March 5th patch brings X-Factor changes
EA SPORTS NHL announced a new patch for NHL 24, the first since the change to body checking on February 5th.
The patch will go live at noon EST on March 5th. The full list of patch notes can be found here.
There are several aesthetic updates, including jersey fixes and an update to the Hockey Ultimate Team UI.
For goalies, a fix is being made where an exhausted five hole save animation would occur when the goalie was not exhausted.
One update that will impact gameplay is that the Sustained Pressure meter will now drain slower when the puck is out of the zone, allowing offensive teams more time to get the puck back in the zone and achieve pressure.
An update is being made in Be A Pro to fix an issue that did not allow the player to make a trade request. This has been a popular complaint in the community and will hopefully improve the quality of life for Be A Pro players.
Five X-Factors have been improved including Back At Ya, Ice Pack, Shrug It Off, Bouncer and Quick Pick.
These boosts to Shrug It Off and Back At Ya will help players counteract the current momentum-based body checking meta by allowing for better reverse hits and by reducing stamina drain from absorbing big hits.
Additionally, reverse hits have been improved, the puck carrier will have an easier time picking the puck back up and maintaining their momentum.
The 124 player North American Bracket begins on March 9th, so it will be interesting to see how this new patch impacts competitive gameplay and if there are any glaring flaws that will need to be fixed quickly.