NHL 13 - Xbox 360

A Great Skater Runs Into Offseason Trouble

Matt Bertz — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:59:44 GMT

Owners and general managers willingly circumvent salary cap rules and sign players to $100 million contracts, but they argue that the NHL is in dire straits despite generating record revenue for the past seven years. Now the league is moving toward its second lockout in less than a decade, which means EA’s NHL series may be the only place to see your team hoist the cup this year. Though NHL 13 is in no danger of losing a season, it has its own formidable issues with virtual upper management as well.

For the past few years the Be A GM mode has been undermined by sketchy AI logic that resulted in questionable trades, restricted free agents sitting out entire seasons, and teams stashing legit NHL players in the minor leagues. To address these issues, developer EA Canada spent a lot of the offseason trying to give these wayward AI-controlled teams smarter brains. While bone-headed decisions happen less frequently in NHL 13, they still occur enough to shatter the illusion that you’re competing against the likes of GM whizzes Ken Holland and Ray Shero. Teams let highly touted prospects like Jonathon Huberdeau pass through waivers midseason, trade for a player only to put him on waivers the next day, and favor skating career minor leaguers over giving prospects ice time in the AHL. Even the players suffer from brain damage. Some highly rated players on the back end of their careers demand ridiculous contracts, and when nobody matches their price they sit out entire seasons.

EA Canada rewrote the trading logic as well, but the different approach has the same broken results. Teams more accurately enter fire sale mode at the trade deadline when they are out of contention for the playoffs, but they typically only offer over-the-hill veterans or prospects years away from making an impact. AI-driven GMs also hold a stubborn view of how to shape their rosters. If your proposal doesn’t stick to the highlighted list of players they are comfortable trading, you have to offer an absurdly generous package to get a deal done. This concept makes sense when you consider the high price it would take to acquire a star player like Sidney Crosby, but it extends to situations where teams have no understanding of their own surpluses. In one instance, the Dallas Stars didn’t feel comfortable trading a goalie even though they had four netminders rated 80 or higher in its system. Teams also brazenly offer trades nobody in their right mind would make, like a second-round pick for your first-round pick.

If you don’t want to contend with the broken GM logic, you can head online to compete with friends in GM Connected, a new online franchise mode that gives you most every feature you have in the offline Be A GM mode. You can coach a team, play traditional versus games, join Be A Pro-style online team games with five other human players on your squad, or build an AI to compete for you while you work on improving the roster. Though this concept is a great addition to the NHL franchise, the implementation is lacking. Because your league constantly interfaces with the servers, the menu navigation is painfully slow, taking upwards of 15 seconds to exit a basic menu. League commissioners don’t have tools for fixing dropped games or seeing how many games other players have left to complete before deciding to advance the calendar, either. If you want to play in a single-player league, I suggest skipping GM Connected altogether and sticking to the offline Be A GM mode because it can take over 10 minutes to sim CPU games and process transactions each play period. Compared to Madden, which advances instantaneously and has no menu lag, NHL performs like it just got done with a bag skate.

Like the NHL’s current collective bargaining woes, these franchise mode gaffes undermine the stellar action on the ice. Thanks to a revamped skating system, tweaks to the AI strategy, and smarter goalies, this is the best playing NHL game of this generation. It may seem unforgiving to newcomers, but if you play the game like a real NHL team – dumping and chasing, cycling the puck, and peppering the net with shots through traffic – your efforts are appropriately awarded. Being able to turn on the jets to blow past defenders gives the game a more realistic sense of speed, and EA Canada smartly made it tough to shoot at high speeds to prevent players from abusing the feature. Thanks to AI improvements, defenders forecheck with more effectiveness, have very active sticks, and are generally well positioned, all of which results in more turnovers in the neutral zone. For the first time in years, the five-hole is open for business as well, so you don’t always need to shoot that perfect corner shot or execute an otherworldly deke to beat a goalie.

The major knocks I have about the gameplay this year are largely physics based. Players get knocked down from behind far too often, and the puck physics are wildly inconsistent to the point of being unbelievable. Sometimes the puck loses all momentum when clanging off a post, dropping directly downward. Other times it ricochets off goalie past like it’s being shot out of a cannon. Refs also call don’t call enough penalties, even when the slider is maxed out.

As is the case in nearly every sports game, the slew of other modes jam-packed onto the disc only received minimal improvements. You can request trades in Be A Pro. Your Hockey Ultimate Team starter pack includes your favorite team’s logo, jerseys, and one token player. The EASHL features regional matchmaking and a performance-point multiplier that encourages true six-on-six games. Be A Legend adds a few big names like Doug Gilmour, but still foolishly places these all-timers in the modern NHL instead of pitting historical teams against one another. None of these minor tweaks makes or breaks the experience like the broader strokes painted by the gameplay and franchise mode changes.

Like its namesake league, NHL 13’s stellar on-ice product is compromised by the questionable decisions of the men at the top. I’ve never had more fun competing between whistles, but once you skate off the ice and take a seat as the general manager, the poor AI driving the other teams breaks the fantasy.

Skating With Speed In NHL 13

Matthew Kato — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:21:00 GMT

NHL 13 introduces a new physics model for players' skating, and the offshoot is that players can better utilize their speed. This can come at a cost, however. Take a look at this tutorial video showing you the game's new skating mechanics.

Although players can utilize their speed better than ever before, this comes at a cost. Trying to puck handle or shoot while hauling down the ice isn't easy, and there is also a fatigue to consider.

The game comes out on September 11, and is preceded by a demo on August 21.

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For more on other aspects of the game, check out the appropriate links below.

GM Connected Mode

Trade Interface

22 Things We Know About NHL 13

Gameplay Trailer

Defensive and Presentation Improvements

NHL 13 Trailer Overload

Matthew Kato — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:49:00 GMT

A lot has been revealed about NHL 13's improvements, but EA Sports and EA Canada aren't done delivering new info in advance of the game's September 11 release.

Today we've got a pair of videos that cover improvements to the title's defensive game and presentation package. The defensive video in particular shows multiple examples of how player-controlled and AI defenses are tougher through better poke-checking, back checking forwards, better positioning, and sticks in passing lanes.

And if that's not good enough of a defense performance, you'll be even more impressed that developer EA Canada managed to get Chris Pronger healthy enough to take the ice again.

For more on the game's GM improvements, check out Bertz's previous preview.

DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS

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PRESENTATION IMPROVEMENTS

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NHL 13 comes out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 11.

NHL 13 Overhauls Its Trade Interface

Matt Bertz — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:11:00 GMT

Any NHL general manager worth his salt will tell you that one of the quickest ways to shore up inadequacies on your roster is to make a quick trade. In NHL 12, making a smart trade was often tough thanks to strange AI quirks (teams would sometimes reject a proposal they just made to you), a lack of valuable feedback on trade offers from AI controlled teams, and an uncommonly even player value bar that made it tough to distinguish the true worth of different players. In NHL 13, a host of improvements make looking for that missing piece much more accommodating.

The revamped trade block lets teams fine-tune what they are willing to give up and be more specific about what kind of player they are looking for in return. Instead of vaguely requesting things like athleticism, AI controlled teams assess their current rosters and make a determinations of what kind of players they need, whether it be a first-line forward, a top-six forward, or a grinder. Teams are also more cognizant of where their organization stands within the league and make requests accordingly. For instance, a team in true Cup contention like the New York Rangers may be willing to trade away high draft picks or well regarded prospects to acquire a veteran player to fill out the roster, while rebuilding teams may part with their veterans to gather more draft picks and build for the future. Teams will constantly re-evaluate their standing throughout the year, so they are not locked into a specific philosophy. If the Columbus Blue Jackets somehow survive the Rick Nash exit and compete for a playoff spot, during the trade deadline they will actively try to improve instead of going into full rebuild mode.

Finding the exact kind of player you are looking for is also made easier thanks to a granular new system that lets you get very specific with different parameters. For instance, instead of just indicating that you need a scorer, you can let teams know you are looking for a top-six forward between the ages of 17 and 24 who has a prospect rating of four or higher. Upon entering your parameters, like FIFA 12 the game conducts a search for player matches. This gives you an opportunity to be aggressive rather than just posting this on your trading block and waiting for offers. You can also search based on the star level of six different skill groupings: skating, shooting, puck skills, physicality, hockey sense, and defense. If you’re looking for an aggressive blue liner who isn’t afraid to put people through the glass, searching for a player with four-star physicality and defending skills is much easier that drilling into the ratings of every single defender in the game to find an ideal candidate.

Once you propose a trade, if the opposing team doesn’t accept it will give you feedback about how closely your offer comes to being feasible. In my experience this could still use tweaking. Because Montreal was in the market for a top-six forward and was willing to give up its first round pick, I offered Pierre-Marc Bouchard for the pick (an admitted reach) to see how far off this proposal would be. The GM said that they were very interested but I had to sweeten the pot. I tried adding a sixth round pick, and that wasn't enough. I eventually worked my way up to offering Bouchard and a second rounder, and I was still receiving the same feedback even though it was apparent that my first offer was much further beneath their expectations than they originally let on since they were still rejecting my much more generous offer. Hopefully EA Canada has time to refine this feedback to be more specific.

The NHL development team also opened up about other changes its made since we saw the game a couple months ago. Based on early fan feedback on NHL 13’s direction, the development team decided to change the player ratings to create more of a gap between the star players and the average skaters in the league. Franchise players like Sidney Crosby are still rated in the 90s, but the average ratings of third-line defenders are in the mid-70s instead of the low-80s this year.

While talking GM Connected mode I also asked some questions about the planned companion app. EA is developing the app for the iOS platform only at this time, with no plans to bring it to Android. The app allows you to check out your league stats and standings, view player information, make trade offers, make claims for free agents, and send messages to the rest of your league. Though EA has looked into it, logistics prevent the app from supporting line editing, scouting, tweaking team strategy, and notifications at this time. The app offers no special functionality for commissioners; if you want to move the league forward or kick someone out, you need to do it from the console.

EA hopes to have the app ready by the time NHL 13 takes the ice on September 11. To read more about the game, check our our 22 Things We Know About NHL 13 and Everything We Know About GM Connected Mode previews.

NHL 13 Gameplay Trailer

Jim Reilly — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:36:55 GMT

EA Sports released a video highlighting many of the new features that were added to NHL 13. Producer Ben Ross walks you through it.

Players can finally skate backwards, which changes up the offensive-zone strategies. You can also chop the puck along the boards to assist with your breakouts. Goalie can read two-on-one's and anticipate the pass, too.

NHL 13 is out September 11.

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Taking The Ice With NHL 13

Matthew Kato — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:28:00 GMT

NHL 13 is making important changes to players' skating, and what better way to understand this than to spend some more time with the game. We got some extra hands-on time with NHL 13 and got a glimpse of some of its possibilities.

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Everything We Know About NHL 13's GM Connected Mode

Matt Bertz — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:00:00 GMT

NHL 13 already sounds like its skating in the right direction with the new True Performance Skating system and EA Sports IQ, but if the series wants to be in the sports game of the year conversation one of the areas needing a major overhaul is the Be A GM mode. We sat down with producer Andy Agostini to discuss the new connected franchise mode and how EA Canada plans on making the general manager AI perform more like Red Wings mastermind Ken Holland and less like former New York Islanders trainwreck/current TV commentator Mike Milbury.

Here's what we know so far about NHL 13 revamped GM mode.

GM Connected

1. EA retooled its most popular mode to include a multi-user dynasty with up to 30 NHL teams being run by 30 human general managers.

2. This new GM Connected mode features a full 82-game schedule and can run for up to 25 years.

3. EA chose against including fantasy draft because it didn't want the barrier of entry to be a tedious 45-round draft. If you want to mix up the teams so no one is forced to play with the Edmonton Oilers (zing!) you can randomize the rosters when starting the league.

4. Users can play GM Connected in several ways, including a solo league against the CPU AI, standard versus, co-op, six-on-six online team play, taking the role of a general manager, or as a coach who handles line changes and team strategy.

5. Connected GM is elastic, meaning one team could be controlled by a GM, while another is run by a hands-on player, and another is run by a coach.

6. In six-on-six online team play leagues, you can have up to 25 users per each team. This allows teams to have a ringer take the role of a regular when they're short a body.

7. Free agency includes both unrestricted and restricted free agents, and it's handled via seven bidding periods. The highest bidders win the services of the player, and if you strike out you have several more rounds to find an adequate replacement.

8. Much to the dismay of hardcore franchise guys, the NHL Entry Draft is automated. You can still scout players during the season and build a priority list of prospects. Once the draft starts, however, the CPU will use your priority list to make selections for your team.

9. While running your team you have full access to the entire list of players in the organization, including the AHL, CHL, and foreign league prospects.

10. The commissioner controls how quickly the league advances. You can opt for either three-day, one-week, or two-week periods.

11. A news panel in the menu screen keeps you abreast of all league happenings.

12. An integrated messaging system informs you of waivers, trades, and league join requests. You can also send messages to the commissioner, the entire league, or team members.

13. EA built in systems to deal with grieving and cheating. The commissioner has the power to kick out users at any time.

14. If a commissioner goes missing, other general managers can vote him out to keep the league moving along.

15. EA plans to release a mobile app that allows players to stay engaged with their leagues when they're away from their consoles. From the app, players can juggle team rosters, scour the waiver wire, propose trades, and read about league happenings.

16. If you want to keep your GM experience offline, you still have that option. Doing so will allow you to make your draft selections like in past NHL games.

GM BRAIN

17. NHL 12 received a lot of criticism for its poor GM AI. Teams would stash veterans in the minors, propose ridiculous trades, and let top prospects leak into free agency. This year EA is completely rebuilding the system.

18. With the GM Brain AI working as the backbone for all decisions, general managers now look at their teams just like their real-world counterparts, evaluating the current and future talent and making decisions based on what will make their teams better now and a few years down the road.

19. The GM Brain now catalogs players based on where they fit into the entire NHL, not just how they fit on their team. This means that while the Wild may play Devin Setoguchi on the first line because the offensively challenged team is short on scoring talent, the GM recognizes that in reality he's more of a second line player. This places all the players on a roster in a pecking order and help inform the GM of the team weaknesses and surpluses.

20. Because teams know what they have on their roster relative to the rest of the league, they are smarter about making free agency signings. Last year when a team needed a fifth goalie to be a backup in the minors, it would sign an NHL-level talent to a one-way contract and then immediately try to squeeze him through waivers. This year teams will sign a player of the appropriate skill level if all they need is a body for their AHL affiliate.

21. When deciding what moves his team should make for the upcoming season, first the GM Brain determines if his team is a championship-level team, a contender, a hopeful, or in rebuilding mode. This evaluation helps set the types of trades a team is willing to engage. If a team is on the cusp of a championship, it may trade off some prospects to get a veteran who fills a weakness. If a team is in full rebuilding mode, it will be much more likely to trade off players at the tail end of their prime in exchange for prospects or draft picks.

22. In NHL 12 players were primarily valued by three traits: offense, defense, and athleticism. After talking with the NHL's central scouting service about how it operates, EA has changed this in NHL 13. Now GMs evaluate key six areas: shooting, skating, puck skills, physicality, hockey sense, and defense.

23. Once a team proposes a trade deal, a few days will have to pass before they will rescind the offer. This should allow you to come back to deals instead of being forced to take them immediately when they are proposed before the GM AI changed its mind and rescinded the offer.

24. EA has reworked all the feedback a user receives when trying to make a trade. Now teams give you a better sense of what they are looking for and how far off your proposal is.

25. GM Brains also have the ability to project their rosters up to five years out. This helps them determine what talent is coming up so it knows when it's smart to either trade a veteran during the deadline to make or let him leave via free agency to make room for a prospect.

26. Though some outlets (including us) criticized NHL 12 for having too many players rated 80 and above, EA is content with its current ratings system and believes that by surfacing the six player traits instead of three it will be easier for players and AI GMs to better understand a player's true value.

27. When making draft picks, GM Brains will draft the best players available until it gets into the later rounds. Then it will start addressing positions of need.

28. The trade engine is now much more granular than it was in the past. If you want to tell teams you are looking for a first-line forward between the ages of 27 and 30, you can do that. The GM Brains also have a much better idea of what players they are willing to trade.

29. In past NHL games, when a player went down the AI would make wholesale line changes instead of just plugging a scratched player into the hole. Now the AI is smart enough to make individual moves without completely revamping the entire lineup. It will also make player valuations to determine the best fit when a player goes down. A right winger may switch to center if the next center in the minor league is significantly worse.

30. The AI is also smarter about using enforcers. In previous games their high strength ratings made them likely candidates to be automatically placed on the penalty kill. Know the AI knows that these players are specialists and will play them on (and keep them off) appropriate lines.

NHL 13 releases for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 11.

A Fast Shift With NHL 13

Matthew Kato — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:01:34 GMT

Take a look at this teaser of some of NHL 13's new features as you wait for the Stanley Cup Finals to commence.

NHL 13 is hitting the ice on September 11 for Xbox 360 and PS3, and the latest trailer for the game from EA Sports and developer EA Canada shows off upcoming features like the improved player top-end speed/acceleration, goalie AI, and team strategies.

For more on some of NHL 13's new features, check out Bertz's exhaustive rundown of the 22 Things We Know About NHL 13.

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22 Things We Know About NHL 13

Matt Bertz — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:00:00 GMT

A few weeks ago we had a chance to lace up our skates and take to the ice with NHL 13. Can the series regain its balance after slipping slightly last year? Here is what we learned.

GAMEPLAY

1. Previous NHL entries featured speed differentiation between players, but the developer is the first to admit the skaters lacked explosiveness. For NHL 13, EA Canada has completely reworked the skating engine, which its marketing team is dubbing True Performance Skating. This year speedy wingers like Marian Gaborik have the ability to fly by defenders. Players reach their top speed by either reaching full stride in a straightaway or by the user pressing the L3 button. Giving players control of their speed bursts allows them to time when they want to turn on the afterburners, which can be extremely advantageous when splitting defensemen or accelerating alongside the boards to avoid a check.

2. Going fast has its limitations. Players will get fatigued faster, and only elite players like Sidney Crosby are able to stickhandle and take accurate shots while skating at top speed. If you are flying down the wing as fast as your player can skate and you try to make an aggressive turn toward the net, your player may lose his footing and wipe out. The controller will give players feedback by rumbling when they are pressing too hard.

3. EA Canada conduced a study and found that NHL players glide nearly 40 percent of their time on the ice. In NHL 12, players glided less than one percent of the time. With the limitations imposed by moving at top speed, most players are better off accelerating and then using their momentum to glide into position to take a shot or make a pass. "We wanted to capture why Henrik Sedin rarely goes at his top-end speed," says producer Sean Ramjagsingh. "He's always in control and it seems like he slows down the entire flow of the game."

4. To build the new skating system, EA Canada has added over 1,000 new animations. Players will dig their skates hard into the ice when making abrupt changes in direction, and it takes them a second to gather their momentum when quickly stopping and skating in the opposite direction. You will also see skaters subtly dodge defenders who mis-time their checks.

5. Pressing and holding the left trigger activates back skating. This can be extremely useful when positioned along the blue line in the offensive zone, opening up new shooting angles. Being able to turn and skate with forwards or pivot into a back skate is also a boon on defense, but mis-timing your pivot could leave you flat footed and create an opening for an offensive player to blow past with a well-timed speed burst. In our limited time with NHL 13, this dynamic created an interesting cat and mouse game between defenders and forwards. Since you can't skate backward as fast as attacking players skate forward anymore, Knowing when to back off, when to turn and skate, when to close the gap, and when to attempt a check requires much more awareness than in past games.

6. The real-time physics introduced a couple years back are being tweaked to account for the new sense of speed and momentum on the ice and to add more fidelity. Ramjagsingh says they are starting to see more subtle behaviors like knee-on-knee collisions.

7. EA has tweaked goaltender performance to open up the five hole for more scoring opportunities.

8. For the first time in the series, goalies now have individual limb control, which introduces more save possibilities and could also result in more deflection goals off their arms and legs.

9. Last year many fans complained that the CPU didn't take enough penalties. EA Canada plans to make this a focus this year.

EA SPORTS HOCKEY IQ

10. For several years, users have questioned the sketchy player AI. This year the development team hopes to dispel this complaint once and for all with EA Sports Hockey IQ. "This year we've invested more effort in AI than in the last three years combined in terms of effort," Ramjagsingh says.

11. The new AI system helps players understand situations as they develop on the ice and react to them accordingly. For example, thanks to the new EA Sports Hockey IQ, goalies are much more aware of situations like odd-man rushes. Before, goalies only knew where the puck was. Now, they anticipate player positioning and react realistically to 2-on-1s, 3-on-1s, and 2-on-0s. They may cheat and play more out of the net to challenge a shooter, or sit back to avoid giving a trailing player an open net. Now that they are willing to cheat, desperation saves and scrambling goaltenders are much more common.

12. EA is also working on making sure teammate AI knows what to do when you have an odd-man rush on offense. If you cross over into their lane, they will know that they should criss cross and position themselves for a scoring opportunity.

13. Part of the AI work includes making sure there is better player differentiation on the ice. Fourth liners will go into corners more aggressively and finish their checks.

14. If you're not happy how your lines are performing you can tweak their behaviors with a new set of strategy sliders. On offense, you can control your players tendencies to carry vs. dump the puck, cycle vs. shoot, skate with efficiency or energy, or go down to block shots or not. On defense, you can use the sliders to determine whether or not your defensemen should pinch or hold the line and whether they should cycle the puck or shoot. If you want to create a fourth line that dumps and chases 100 percent of the time, you now have that option.

15. When the CPU AI employs the dump and chase, it's smart enough to try different types of dumps. Their options include ringing the puck around the boards, attempting a cross-ice dump, or shooting the puck off the back wall.

16. EA has redone every single forecheck in the game so teams employ their real-life strategies. This includes aggressive or passive 1-2-2, 1-3-1, and even the 1-4 the Tampa Bay Lightning used against the Boston Bruins during last year's Stanley Cup playoffs.

17. In addition to selecting your team's forecheck, you can also tweak their bias between hanging back in the neutral zone and a more aggressive trapping game.

18. Each team has its own custom AI template to start. You can create a new system or adopt any of the 30 templates for your own team.

PRESENTATION

19. Much to the dismay of some fans, both Gary Thorne and Bill Clement return to the broadcasting booth. EA recorded commentary for the new features like True Performance Skating and some league information that will keep their comments up to date.

20. NHL 13 has a completely redone the lighting engine. New light maps replicate the look of each of the arenas in the game, and the developers also added more colored light. You will now notice light bouncing off objects and self-shadowing.

21. The developers upgraded the rendering for skates, socks, pants, jerseys, gloves, helmets, etc. so they are much more detailed. You can see the stitching in breezers, and gloves will have scuff marks. Visors also properly reflect light.

22. EA has moved away from non-interactive cutscenes. NHL 13 now uses the AI to drive the players after the whistle and the developers implemented true broadcast camera angles to capture their activity.

We saw a lot more of NHL 13, but that's all we can share right now. Look for more updates on how EA plans to improve the Be A GM mode in a couple weeks.

NHL 13 comes out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 11. For more on the game's Stanley Cup Collector's Edition, click here.

NHL 13 Combines Smarts & Skating Ability

Matthew Kato — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:29:00 GMT

The NHL franchise has become one of EA Sports' most consistently good series, but the innovations have been slowing down in recent iterations. NHL 13 will try to address some areas that are due for an upgrade.

SKATING

Players' speed on the ice will be highlighted to replicate the acceleration and top speed among different skaters. EA Canada says this will not only open up a host of new animations, but hopefully this will also mean that skaters can finally turn the corner on defenders unlike in previous NHL games.

HOCKEY I.Q.

The AI of skaters and goalies will get a boost as they will be more aware of those around them. Last year's game did a good job of keeping teammates onsides, and it sounds like this new feature could lead to better awareness by goalies of off-puck skaters sneaking into the slot or two-on-one situations. This could also mean better cycling in the offensive zone as well.

The game is also boasting customizability so you can try to mimic the strategies of teams. Maybe we'll see a repeat of the Lightning and Flyers' 1-3-1 neutral zone/forecheck stare-down.

GM MODE

The GM mode is taking a big step forward with GM Connected. This takes the Be a GM mode and not only brings it online in a 30-team NHL league, but also lets you and your friends fill specific roles. You could all play with or against each other as players, or perhaps someone will specialize in a role like being a GM or coach. The mode is also supported by a mobile app.

NHL MOMENTS

You can re-live moments from the current season in the game (augmented by real-life footage), and new situations from next season will be added after the game ships.

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This is just the beginning of the game's features, so come back on Monday, May 21 when we'll reveal more about the game.

NHL 13 ships for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 11, and will also feature a NHL 13 Stanley Cup Collector's Edition ($79.99) featuring:

Embossed Stanley Cup tin
Two Stanley Cup-themed Ultimate Team packs
Gold Jumbo Ultimate Team pack w/ 24 items, including an exclusive Wayne Gretzky Ultimate Team Legend
CCM Boost Pack w/ the CCM RBZ stick for use in Be a Pro and the EASHL
A one-time 10% discount at the NHL.com shop
The game, of course