Stop AI From Dumping the Puck While Shorthanded

Okay, you are down by one goal with less than 2 minutes left and on top of that you have a penalty to kill. It doesn’t get worse does it? Oh but it does! Because in EA Sports’ NHL your dumbass AI won’t stop dumping the puck out every time they touch it so you can’t even get possession let alone get a heroic game tying goal on the PK.

Fortunately, EA has implemented a solution to change this behaviour and it’s very easy to apply 🙂

All you need to do is set your Breakout Offensive Pressure to “Full Attack“. Done. Your AI will now pass or skate the puck out, no more icing/dumping the puck down.

How to: Press “up” on the D pad during play or after a whistle. That will bring up the menu you see in the above screenshot and then click “up” a couple more times to toggle over to “Full Attack”. Enjoy more puck possession on the PK! Or turning it over and getting scored on.

Change it back to anything other than “Full Attack” for your AI players to go back to dumping/icing it down again.

When to: I only recommend doing this if you really need a goal. Otherwise just let them dump it. I’ve been burned many times trying to carry the puck out of my zone on the PK instead of just dumping it. With how loose the puck is in NHL 17 it is very easy to have it knocked off your or the AI’s stick. Most online players play a very aggressive forecheck too; which just makes it even more likely your AI will be checked.

This of course only applies if you are playing EASHL/OTP or any game where you decide to position lock yourself.

I will have a post going up soon that contains all coaching strategies in NHL 17 and explains how/when to use them. I’ll link it below once it is posted.