gzell60

Hey NHLGamers, with NHL 19 approaching rapidly (EA Access trials on Xbox One will be opened up in just 5 days!), we have now received more insight into how all of the open beta feedback - including ours, thank you for submitting your opinions! - from the past few weeks was received. The following changes have been made for the full release of NHL 19: +++ NHL 19 Release Version (1.0.0) Gameplay Physics Fixes to physics tensions and joint limits Hip check improvements Improvements to stumble fall animations Various animation blend fixes during physics reactions Skating Improvements to stop animations and transitions from stop to stand Improvements to pivot direction consistency Various animation improvements Goalie Fixed a user goalie blend after passing the puck out Various fixes to saves where the pads were not flush to the ice Fixed a case where goalies would get stuck in free skate in Ones Fixed some known cases for users getting stuck in butterfly Poke Check Improvements to collision volumes to more accurately detect incidental stick on stick or stick on body contact Fixed some cases where the defensive player could contact the puck after their stick went through the puck carrier’s geometry Fixes to conditions where the blend out of a poke check was still causing trips Puck Pickups Fixed an issue to allow the player to pick up their own pass if it was blocked/deflected Improvements to interception balance based on player ratings Improvements to staying onside during pickups Various improvements to puck pickup animations Specializations Various fixes to specializations and traits General Improve player support to get to loose pucks Fixed various desyncs Protect puck stumble animations added Improvements to CPU behaviour on breakaways and shootouts Improve logic to prevent accidental manual RS Switching Various fixes to fighting and scrum alignment Fixes to faceoff alignment in World of CHEL Seen once the AI skater will remain idle behind the net Fixes to control hints in training camp Presentation Various fixes to overlays not clearing properly Improvements to multiplayer hugs Various camera fixes Fixes to cameras clipping with crowd and arena geometry Lighting and Material improvements/fixes. Player skin will now appear more accurate New cameras added for each of the venues within NHL Ones World of CHEL Fixed various desyncs when going into gameplay in 3v3 and 6v6 drop in Fixed various crashes in the Dressing Room while opening hockey bags Fixed various crashes while customizing in the dressing room while match making Fixed a soft lock in the post match up dressing room, when one user would open the loadout selection screen as the timer ran out +++ Furthermore, we have received a list of changes that did not make it in time for the disc release, but will be available as a day one update when you first start up NHL 19. +++ NHL 19 Day One Update (1.1.0) Gameplay General Disabled various player interactions (fights, scrums, instigations) during Ones To compliment the fix to the bug that allowed you to win a forehand draw while using the backhand grip we made some faceoff balance changes Backhand stick lift now beats the tieup Forehand stick lift now beats the Backhand stick lift Removed broken sticks from online modes Fixed cases where CPU players were still taking penalties in non player locked online games Goalies Improvements to AI goalies from sharp angles Poke Checking Fixed cases where poke checks were tripping a player after getting puck first Fixes to accuracy of poke checks on stationary/slow moving loose pucks Fixed a case where players were not being tripped after consecutive pokes Various additional poke check targeting fixes Uniforms NHL Anaheim Ducks 3rd Uniform EBEL EHC LIWEST Black Wings Linz Red Bull Salzburg Home and Away Vienna Capitals Home and Away Stadium Updates Updated scoreboard in the Prudential Center World of CHEL The game now defaults to preset home and away tops in 6v6 instead of user assigned casual tops. This resolves visual confusion during gameplay. Various changes to customization items for better in-game readability Fixed an issue where gameplay assets were being rendered in the main menu Fixed a case where the game would frequently hang when going into a 6v6 game of drop in Fixed rare crashes when rolling over to the dressing room after a match Fixed a rare crash in the post game screen due to Voip conflicts. Fixed a rare desync at the puck drop in Ones Fixed various issues where the game would crash when moving from one mode to another +++ What stands out most in our opinion are the changes applied to faceoffs as well as pokechecks. Even though a lot of players have been asking for the backhand-to-forehand switch to return, it is not coming back, and instead we are seeing adjustments to the 'rock papers scissors' mechanic as backhand sticklifts now beat the tie-up, and backhand sticklifts can be countered with forehand sticklifts. Furthermore, we are seeing another increase in punishing bad pokechecks by fixing rare occasions where a stick going through a skater's body did not result in a trip, while at the same time pokecheck targeting seems to have been improved. We expect these changes to reward good defensive positioning even further, now that the RNG aspect has been toned down. What do you think of the changelogs above? Did EA SPORTS meet your expectations? @gzell60

Update: We have received more details about the Cover Athlete, Legend and Rookie items that are part of the Legend and Ultimate editions. These were added to the Legend edition description. Hey NHLGamers, Today marks the last day of August, which means we are about to enter CHEL MONTH! It also means we at NHLGamer are about to come back to life from our short summer break, and with NHL 19 on the horizon, we felt like helping you find your way through the maze of different editions to pick the option best suited to you. Welcome to our Buyer's Guide! NHL 19 Standard Edition (69,99€ / 59.99$) To start off, let's take a look at the three preorder options. First: The Standard Edition. Without surprises, this one comes with: Base game 5 Hockey Ultimate Team Packs (1 per week for 5 weeks) It's available in retail stores (check if your retailer features the 5 HUT Packs as a preorder bonus!) as well as on PSN and Xbox Live, and releases September 14th. Digital preorders: PSN (EU) PSN (US) Xbox Live NHLGamer thinks: "The Standard Edition is the best choice for anyone who is looking to play NHL 19 for as cheap as possible and does not care whether he or she is able to get started later than other players. With 5 HUT Packs until October, it's a good option for players that are intrigued to take a peek at the HUT game mode. As it is the only edition available at retailers, keep an eye out for potential deals (coupons etc.) to lower the price even further compared to the digital listing. If you are on the fence whether or not to get NHL 19 at all, grab the physical copy and reserve the chance to re-sell it used down the road." NHL 19 Legends Edition (89,99€ / 79.99$) On top of the content in the NHL 19 Standard Edition, the Legends Edition includes: 3 days early access An additional 15 Hockey Ultimate Team Packs (total: 1 per week for 20 weeks) 1 HUT Cover Athlete Item Wayne Gretzky (85 OVR) P. K. Subban (80 OVR) William Nylander (80 OVR) Patrik Laine (80 OVR) 1 HUT Legend Item (85 OVR) Mats Sundin Peter Forsberg Mark Messier Guy Lafleur Brett Hull Marcel Dionne 1 HUT Rookie Item (80 OVR) Ondrej Kase Clayton Keller Charlie McAvoy Casey Mittelstadt Noah Hanifin Teuvo Teräväinen Alex Debrincat Mikko Rantanen Pierre-Luc Dubois Esa Lindell Anthony Mantha Jesse Puljujärvi Jared McCann Adrian Kempe Jordan Greenway Charles Hudon Kevin Fiala Nico Hischier Mat Barzal Pavel Buchnevich Thomas Chabot Nolan Patrick Zach Aston-Reese Timo Meier Vince Dunn Mikhail Sergachev Mitch Marner Brock Boeser Alex Tuch Jakub Vrana Kyle Connor 1 Unlocked World of Chel 'Hockey Bag' This edition is not available in retail stores, and can only be obtained digitally on PSN and Xbox Live, with access on September 11. Digital preorders: PSN (EU) PSN (US) Xbox Live NHLGamer thinks: "In our opinion, the NHL 19 Legends Editions offers the greatest value at its price - but only if you are interested in Hockey Ultimate Team! With a total of 20 HUT packs scattered across 4 months until January 2019, and 3 items that will be available instantly, it is guaranteed to give you a decent head start and is recommended for players that are already familiar with Hockey Ultimate Team, willing to keep up with its developments in the long run. With 3 days of early access, it is also the best option for hardcore players on PS4 that want to get on the ice as soon as possible." NHL 19 Ultimate Edition (99,99€ / 99.99$) On top of the content in the NHL 19 Legends Edition, the Ultimate Edition includes: An additional 20 Hockey Ultimate Team Packs (total: 2 per week for 20 weeks) As with the Legends edition, it is not available in retail stores and can only be obtained digitally on PSN and Xbox Live, with access on September 11. Digital preorders: PSN (EU) PSN (US) Xbox Live NHLGamer thinks: "Most likely the option that is most difficult to justify. We believe it's best suited for hardcore HUT players that have money to spend and don't want to miss out on 20 additional HUT packs for 10€/20$ more. Considering EA's HUT strategy during recent years, this money could also be spent on limited time special packs that have a higher chance of top draws, guaranteed collectibles or other goodies, and will start to appear about a month after release." EA Access Play First Trial (Xbox One only, 3,99€ / 4.99$ per month) With EA Access, Xbox One players have an additional option of playing NHL 19 early. At 4€/5$ for a 1 month subscription, it allows you to access NHL 19 on September 6 as well as a couple of other trials like FIFA 19 and Battlefield 5 and a selection of older EA games in the EA Vault. Keep in mind though: You can only play each trial for a total of 10 hours! For more details about EA Access, click here. NHLGamer thinks: "If you're playing on Xbox One and you are not interested in playing Hockey Ultimate Team, but want to be one of the first to start playing NHL 19, grabbing one month of EA access together with the NHL 19 Standard Edition seems to be the best mix - especially if you have some love for other EA games as well. And if HUT happens to be one of your favourite game modes, pick up the Legends or Ultimate Edition afterwards to increase your head start even further." Were we able to help you with your buying decision? Let us know in the comments below and don't forget to share your choice with everyone else! @gzell60

UPDATE: The beta is now available for download on both PS4 and Xbox One! PS4 (EU): https://store.playstation.com/de-de/product/EP0006-CUSA12556_00-NHL2019BETAGAME1 Xbox One: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/store/p/NHL-19-Beta/BNR3SCCFP0D6 Hey NHLGamers! Out of nowhere, the NHL 19 Open Beta was just announced via the PlayStation Blog. And best of all: It is set to start today! Timing: The Open Beta takes place from July 26 to August 2. World of Chel: The following modes will be included in the NHL 19 Open Beta: NHL Ones NHL Threes Pro-Am EA SPORTS Hockey League The announcement also hints at a comeback of (partly) customizable player classes: Which of you guys will be hopping on NHL 19 beta ice tonight?! Let us know! @gzell60

NHLGamers! As of today, the European online qualifiers for the NHL Gaming World Championship 2018 are over and we have very exciting news to share. All eight regional finalists are part of the NHLGamer community! Best wishes are going out to: @Hansulinho (Xbox Live: Hansulinho) - EU XBOX #1 bracket winner @plee999 (Xbox Live: PleeMaker) - EU XBOX #1 bracket runner-up @Erkki (PSN: I_Eki_I) - EU PS4 #1 bracket winner @FlyerKungen (PSN: FlyerKungen) - EU PS4 #1 bracket runner-up @Kane (Xbox Live: Kaneyh) - EU XBOX #2 bracket winner @Nieppii (Xbox Live: Nieppi) - EU XBOX #2 bracket runner-up @Darkic01 (PSN: Darkic01) - EU PS4 #2 bracket winner @Artuzio (PSN: Artuzio) - EU PS4 #2 bracket runner-up The European Region Finals will take place in Stockholm, Sweden at Viasat Studios on May 6th, from which the winner and runner-up will be invited to the World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 19th to compete against the best players from Canada and the USA, who will be represented by two players each as well. If you don't know what the NHL Gaming World Championship is about, read up on it in our previous news story! Good luck everyone - the entire NHLGamer community will be rooting for you!

Hey NHLGamers, we will be live on Twitch shortly for some more ECL Playoffs action! Below, you will find the two covered matchups including our original predictions: Current results: Northern Ascendancy 2:3 Unlucky Boys HC Carlsberg HC 3:2 Sjukstugan All teams have agreed to finish both series tonight. We will focus on Northern Ascendancy vs. Unlucky Boys HC, and in case the first machup ends early, or Carlsberg HC vs. Sjukstugan goes into game 7, we will cover that one as well! Here are tonight's lineups: The games will be broadcasted on the NHLGamer Twitch channel, at twitch.tv/NHLGamerTwitch and will feature commentary by @gzell60 and @Kenu. We'll see you there!

NHLGamers, unfortunately, League Administration was forced to take action regarding several rule infractions revolving around ECL 6 team Inter Iceland. What happened? First of all, League Administration noticed a walkover request by one of Inter Iceland's opponents as the team was not able to bring 6 players to the ice - even though the game was already scheduled and could not be re-scheduled anymore. At the same time, Inter Iceland's roster only consisted of 6 players, which violates the 8 player minimum rule. On top of this, we noticed that main captain "Stefan_397" and assistant captain "backupgoalie769" were also captains of a newly founded team called "Untouchable" that aimed to participate in the German Championship League (GCL). Figuring this was another indicator the team is about to break up, League Administration contacted Inter Iceland's captains and was assured the team intended to finish the season with the help of Free Agents. After further investigation, we were able to obtain proof of Inter Iceland inviting a player with his second account. This account belonged to “alexbvb28”, one of Inter Iceland's ex-players that earlier in the season had transferred to another team - Monarchs. We also obtained proof that shows the captain of Inter Iceland, “Stefan_397", having knowledge of this. Second assistant captain “oCharlyo” had already left Inter Iceland and was not involved in these actions. "alexbvb28" had previously inquired about a potential transfer from Monarchs to another team. Since players are limited to only one transfer per season, League Administration informed him that such actions weren't allowed. Apparently "alexbvb28" wasn't willing to accept this, prompting him to create additional accounts, so that he could help his future GCL teammate - "Stefan_397" - finish the Inter Iceland season to avoid any bans. Sources We won't disclose any sources or technical methods to obtain proof that helped us identify secondary accounts, nor their account names on NHLGamer. Rulings League Administration adjusted the ruling to the severity of the infractions violating these rules: Stefan_397 Will be disqualified from ECL 6 Will be banned from participating in all NHLGamer leagues and tournaments that take place or start during 2018 Will be banned from being main captain (C) or assistant captain (A) temporarily (this will be lifted in consultation with the affected player and League Administration in the future) alexbvb28 Will be disqualified from ECL 6 Will be banned from participating in all NHLGamer leagues and tournaments that take place or start during 2018 Will be banned from being main captain (C) or assistant captain (A) temporarily (this will be lifted in consultation with the affected player and League Administration in the future) Inter Iceland Will be disqualified from ECL 6 All ECL 6 matches will be removed Secondary accounts Will be removed immediately Since League Administration only learned of the aforementioned situation at the trade deadline and wasn't able to process it in time, any players that transferred to Inter Iceland at the deadline are allowed to open a case during the next two days (up to and including March 16) via the "Contact League Administration" forum section and request a transfer to another team. It’s difficult to find the right words to close this news story for obvious reasons, but we really want to underline the importance of integrity and not using multiple accounts to compete, in order to have a competitive and fair environment. We hope it is a lesson for all current and future members that like to participate in NHLGamer leagues and tournaments. - League Administration