't exactly 20 players who broke the 100-point mark in my Dynasty, so that should make you happy. It was 5, though, so take it for what it's worth. Rick Nash led with 117 points, Marian Gaborik led with 57 goals, and Evgeni Malkin led with 65 assists.

 

14) Is there an All-Star game and the various skill competitions?

You can play the All-Star game, regardless if any players on your current roster make the team or not. There is no type of skills competition whatsoever, though.

 

15) Is Jaromir Jagr in the game?

Yes, you can find him on the Avangard OMSK roster in the Russian Superliga.

 

 

Thanks for checking out our preview of NHL 09. Be sure to check back as the launch date draws nearer for our full review.