The avid fan of the NHL will be pleased to know that this year’s edition includes a wide variety of game modes. Players can begin the game immediately in play-now mode, engage in an international match, navigate a playoff series, or launch their franchise. In the franchise mode, you take control of a team and build its legacy over ten years. You can either play each game in a season or simulate each game while taking on the role of a manager. Following each season’s conclusion, you will have the opportunity to tinker with the roster in preparation for the following season. You can acquire new players through the draft or free agency, acquire players from other teams through trades, or retire older players. Throughout the entirety of a franchise’s existence, statistics are tracked in a variety of categories.
Using the right analog stick to perform manual dekes and sneak the puck past the goalkeeper is another feature added in this year’s update.