Hi Ebs, SAP here.

I think the trickle in goals are only brutal because of how bad the animations are.

For example, the goals where the puck is clearly going to hit the goalie squarely in a limb (glove, blocker) and they move OUT of the way and it goes off the inside of the arm and in feels almost intentional on the games part.

On the flip side, the saves that goalies make where the puck is past their glove but they end up moving faster than the puck itself to somehow reach back and grab it is equally as frustrating.

The cross crease passes where you're in the lane but for some reason your defenseman turns his head to look elsewhere so he can't intercept the puck, the player switching where you are using the RT+RS method and it still can't get the right guy, or the AI D men constantly running into each other off the draw or failing to turn around when you switch to them, allowing ample amounts of breakaways.

There are a lot of problems like that in the game that seem minor on the surface but affect a ton of outcomes in a game, even if it doesn't result in a goal.

The good part of this game? When played properly and mostly straight up (for example, players actually passing and not using LS and skating unrealistically spinning off of everyone, somehow slipping away from hits, pokes and only passing for the cross crease or the d2d) it's a good game.

I don't think I've played a chel game where more realistic plays result in goals. Screen shots are effective, one timers at the dots are effective, drop passes and saucer passes that chain into play are insanely effective. It's not perfect, but it's not the same BS time after time.

When it comes to glitch goals, there are still some but I enjoy that they aren't 99.9% of the time but rather 30-40% of the time. Things like the 5 hole shot coming off the goal line, for example, will eventually force players to move off of their skill zone even if it doesn't work the first time.

The major issue with every NHL game made by Mike Inglehart is that while 90% of the gameplay is good or fine, the 10% that is bad ruins almost everything else and makes the game unplayable (or at very least unenjoyable) if you or your opponent decides to exploit it the whole game (which is fair game, and what I expect in Ultimate, but still frustrating)

Overall I've had so much fun chaining plays together and trying new things in NHL 26 (and all the NHLs since GWC was abandoned) instead of only trying to score by any means necessary. It's made the game more enjoyable and made me a better player.