NHL 10 PS3 EASHL Teams

[Joborule]

I think defenseman should excersise a more conservative style on defending the attacking team rush and be more concerned in blocking the shooting lanes and defending the rebound shots. Teams are going to be more aggressive at just shooting the puck from the blueline and letting a offensive player pick the loose rebound whom may be wide open to pot it in if our defenders are too up on the blueline looking for the check and quick turnover.

The defenders should just force the team to hold the puck longer while the forwards come back on the forecheck. If they want to take the shot from the point on the rush, they can do so all day if we have one or both of our defenders in the slot to pick up the rebound or hit the player that is chasing for the puck.

Last game I had last night the more conservative style for our defenders worked well because it force the team to work the puck around the outside more then deking around and try to chase the defenders into hitting them thus getting behind them for the cross crease one timer or an overload of forwards for the rebound. As long as we have a defender stay back in the slot on the rush when there is a player rushing into it, we should be able to pick up rebounds and block passes.

Also tomorrow night is the night before first rosters of the pro team are made.

[dobbles]

i disagree. (respectfully of course)

i think passive defense is a bad strategy. jus look at last years game. the reason that we loved playing against computer d-men was because they were very passive and you could gain the zone with no problem and advance the puck deep with no problem. the advantage of a human d is that he can be aggressive and force the forward to actually do something with the puck. what is the point of being back on defense if we are just going to skate backwards until we run into the goalie?

obviously any scenario requires both sides. a person needs to know when to be passive and when to be aggressive. thats what makes all sports entertaining. being able to make the best decision and executing it are what makes people better than others. so i know we can't go 100% towards either concept.

but in general, i feel we need to continue to be aggressive. i think the big problem we encounter this year, is that people are more able to bounce off of checks and keep the puck. last year, players could see an opportunity to take the man out and actually get a turnover. all too often this year, you can line a guy up and he just bounces off of you and keeps going. then all of a sudden the defensive guy is out of the play. this is especially true on the boards. i know i still want to go for hits, but i am always trying to tell myself to board play instead. its tough though. so much of it is habit. last year i could crush a guy into the wall and feel happy. this year, you have to play the odds and just board play.

additionally, as a defenseman, your strategy relies a lot on forwards actually being defensively responsible. yet how many times do we see 3 opponents around our goal and only 1 or 2 of our guys there to defend? rarely do we have enough bodies down low to win battles. i generally feel like i cant go to the corner to help out with a battle for fear that no one will help out in front of the net.

also regarding the cross crease, we need to stop with the poke check and stick lifts. by far the most effective way to break them up is to hit the guy that is waiting for the pass. he can't exactly score when he is laid out on the ice. as long as its in the free checking box you don't have to worry about penalties. also that seems to be one of the few areas that checking is pretty easy.

i know there was a lot of rambling, but those are some of my opinions on defense.

[Joborule]

I don't like the over aggressiveness with the hitting that do because checking is much harder this year and players bounce off. I would prefer that a defenders would stick to the player by poke checking while in the shooting lane. Forcing the player to move to the outside and not cut up inside or get a good shot to the net. This gives the defenders better opportunity for board play too. Hits should only being taken when defenders are confident that have good positioning on the player or they have backup help. Meanwhile the defender on the other side would be keeping tabs on any players making there way to the slot. This way there is still still pressure on the puck carrier, while a defender will be able to be in good position to quickly react to rebounds or passes to the offensive player to the slot.

In order for the more patient defense to work, the forwards will have to be better at collapsing rather then being near the top for the breakout. We'll have to be more low so we can allow defenders to go into the corners or we can attack players at the side boards without having to give up wide open slot space. Shots from the point will be easier for us to break up as well. There should never be a case where we are outnumber in the crease because forwards aren't there to help out. We have to think more defensively and gain puck possession before we go out on the rush. Not much point to be way out to the blueline if our defenders are outnumber in getting the puck.

[dobbles]

yeah i think we are in agreement about the need for more caution in hitting. i know i still struggle with it. after a year of nhl09, i think this has actually been the biggest adjustment for me. whats frustrating is seeing some people are still able to hit. i was talking to merc and he said he checking is only at like 78. mine is 83 i think. and i know my dude is a lot bigger than merc is. yet i still can't hit. and i am fairly confident its not me being crappy. i was 2nd in hits last year on the team with like 7,000 or something.

so for me on a personal level its been super frustrating. but overall i think we do need to be more cautious with those hits. and like i said, on the boards its easier as you can board play. so hopefully we can get past our habits of wanting to kill someone into the boards.

perhaps it was just a case of different terminology, but i just saw the part about being conservative and it struck me as the last thing we should be doing.

[Cactus Jack]

I think we need to strike a balance. Dobbles is right when he says that computer D are fun to play against because you gain the zone easily but they are much harder to score against. They are positionally tight and get to rebounds, which, as Jobo pointed out, will be key given that offence's will rely on the point shot for rebounds. I think this will help us run around a lot less in our own zone.

[Human Torch]

Originally Posted by dobbles

whats frustrating is seeing some people are still able to hit. i was talking to merc and he said he checking is only at like 78. mine is 83 i think. and i know my dude is a lot bigger than merc is. yet i still can't hit. and i am fairly confident its not me being crappy. i was 2nd in hits last year on the team with like 7,000 or something.

My muscles are bigger.

[DragonSoul]

Originally Posted by Human Torch

My muscles are bigger.

How much does EA charge for that boost?

[lanevosky]

I play "full-time" D-man and I usually dont body check the puck carrier unless i am quite sure I can get a good hit or I see enough player to cover if I "bad hit".

I think D-men's job should be limiting the other team's offence options while wingers pressure the other team to make poor decisions and turn over the puck.

As for Body Checking, I dont have too much problem hip checking players or push players out of our cease.
My guy is 6'3", 255 lb, Def D build with 86 checking 85 balance. (Dont quote me on this, but I feel like "balance" helps with my hitting)

[Human Torch]

ya my balance is up pretty high as well...I still bounce of some guys but that's because of my size

[KevanGuy]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

I went into the dressing room around 11pm last night and it said there were 4 waiting to play but I couldn't see anyone. I went back in and out, restarted the game, and still the same problem. Needless to say, I couldn't play. Did this happen to anyone else last night? I'll try again this evening but earlier.

I think we had all just left a game and were still online but not in the dressing room. I got your message, I was in a comm game, but didn't want to respond cause sometimes that causes dcs.

[FoxMulder91]

I should be back to play some games tonight..still trying to work out my headset..any tips on how to sync it..wouldnt work last week and now I cant find the instructions

[Cactus Jack]

You know, I never have a problem checking or sending message while in game look others have.

[Flash Walken]

So, I am picking up a new modem from Shaw to see if that will finally fix my issues. I have tried everything else.

I think listing what type of player you are will be really helpful. It feels like we have way more defensemen than what were listed previously.

It kind of sucks that I feel like I continually have to switch between forward and D, which, with my connection problems, has really delayed my ability to play.

Personally, I think I am most effective on RD. Had a bit of a tough time adjusting to the hitting of this game, but the random penalties of last year had really forced me to adjust to a positional, stick game, so now I rarely take penalties. If we have so many people that want to go D though, I really don't mind being a grinding winger.

And this isn't to single anyone out, but I have really enjoyed playing D with dobbles and lane, except when dobbles keeps crossing over to my side, the jerk.

[dobbles]

yeah, i am definitely a side crosser. i think once people realize that we can just flip and whoever has the best angle and positioning goes to where he needs. i feel it works best that way.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by dobbles

yeah, i am definitely a side crosser. i think once people realize that we can just flip and whoever has the best angle and positioning goes to where he needs. i feel it works best that way.

I actually quite enjoy being the 'safe' dman, backing out of the zone a bit etc, and letting you play the puck.

[dobbles]

yeah, this year i have totally turned into an offensive defensman. thought i think a lot of it is just my aggressiveness. since i am always skating everywhere i end up joining the rush and being in the offensive zone more. unfortunately with my guy hitting like cindy crosby this year, i have had to temper it down in the D zone. i still need to continue to work on that though.

[Human Torch]

Originally Posted by dobbles

unfortunately with my guy hitting like cindy crosby this year

do u need lessons?

[dobbles]

apparently!

i have actually been doing better lately. but still all too often my guy just gently nudges the guy and the dude keeps right on going. i have been debating trying out the defensive defensemen build just to see how well i would do. but i also feel like i am playing pretty well right now as judged by my good +/-, decent point total, and good rating. so i am kinda just stickin with it for now. i think when i get my all-star card i will continue to pump points into balance. i have heard from several places they think that helps with the hitting as well.

[Cliche]

Originally Posted by Prototype

I haven't been able to find this.

http://www.easportsworld.com/en_US/c...1/622/overview

Well.. now that I've looked at it again, the invite wasn't there, so it's now back.

Follow the link, and if you have a EA account, sign in, and check out your My Invites. Should read as 1 if jamieson11 is the correct name.

[dobbles]

i am sure jobo can provide more information as EA gets its head out of its butt, but just wanted to note that on our club page we have a silver medal! we ended up pretty highly ranked in casual league. congrats guys!