Old Deke System Or New Deke System?

Deking is one of the most satisfying things you can do in NHL. To be able to pull off a perfectly timed deke, and cause your opponent to look absolutely silly is a feeling that’s tough to match. With recent NHL games, EA has taken deking has taken a different path, encouraging LT/L2 back skating pivots and stat dependent deking over tradition deke moves like windmill dekes, through the legs moves, and side steps that almost anyone could pull off. What type of deke system does the community prefer though?

The current deke system is heavily weighted towards players deke stats, and those stats dictate whether you can pull off certain moves or not. For example: a dangler in EASHL is able to pull off moves that a playmaker wouldn’t be able to, and this is pretty realistic. Trevor Zegras is able to pull off moves that Leon Draisaitl can’t pull off because he’s higher skilled in pulling off those kinds of moves. Skill moves also have gotten more complex, requiring multiple steps in order to pull off some of the harder moves. This allows for a more realistic approach to the game, but is that really a good thing?

The old deke system in particular was used in NHL 17 and installments before. This system, instead put less emphasis on deking stats, allowing lower overall players to be able to pull off these moves at a slightly less success rate. They also were much more simpler, often requiring one to two inputs maximum to pull off even the most complex moves. While some may say this was unrealistic, any player in the NHL is capable of pulling off the simplest of deke moves, even big lumbering defensemen are able to wow crowds with that “once in a lifetime” deke. Even though these moves were “easier and less realistic”, it gave the game a bit more of an arcade-y feel. 

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So the question arises, which one of these systems is the better one? Truthfully, neither of them. The new deking system has turned skill moves into a complex system that you can only pull off if you have a certain player type, or certain X-factors. This has lead to a heavy emphasis from the player base on LT/L2-ing, or back skating to create space. The old system, while easier and more fun for players, was often a bit too easy. Players with 75 deking were able to pull off dekes at the same speed and efficiency as one with 95 deking, which led to those stats not mattering as much.

The best theoretical system would be one that combines the best of both of these systems. A system where deking stats and play styles do matter, but also one that allows other players to be able to pull off moves as well. A system where it’s easy to pull off these moves, but one where certain moves are reserved for those with higher deking stats or certain attributes. Creating a nice balance of both of these systems, which allows for a fun but challenging deking system would be something that all NHL gamers would enjoy.