NHL 08 Vs. NHL 2K8

[Cactus Drags]

I only played the demo, and hated it.

[Cactus Drags]

Is there some minor league contract thing I'm not aware of? I was just looking for a defenseman to call up since my blueliners are acting like a big bunch of wimps, and it turns out one of my AHL defensemen leads the league in hits. Great, I'll call him up, I think, but he doesn't show up on the roster moves page. He's there on the Lake Erie Edit Lines screen though. Randomly, I check free agency to see if there's a suitable d-man to grab instead, and lo and behold, there's my guy, apparently a free agent despite playing for my AHL squad. And the kicker? He won't sign because he wants to play for a playoff contender. Dick.

[Gabriel]

If you don't have enough players under contract to fill your NHL and AHL teams, or if you've got too many guys up in the big league, then the computer will sign players to "AHL Contracts", meaning, they'll play for your AHL team, but your big club doesn't own them, and they're free to sign with another club.

You've gotta be careful. During one of my first forays into the dynasty mode with 08, I lost my leading scorer in the AHL because he wasn't under contract to my team. Boston signed him, and it totally fucked up my Bulldogs season.

[Cactus Drags]

...balls. Cheers for the heads up, the latest rejection was because there wasn't enough room on the squad. Now I need to decide whether it's worth shipping some dead weight off for picks to make room, or risk losing him.

[Gabriel]

...balls. Cheers for the heads up, the latest rejection was because there wasn't enough room on the squad. Now I need to decide whether it's worth shipping some dead weight off for picks to make room, or risk losing him.

If he's worth calling up, then he's worth dropping a guy for. Surely you have someone scratched in Lake Erie? If not, what about a fourth liner or third pairing defenseman? You can ship them off to another team for a draft pick, or go 2 for 1 and pick up someone who looks good to you.

There's always waivers too, if you have someone on your main squad that you want to get rid of.

[Cactus Drags]

There's Scott Parker, but he's awesome >_>

I'm thinking of going the 2 for 1 route, I need to revitalise my third or fourth line.

EDIT: I can't trade with any team in the league as either or both of us would have cap trouble, or too many skaters :/

Edited April 5, 2008 by Dragsy

[Gabriel]

We're nearing the end of the season, which means that news about NHL 09 should start coming out soonish.

I figured I'd bring this up, as I was thinking about it... but watching the World Championships has cemented the fact that the jerseys EA uses for national teams are just horrible. If they can strike deals with European leagues for player and team rights, why can't they try to forge a deal with the IIHF to use real national team jerseys?

Also, something that's always bugged me is duplicate players in game. There are plenty enough players in the game (or that could easily be put in the game) to fill national team rosters without having to duplicate players already on an NHL or AHL team (or if they keep them in, SM-LIIGA or the SEL.)

Speaking of the European leagues, they need to do something about that during Dynasty. As it stands, all the players from the Finnish and Swedish leagues just get dumped in Free Agents at the beginning of a dynasty, and all the teams load up on good players because they're available. I think that if they keep them in the game, they need to integrate those two leagues into the Dynasty. If you're an NHL team, you should be able to play your AHL games as well, and view the results and statistics of any other league EA puts in the game. This way, you can watch the European players develop, and it stops the mass inclusion of European players (especially goalies) into the AHL. Then, when their contracts run out with their teams, they're free to entertain offers from any league.

[Toe]

We're nearing the end of the season, which means that news about NHL 09 should start coming out soonish.

I figured I'd bring this up, as I was thinking about it... but watching the World Championships has cemented the fact that the jerseys EA uses for national teams are just horrible. If they can strike deals with European leagues for player and team rights, why can't they try to forge a deal with the IIHF to use real national team jerseys?

Also, something that's always bugged me is duplicate players in game. There are plenty enough players in the game (or that could easily be put in the game) to fill national team rosters without having to duplicate players already on an NHL or AHL team (or if they keep them in, SM-LIIGA or the SEL.)

Speaking of the European leagues, they need to do something about that during Dynasty. As it stands, all the players from the Finnish and Swedish leagues just get dumped in Free Agents at the beginning of a dynasty, and all the teams load up on good players because they're available. I think that if they keep them in the game, they need to integrate those two leagues into the Dynasty. If you're an NHL team, you should be able to play your AHL games as well, and view the results and statistics of any other league EA puts in the game. This way, you can watch the European players develop, and it stops the mass inclusion of European players (especially goalies) into the AHL. Then, when their contracts run out with their teams, they're free to entertain offers from any league.

I know EA had a deal with the IIHF once and had the real jerseys in one game, but for a game that doesn't sell a lot, they probably figure it is not worth the cost to get the license. Although they do have the Swedish and Finnish leagues, and those can't be free....

I hope EA makes the dynasty more deep and continues to make the actual gameplay better and better. It is the best playing hockey game right now, it just doesn't match up in franchise mode.

[Red Devil-Taker316]

So I'm playing NHL 2K8, my first hockey game since NHL 98, I only have one question, an sadly it's a stupid one.

I know how to change offensive lines on the fly, but how do I switch defensive ones?

[Gabriel]

I haven't played a 2k game in ages... if it's the same as NHL 08, then your defensive pairs are tied to your forward lines.

[Red Devil-Taker316]

They aren't, I had my top two defensemen playing the whole game sans a penalty kill.

Yeah, I could put the line changes on auto, but I like being able to change my lines on my own.

I should mention, I'm playing it on the PS2, an I know L1 + directional does the offensive part of the lines.

[Liam]

I play online now more than anything on NHL 08, and move between Pittsburgh and Calgary. But I was wondering if anyone could suggest a team that has a good roster for playing on the rush? Or at least a good first line for playing that way. I very often play the puck around much, preferring to defend and then hit hard and fast on the counter.

[Slogger]

I play that type of offense too, I use to Ducks because I get so much offense from there great defense that there weaker offense doesn't worry me much, But then again teams like the Sens with a great front 3 will help with this playing style too.

[Clawson]

Liam clearly stole the tactic from me after I nailed him with about 3 breakaways in our game.

It works, but not as good as a cycle can be if you can manage to pull one off. I've managed to spend ages in my friends zone before scoring doing it.

[Toe]

I am a puck possession player. I hold on to the puck and end up with more shots then my opponent. I haven't played online regularly for awhile, but I never picked up the surefire scoring methods. So instead, to prevent the opponent from using them on me, I make sure I hold onto the puck, even if it means moving back into my own end once or twice before moving forward. The last game I played, the other player had 3 goals on 10 shots while I had 3 goals on 30. He won in overtime when I accidently put the puck into my own net.

[Plubby]

Colorado rush well for me - use a speed line (Svatos is gold for this) and just use cross-crease one timers.

[Clawson]

I am a puck possession player. I hold on to the puck and end up with more shots then my opponent. I haven't played online regularly for awhile, but I never picked up the surefire scoring methods. So instead, to prevent the opponent from using them on me, I make sure I hold onto the puck, even if it means moving back into my own end once or twice before moving forward. The last game I played, the other player had 3 goals on 10 shots while I had 3 goals on 30. He won in overtime when I accidently put the puck into my own net.

Sundin over the blue line, slapshot to the top right. Works 75% of the time. I only use it in blowouts now as a result, or in a close game with friends offline.

[Toe]

Oh, there is a new trailer out. Doesn't show that much except the new physic based hitting that looks brutal. Also, delay of game penalties.

[Cactus Drags]

Are we talking NHL '09 in the '08 thread? Works for me.

I shotgun GM'ing of the EWB EASHL team.

[Liam]

I hate playing some people online. They find that one way to score, and they come at you with it, and thats that. And its usually the cheaper ways of scoring. Got beaten 5-3, and practically all his goals were the same basis, either drive to the line and put it back across for a tap in, or drive to the line, around the back of the net and then pass it to the man in front of the crease. Bastards.