New NHL 24 Update Makes Major Goalie Changes

A new update went live in NHL 24 today, bringing the game up to version 1.4.0. The new update adds a number of bug fixes, but the most significant changes involve the game's goalies. Save accuracy and size balancing have both seen some improvements, and the developers have overhauled goaltender X-Factors to add a greater incentive to use them. Last but not least, players can also find a bunch of new uniform options, including the jerseys worn for the All-Star Game. Full patch notes from the game's official website can be found below: 

Goalie X-Factors: 

• Community Feedback: Certain Goalie X-Factor Zone Abilities don't provide enough incentive to use. This results in players feeling like they have limited choice when assigning Goalie X-Factors.
• Goalie X-Factor: LIGHT WORK has been updated to provide more gameplay benefit:
• Added a boost to Goalie Precision vs Wrist Shot / Snap Shots.
• Added a boost to Goalie Precision vs any shot within 20ft of the net.
• Goalie X-Factor: EXTRA PADDING has been updated to provide more gameplay benefit:
• Added a boost to Goalie Precision vs Slap Shots.
• Added a boost to Goalie Precision vs any shot further than 25ft of the net.
• Goalie X-Factor: WHIRLWIND has been updated to increase incentive to equip Zone Ability and provide more gameplay benefit: Increased the Zone Ability Teammate Energy boost
• Goalie X-Factor: HANDLED IT has been updated to more gameplay benefit: Increased the Zone Ability Teammate Energy boost
• Goalie X-Factor: ENERGIZER has been updated to provide more gameplay benefit: Increased the Zone Ability Teammate Energy boost

Goalie Size Balancing: 

Community Feedback: There is not enough incentive to use smaller goalies over larger goalies. Larger goalies feel like they cover more physical space and are harder to score on. In EASHL, this results in the majority of players creating large sized goalies and in HUT, players primarily dressing tall goalies.

• Save Reach is now scaled by the height of the goalie.
• Smaller Goalies will receive less penalty when making far Reaching Saves.
• Larger Goalies will receive a higher penalty when making far Reaching Saves.
• Currently, Save Reach scaling is only enabled when Light Work or Extra Padding is equipped.

User Goalie Save Accuracy: 

Community Feedback:  User Goalies who are square to the puck are too inaccurate at making saves, allowing pucks to squeak through, while User Goalies who are out of position are making too many highly accurate reaching saves.

• Increased the max accuracy of a User Goalie when making saves with a high Precision score. Precision score is calculated when attempting a save and is influenced by multiple factors (attributes/screen/fatigue/reach/etc.)
• Increased bonus applied to Precision score when User Goalie is square to the puck and requires less reach to make a save.
• Increased penalty applied to Precision score when User Goalie is out of position and required to make far reaching saves.

Push Checks in Front of Net:

Community Feedback:  Recent changes increased the chance of getting called for a penalty when Push Checking in front of the net. Defensemen want a way to clear the net, allowing for better defending in close proximity to the crease to prevent screens/deflections/tap ins.

The defending team can push check and knock down their opponent within [20ft] of the net with reduced risk of drawing an interference penalty.

However, multiple push checks within a short time frame, regardless of distance to net, can result in Cross Check penalty.

Other Improvements:

• Added new Goalie save animations for quick saves to the glove and five hole.
• Adjusted Goalie Save animations when diving to their glove side to keep blocker higher.
• Players can now perform Jump on Boards celly if celebration triggers while along the boards.
• Fixed a rare crash bug that could trigger when taking a slapshot.
• Fixed an issue where Skaters would accelerate faster than expected while preparing for a Shoulder Check.
• Goalie will transition into proper stance when coming off post in VH stance, allowing them to make quicker saves from shots from the corner.

Be a Pro

• Fixed an issue where the coach could tell the user goalie that they are not meeting expectations even if the user has good stats
• Fixed an issue where saving changes in Edit Player reset the play-by-play name to A.J.

Presentation

• HUT – Player Card is now present during Flex Moment goal celebrations
• Classic Goal Celebrations – Players can now celebrate by jumping into the boards during classic goal celebrations (contextual – player needs to be close to boards)
• Classic Goal Celebrations – Celebrations trigger more immediately after button press

World of Chel

• Fixed an issue where user's goalie settings do not persist through title reboot in World of CHEL
• Fixed an issue where Users cannot assign Alternate Captaincy in Club Members
• Fixed an issue where the Club Finals records are not being displayed in accordance with the new Finals playoff structure.
• Fixed an issue where Ones Eliminator and Threes Eliminator modes were not accessible during Club Finals leaderboard auditing.
• Fixed an issue where the World of CHEL Club Finals Elimination Retry pop-up only triggered on exiting and re-entering World of CHEL, not in Dressing Room after elimination.
• Fixed a failed to retrieve data (FRTD) issue that users were encountering when entering the World of CHEL store.
• Fixed an issue where being a Special Character in the Dressing Room, previewing items in the World of CHEL Store would cause the avatar to break when returning to the Dressing Room
• Fixed an issue where the goal celebration preview button was nonfunctional in the item preview screen in Battle Pass & World of CHEL store.
• Fixed an issue where some users with EA Play subscriptions couldn't view or receive EA Play incentive offers in the WOC Store
• Fixed an issue where the purchase text is missing for EA Play Membership Chel Coin Rewards
• Fixed an issue where the EA Play Rewards headers were missing in the World of CHEL Store
• Fixed unlocalized text that was present in the World of CHEL Store descriptions.
• Fixed the Great Britain Player Banner Background so it shows the correct flag.
• Fixed an issue where users would lose functionality trying to open the Battle Pass after completing an online World of CHEL game.
• Fixed an issue where EASHL matchmaking would change to the Finding Opponent step even if the user doesn't find any Teammates.
• Fixed an issue where Matchmaking doesn't advance to Finding Opponent after five seconds when skater positions of a dressing room are filled.
• Fixed an issue where users could hear the opponent's VOIP in the pre-game matchup screen for EASHL game modes.
• Fixed an issue where a customized club jersey logo color wasn't displaying in the game correctly.
• Fixed an issue where a Clubs Away logo wasn't brought into gameplay.
• Fixed an issue where the Jersey preview is not correct after one club changes jersey selection in the EASHL matchup screen.
• Fixed an issue where the default player equipment didn't appear in Club Identity correctly.
• Fixed an issue that would sometimes show players wearing the Anaheim Ducks jerseys when returning to the dressing room after a game. 
• Presentation – NIS Logic – Intro/ Outro – Special character player classes are cut off in Clear Player Intro
• Fixed a rare crash that would sometimes occur when quitting the match after puck drop.

Hockey Ultimate Team

• Various UI Fixes

Uniforms

The following uniforms have been added or updated in NHL 24

NHL

• New York Rangers Third
• All-Star Uniforms

AHL

• Calgary Wranglers Third
• Colorado Eagles Third
• Utica Comets Third

ECHL

• Utah Grizzlies Third

Canadian Hockey League

• North Bay Battalion Third and Fourth
• Halifax Mooseheads Third
• Prince Albert Raiders Third
• Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Third

Hopefully these changes will result in a better overall game. From the patch notes, it's clear that the developers are listening to player feedback and trying to improve NHL 24 as a result. However, judging from some of the reception to these patch notes on the game's official Twitter account, it doesn't seem like these changes go far enough for most players! Perhaps that feeling will change once players have spent a little time with today's update. 

Are you excited for these changes to NHL 24? What updates are you still hoping to see? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!