It may not mark any difference in gameplay, but that doesn’t matter. This clip has me so excited for NHL 11. The clip features the Phoenix Coyotes vs. the Carolina Hurricanes as well as the Colorado Avalanche vs. the Dallas Stars. None of these teams generally get me excited – after all, I’m a Canadiens fan – but, this particular clip had me cheering in my seat this morning as I gave thought to what I would write about in the sports gaming world.
You see, the clip features four teams that have all moved to their present locations from previous ones. The Phoenix Coyotes used to be the Winnipeg Jets. The Carolina Hurricanes previously were the Hartford Whalers (love them!), the Colorado Avalanche were the Quebec Nordiques at one point in time, and the Dallas Stars were once the Minnesota North Stars. This clip features the four teams wearing their original team jerseys – green Hartford Whaler tops included. It’s absolutely awesome to see, even if it makes no difference in the actual gameplay.
There are a lot of fans of the NHL who have favorite old teams that no longer exist. Beyond that, many of the teams have so much history that their jerseys have spanned time and changed many times. For instance, the Montreal Canadiens have gone through more jersey changes over time than I can count. Their old jerseys even included a maple leaf on the front instead of the famed CH that’s seen today. Likewise, there is a passionate fan base in Quebec City for the Nordiques, in Hartford for the Whalers (there’s even a movement to bring the team back to Hartford), and Winnipeg just isn’t the same without the Jets. Of course, Minnesota now has the Wild, but I bet there are more than a few fans who wish they still had the North Stars.
Further adding to the awesomeness of the video is the new rink designs. It’s clear, looking at Phoenix’s Jobing.com arena, that individual touches have been added to ensure the rinks actually resemble their real-life counterparts. Where previously in NHL games, the rinks looked generic, they now boast individual aspects. In the video you can see a large Phoenix Coyotes billboard. I can imagine that Pittsburgh will feature their huge HD screen above the ice for their new rink, while the Habs will feature an extra level of seating to fit in all 21,000+ fans. Those sorts of details may seem small, but they make all the difference in the world.
According to EA, the throwback jerseys will be available through competing in EAUHL, the new Ultimate Team mode for NHL 11. They will be unlocked rewards for accomplishments – pretty good incentive for me to play EAUHL. I’d love to rock a Whaler’s jersey.
The Ultimate Team mode will also be included in the NHL 11 demo, which is arriving this Tuesday (I’m thinking of skipping work to play it). The demo allows players to participate in the EAUHL.
“In the demo you will get a first look at Hockey Ultimate Team,†said producer Nathan Ng during a Live Producer Chat the other day. “What is included in your HUT will be a starter pack, with a mix of prospects and some rare cards. You will get to play through an offline tournament. In each portion of the tournament bracket you get to play will be the 3rd period of the game. If you win, you move on. If you lose, you start from the beginning of the tourney.â€
In addition, EA revealed that players will be able to earn packs by playing the demo. That way, when the game arrives in a few weeks time, players will be able to get some extra people on their team to get started on the right foot.
The demo will also include a sample of Battle for the Cup mode. The game will pit players as either the Flyers or the Blackhawks, and will put them in a third period situation where they can try and win the game to raise the cup. It will provide a good opportunity to see what the cup celebration is like this year, and will also give a taste for normal, real-life team play versus Ultimate Team, which features fantasy teams.
Should be good fun, but I can’t help but think the best playoff series I saw last year were the Habs-Penguins and Habs-Capitals series. Couldn’t we get that instead? Oh wait, on second thought, nevermind. Carey Price is the goalie in Montreal now, and that means trouble, mood swings, and taking shots at guys who just scored on him. Ugh, I miss Jaroslav Halak already.
