NHL 24: How Will Goalies Play in EASHL?

NHL 24 community playtest registration has been announced, and among other aspects, goaltending will be a crucial area of focus.

NHL 24 community playtest registration has been announced, which means it is finally time for chel fans to get a sneak peak of the game and to provide feedback to EA before its official release. 

It remains to be seen which game modes will be playable. However, one can assume EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL) will be part of it. 

Playing manual goalie in NHL 23 was a rollercoaster of an experience. There were pros and cons, which begs the question? Is EA refining the position for a better user experience in NHL 24?

The intricate details of playing manual goalie can truly be felt by those who actually play the position. As such, I reached out to Scott' Nealite Gaming' Abraham, an expert in virtual competitive goaltending in NHL 6v6, to get some insights. 

In NHL 22, goalies would get sniped easily despite being in a pretty good position. The opposite was true in NHL 23. Scott shares, "Bring sniping back. NHL 23 reduced the shots' effectiveness, leading to many goalies reverting to sitting on the goal line."

Sitting back on the goal line was a go-to approach for goalies in previous installments in EA NHL games, and that meta returned in NHL 23. For goaltenders like Scott, a fine balance is required so that goalies are not punished for playing well positionally but, at the same time, are not granted immunity by sitting back on the goal line. 

Scott also brings up the Close Quarters X-Factor ability as game-breaking. Close Quarters significantly boost accuracy and power, rendering goalies helpless against shots from certain areas on the ice. 

"Need a goalie counter for Close Quarters if X Factors are to remain in EASHL. The game also creates favorable skater animations, warp the puck, and/or creates terrible goalie animations to ensure the puck goes in the net, particularly from shots taken under the hash marks boards to boards."

So, while general shooting effectiveness reduced dramatically, Close Quarters had the opposite effect, especially from weird angles. For Scott, a balance is required, or a specific counter. "EA has goalie x factor counters for one-timers, heatseeker, breakaways, tips, screened shots, but nothing for close-quarters ability." 

Another key area goaltenders are curious to see how it plays out is regarding save animations against what should be easy saves, redirects, or cover-ups. Scott shares, "We saw many goals against where the puck is shot at you for what should be an easy save, which then causes a bunch of bounces all over your body and ending up in the net."

The random puck bounces, and bad goals are part of hockey, but the issue here is the frequency with which they happen in the video game, rendering human-controlled goaltenders helpless. 

Scott also wants to see a range of heights matter for goaltenders. He says, "Every human goalie is 6'5 because every other height sucks. It is boring. We need variety like skaters."

Skaters use a variety of heights for their characters, and they usually strategize with their teams to ensure a balanced lineup. For goalies, making their characters smaller negatively impacted their performance, as they could not stop certain shots as effectively. Thus, questions surrounding goalie height remain, and some are hoping for favorable conditions for smaller goalies to promote creativity in customization and playstyle. 

Playing goalie is a unique experience, and those who play the position enjoy doing so. That said, the experience of playing goalie can be elevated and even interest others who have not enjoyed or tried it so far. 

With the NHL 24 community playtest around the corner, many will look forward to seeing how goalies play in EASHL.