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I will once more explain why this isn't the case down below. But even if you had all shooting perks open and you banned all goalie X-Factors, goalies would still make those crazy saves. 1st you talk about increasing skill ceiling and immediately after that you are saying that goalie positioning shouldn't matter? It's literally opposite of increasing skill ceiling for goalies if positioning doesn't matter. It would mean that it doesn't matter who is in the net and it wouldn't matter if he positions wrong. So I disagree with this. If goalie plays perfectly and positions perfectly, he should be rewarded with the save at least most of the time. This isn't game only for forwards and defenders and this game should be fun for goalies also. But at the same time I do think goalies should be played more aggresively so I would actually like to see some nerfs on goalies when they just stand on goal line so it would encourage goalies to challenge shooters (like in real life) which in turn leaves more room to score from passing plays. This is true and with this I agree. But the solution isn't something easy like banning X-Factors or something, it's literally how EA has programmed this game. I have been playing competetive 6v6 almost 15 years and I can assure you that goalie making undeserved saves is not a new thing in 26. It's IMO incredibly short sighted to say something like that. However I do think the peak of undeserved saves was in NHL 24 and I'm pretty sure 99 % of the player base agrees with me on this. At least I did my research and all my numbers were correct.. Those numbers you gave are funnily enough wrong and VERY HIGHLY situational. Sponge activates only when you would make the save anyways. It gives no boosts to the save itself. Banning Sponge would actually only increase brown poopy goals, which isn't increasing skill ceiling. Post 2 Post activates only while moving sideways and then it can actually give 75 % save accuracy and reaction time. It also increases goalies speed while moving sideways. Dialed In is actually only X-Factor that is not situational as it boosts all saves. However I believe this is the weakest X-Factor for goalies and unless you get decent amount of saves, it's almost like you don't have X-Factor at all. Recharge activates after every save but again it will only activate when you would make the save anyways. It works quite the same than old battery perk, where it would give energy to players. Also it reduces fatique and pressure etc. so this one is actually very noticeable. However it feels like I'm only one using this and as it doesn't improve goalies save ability, it's hardly OP. Show Stopper activates only when making reflex saves. I'm not sure what reflex saves mean in actuality (would need EA to clarify this), but I do know that it doesn't mean it activates on every save. At least in paper I do think Show Stopper is the best X-Factor for goalies but I'm not 100 % sure how it works compared to other X-Factors so my words in this case should be taken with grain of salt. So from 5 X-Factors only 3 are actually helping goalie to make saves and even then 2 of them are highly situational and activate only when certain parameters are reached. Only X-Factor which isn't situational is pretty weak and it will reset after every goal given against. I can also guarantee that Elite Quick Release will be available in the next Season Pass so actually it will be available in the next ECL as we are talking about actual ECL. Incorrect. I don't use Post 2 Post because I'm able to save onetimers without it. Same applied to NHL 24 and 25 as I didn't use Post 2 Post on those either even when most of the goalies did use it. Reason why I use Elite Sponge is because I think Dialed In is the weakest X-Factor (like I said previously) and because I don't need Post 2 Post, there is only Sponge that I can use even if it doesn't boost my saving ability. I just think it's better gameplay from goalie perspective to not give up so much brown poopy EA goals. I wouldn't say it's OP tho. At least I gave some actual facts. I didn't say anything about undeserved goals or saves, I just pointed out the actual numbers. Learn to read and don't put words in my mouth thank you. You yourself are just rambling your own thoughts and gave no actual explanation for the goal increase. Yeah it COULD be because of this and that and it COULD be because of them and those but you arent proving anything by giving your thoughts. Also if you haven't played NHL 24 I think it's crazy to use argument: "This one might the furthest reach I have seen in a while." Like how would you know? I mean literally if you haven't played that game? Then suddenly you start to talk about NHL 25 even thought I was talking about NHL 24 and how bad goalie making undeserved saves really has been. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I do also want to point out that EA fixed floating goalies and leaky short sides from NHL 25. They also fixed other numerous smaller things for goalies and made many improvements in quality overall so they wouldn't be so braindead all the time. So even if the gameplay would be identical to NHL 25, goalies would still at least in paper save more because of these fixes. I think currently most broken thing (stick checking included) is posts as many certain goals are taken away because of this. If EA fixed this it would already make huge improvement IMO. I also want to point out that I don't care what the bans are going to be for the next season as it will be same for every goalie. I'm pretty sure I can manage it either way.

Really good arguments by @Akunkku above. I’m starting to lean towards banning them all as well. I’d think even thr goalies would prefer a situation where they would have no perks but there would also be no freezing animations from Quick Release or One Tee (although green times will still be there). Less rng and the game deciding what happens, more actual skill. Second Wind is just added energy. Banning it can make the game a bit slower _sometimes_ (less rushes, more recharging). But at same time the way that perk works has no logic. I can agree with everything that has been said about Ankle Breaker, Warrior and Stick Em Up as well. Beauty Backhand feels unrealistically overpowered too. So maybe ban them all, let the play on the ice decide stuff. And continue to have fun with the different perks in HUT.

I heard somewhere that long posts are good regardless of the arguments, so I'm back. Also I'm unfortunately still a defender so don't try to think I'm a goal hungry forward. Sounds pretty fucking OP to me. Would even perfectly explain the ridiculousness of the saves goalies have been making in NHL 26. Right now there is a huge problem of goal scoring opportunities being really inconsistent or even consistent in being saved by goalies regardless how they're playing the situations. For example, you have a two on one attack, pass for a one timer in the slot, thats going in maybe 20% time even if the goalie is sucking his own thumb in the net. Personally I think that if there is plenty of open net it should be a goal almost every time. So even Finsere said it, increasing skill ceiling is what an aspiring competitive game should do. In regard of attributes, in HUT in a similar situation, you can green time that one timer with blue 1T trait with 90 shooting abilities and goalies without traits make that save more than they should. So it definitely is possible in CHEL if you actually make the save. Also personally I think if goalies are able to save everything if positioned well, thats game breaking. So you should be able to straight up challenge the goalie from a good scoring positions with pretty high percentages. Especially you should be able to score almost everytime when the goalie is out of position. Means that bad defending is punished more -> it is rewarding to try and build good chances. Right now it really isn't rewarding at all to make 5 instant passes leading to an open net chance just to be saved by a goalie looking at someone beautiful in the crowd. -> Just shoot or just force passes and let luck take the wheel bingbangboom 1-0 letsgo fun game. Also because Sere threw out some numbers without any thought, red sponge gives you +75% controlled save ability. And if three traits active at the same time you could get more than +50% reaction time, +25% save accuracy, +25% save ability. And these numbers are actually available now, not like his 50% reaction reduction which nobody uses because it still isn't in the game in CHEL. Everybody is now using 15% reduction. And he is using elite sponge instead of using elite post to post, what I guess he has by the level of his CHEL dude and his words in the other post. This one might the furthest reach I have seen in a while. So just because on average there are more goals per game -> there are less undeserved saves. I'm not saying you are wrong, I didnt play at the start of NHL 24 and was still trying to open up my monitor during spring 24. But this argument just makes no sense. For example, more goals could mean that defenses are playing worse -> more chances -> more undeserved saves. Or did you look at the shot totals, shooting percentages. From what I have been talking, 100% of people have agreed with me that in 26 there are more bullshit saves than in 25. Maybe its just me and lack #luck. I like these bans and like the fact that you are making decisions on your own without trying to please everyone. Personally I don't have anything against the demographic way on these but also think that's not going to lead to the best results. My only question is after all these bans, what is the reason to not ban everything. What do the remaining traits give that makes them good for the game. There aren't that many of them so we can go one by one. Second wind: wtf even is this, nobody has ever even entertained such an absurd idea. "So okay what if we make it that when you have no stamina you actually have stamina even full stamina"... I want what that guy is having. Is next a teleport for defenders so if a forward gets a breakaway you can teleport to save the situation. Warrior: Probably going to be on many builds. Makes you harder to hit in a game where it is really easy dodge hits and bumps already if you are playing with your thumbs and not your feet. You stand up after a hit really fast, dont lose any energy. Quick pick: Helps once in while if you are positioning yourself like a blind donkey, if you are actually playing where you should be, activates once every other night so just useless and really random. Stick em up: Everybody and their mothers are crying about pokes with or without it, usually because they are too good but now because they are too bad. My personal free advice to this is L2P. (just a joke, even if I'm the most arrogant guy around.) But seriously its the same as last year, it helps a bit but you can just play without it and you'll be completely fine. Born leader: … Just a cool idea but actually absolutely nothing in real competitive gameplay where there aren't shots and hits flying everywhere. Shooting traits: Personally I like these just keep these (but only golden, more belove), more ways to punish actual bad defending and not just score by throwing the puck on the net, towards the net, in front of the net, play some pinball, bingbongbang and LETSGO 1-0(just repeat the same joke until it's funny). I understand this is never going to happen because the level of defending in this scene already causes 10 goals a game but if you wanted a competitive game, this is the way. Maybe the level of defending would even go up cause mistakes would actually be punished. just trust me bro Ankle breaker: Touch right stick, defender maybe falls. I think this sounds good. Said nobody ever. Passing traits: There are so many automatic saucers that if you want to pass the puck, there's no way you are going to use these. Just adds randomness without any reasonable benefits. Goalie traits: Already went through this in the first paragraphs. So maybe it's time for #banthemall, I would say at least ban all elite(red) traits and maybe even the blue(all-star) ones. For example red beauty backhand gives you 100% power and accuracy which is just hilariously OP. For me just allowing golden shooting traits (or even blue ones)would lead to most competitive and rewarding game. You couldnt score any ridiculous goals with just them but if the defense is breaking you can actually punish it without goalie traits saving everything. You could say this is bullshit for goalies but it's even more bullshit for goalies to work your ass off to make great saves and keep up with the play and position well, just to see opponents goalie listening to payphone playing with a blindfold saving everything. As for gamer, I think you guys should try to be more active about messaging elite teams to try and test out different ways of doing things. Like this week #banthemall, next week just golden traits or without the red ones. So we would actually have some real info of how the game feels with different "settings". We could do it ourselves but I might not be the most liked guy around for good reasons so I just can't bother because I think elite teams are too lazy to test stuff out by themselves.

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I wouldn't mind having atleast actual ECL teams instead of 6 drunk russian guys with 500ms ping

Thank you for your message, good point, and the intention here was perhaps to remind people about this and bring up the issue. It may also be that there are some who were not aware of this, but there are certainly those who have ended up playing with the ECLPro password because they couldn't find any others. But whatever the reason, let's try to activate all three passwords so that everyone can find games at their own level. But let's monitor the situation after this reactivation ☺️

Thats the nice idea but unfortunately we have seen it like that doesnt work. So many under level teams has used wrong password. There should be some kind of report system like teams are able to report teams and their players who are using wrong password, first they will get warning from that and if that happens again then whole team and players would be banned for next Sportsgamer tournament

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^ Excellent post.

Just want to highlight that I ran @FINSeRe's post through AI to give it an English translation. A great post about the goalie perks and how the perks might be given false credit for saves. Check it out if you previously skipped it due to the language barrier.

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Agree, after these bans which are totally fine to me, bigger builds are maybe going to be new meta because of higher speed and balance + power so why there needs to be perk which help avoiding bigger "normal" hits. And if the meaning after these bans was make people to use different style of builds, now its going to be like everyone is using elite warrior. That should be banned including gold, blue and elite versions.

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Free D (or RW) I prefer RD but LD is also possible. RW just if realy needed. I don't have experience in ECL but I have played 6vs6 quite a lot. I would like core or lite team. Good neo team works also. I can be a substitute player in pro. Contact me here or discord: haba42

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Ban them all, make a shitty game even a little bit better. - Variety on making builds (or at least they wont look the same as they have for the past 4 years). --> cant rock with 70ish wrist shot and quick release if you want to score - Eliminates some of the most ridiculous types of animations that help you retrieve the puck or get in a better position caused by traits, which cant be expected by the opposition --> game becomes less "rng" (more competitive), more realistic - there aint 6 superhumans running around the ice playing their own game --> team game, playing together matters, again more realistic For sure, this will result in a few "ea goals" as you have to find new ways to score instead of trusting the old traits which names have just been changed. Well they are bound to happen each year, as so many things before even getting to a scoring opportunity are caused by some random code (puck pickups, pass receptions...). One would most likely state that banning all traits will cause all teams to collapse in front of the net, well what changes? Teams are already doing that. As much of I hope ban them all which actually made those domestic leagues the most enjoyable part of the year, at least ban the warrior trait. Game loses all meaning when you hit skater having it, and they actually recover from the ground faster than you do from that animation -> breaks the game

As my colleague wrote above. This is not HUT where it works completely differently and it has a logic like that. Here everyone has the opportunity to play for themselves, their own thoughts, their own fingers, their own decisions in situations. Team game. If you want advantages, you have to play other games. "Advantages" have nothing to look for in CHEL and a lot of people prefer the game without them because they want to play hockey. And with Advantages, it's definitely not hockey

^ Yes.

Being goalie is hard enough with x-factors on so no need to remove those. Now with these banned x-factors most forwards will use quick release and 1T perk so it should make scoring easier

Moderator note: The below has been translated with ChatGPT to make it available to more readers. You can find the original text in Finnish in the Spoiler section below. It’s too complicated to explain properly in English, so I’ll just explain it in Finnish terms. But here’s how I’ve understood goalie perks, and what’s been tested in the “Between the Pipes” server (the world’s largest goalie server with about 2,250 members): there are 3 out of 5 perks that activate on every save — Sponge, Dialed In, and Recharge. Since only one perk can visually appear on the screen at a time, what you see is the goalie’s highest currently active perk. In practice, that’s usually either the red Sponge or Dialed In, since most goalies have one of those unlocked. If a goalie has both active, Sponge has priority to be displayed on screen, but Dialed In also activates in the background. The same goes for blue and gold goalie perks — they activate in the background even if they don’t show on screen, especially Recharge. Because there are so few red perks available for goalies, practically every goalie uses either red Dialed In or Sponge. But that’s just because there aren’t many options — not because those perks are necessarily overpowered. Most players haven’t grinded the season pass far enough to unlock red Post to Post, which is considered meta in North America and gives a significant boost to lateral saves. So even though those perks activate on every save, it doesn’t mean the save happened because of that perk. When Sponge activates, it just indicates that the save was a “controlled” one — meaning the goalie covered the puck quickly or handled the rebound well. When Dialed In activates, it simply means the game has temporarily boosted the goalie’s save ability by 6%. The same logic applies to skaters: even if you score with a wrist shot and Quick Release activates, that doesn’t mean the perk caused the goal — it just means it triggered. You could shoot into an empty net and Quick Release would still activate, but the goal obviously wasn’t because of it. In other words, banning Sponge alone wouldn’t eliminate those “undeserved” saves — it would just lead to more of EA’s nonsense goals. Sponge isn’t even close to the best goalie perk in HUT, in my opinion. The current Sponge is the same as in NHL 24 and 25, just slightly stronger. And as I calculated earlier, NHL 26 is nothing compared to NHL 24, where goalies were making completely undeserved saves left and right — which is clearly reflected in the goals-per-game average. Even though there were fewer of those undeserved saves in NHL 25, they still happened all the time, and it’s never been about perks — it’s the game engine. If there really were a magic fix for it, believe me, I’d be all in. But I think people will be disappointed if they expect that banning red Sponge will suddenly stop those undeserved saves.

I don’t know anything about playing goalie but every time a goalie saves a shot (usually a onetimer) on a wide open net that ”should” be going in, red sponge activates.

All of these are valid points, yes.

I guess this is more of a bug fix than a nerf, the ability still gives a considerable stamina boost (even if it is only a one time thing now) I think it can be directly compared to wheels tbh - when it activates, you get a boost in stamina which equals a boost in speed in practice. It's also a very odd game mechanic, where you're incentivised to actually use all your energy when you're already low on energy? So to gain energy you can just use more energy lol. It's just not realistic in the slightest. (And ankle breaker imo is just stupid, because it makes defenders fall over for no reason)