WHAT IS IT?

The prettiest NHL game.

IS IT GOOD?

Yes. Especially if you’re a fan of the Seattle Kraken.

WHO SHOULD PLAY IT?

Maurice Richard’s ghost.

READY

The NHL series is back! What, you think a little thing like a pandemic-truncated season could get in the way of an EA annual release? We’ve been playing NHL since 1991 (well, except for that weird NHLPA year in 1993), and while it’s evolved leaps and bounds since the days of Gretzky’s pixelated bleeding head, it’s also been in a bit of a holding pattern the last five or so years. NHL 22 looks, and plays, a lot like NHL 21, even as it touts a brand new gameplay system “built from the ground up” for next-gen systems.

What’s here is good, as always. NHL 22 is the prettiest hockey game ever released, with gorgeous HD graphics that do neat things like track the degradation of the ice over the course of a game. The crowd looks better than ever, with less noticeable cut-and-paste spectators in the stands. It also plays impeccably; the right analog stick is used to land context-sensitive checks, as well as to deke and to shoot. It’s far from the first NHL game to go this route, but it’s definitely the best.

SET

Unsurprisingly, NHL 22 has a plethora of returning features, some good, some… not so good.

The “Hockey Ultimate Team” mode is here, with its rewarding string of challenges to keep players occupied. “HUT” is a lot of fun, and to its credit, it’s not so aggressive about microtransactions, unlike the comparable “MUT” over in Madden 22. That said, it’ll still try to nudge you to buy loot crates with real-world money, the largest transaction ringing in at $133.00(!!) . If I sound like a broken record at this point, I don’t care: microtransactions suck, they especially suck in AAA games – NHL 22 retails for a whopping $89.99 – and publishers should know better.

There are other problems with NHL 22. Once again, the series struggles to deliver lifelike play-by-play, with announcers consistently failing to respond to what’s happening on-screen. One time, announcer Ray Ferraro went on about a “momentum shift” when I was down three goals with 1.8 seconds left in the game. Another time, the world’s most obvious high-sticking call had colour commentator James Cybulski wondering, “let’s see why the refs blew the whistle…” The announcers also aren’t programmed to interrupt themselves. This leads to awkward situations like Ferraro complaining about my team’s “scoring drought” even though, by mid-sentence, I’d already scored the game-tying goal.

NHL 22 can also be glitchy, at least in the cutscenes, and especially during post-goal celebrations. It’s a minor thing, but odd to see so frequently in a next-gen title.

HUT

It’s safe to say most players want to know what’s different, especially since this is the first next-gen NHL title, one programmed in the fancy new “Frostbite” engine. To be honest, probably the most noticeable changes involve the controller. Not the controls – those are unchanged – but the controller itself. For one, the game makes excessive use of the DualSense’s haptic rumble to “mimic” the sensation of skating. Which, to be honest, just means the controller lightly vibrates the entire game. (Thankfully, this can be turned off.) NHL 22 does make better use of the DualSense’s built-in speakers. Not only does the controller play music after a goal, it’s also where you’ll hear teammates shout things from the bench like, “take the shot!” or “hurry up!” It’s cool.

The officiating also feels a bit more reasonable this time out. Back in NHL 21, the lightest tap of the stick resulted in an automatic tripping or slashing penalty – that’s no longer quite the case. On the other hand, I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve absolutely decked a dude from behind, head first into the boards, and there’s been no call. If the NHL series is where kids learn the rules of hockey, they’re learning all the wrong lessons.

There are other, subtler changes, including some new animations, like the different ways a centre gets ready before a faceoff. The puck physics also appear to have changed; pucks deflect realistically, and I was happy to see more pucks fly into the stands like in real-world hockey. (The virtual fans seemed happy.) Finally, each team has designated “Superstar” players with unlockable “X-Factors”, which are special abilities unique to their playstyle. While these can be useful, it’s frustrating that the abilities, some of which have unique animations, can only be unlocked through “HUT” and must be manually assigned to players between games.

BREAKAWAY

Oddly, the ability to stir it up has been greatly reduced in NHL 22. There’s less time to fire off a shot after a play ends, which means less time to antagonize enemy AI. The ability to shove your glove in the face of your opponent appears to have been removed, while the amount of fighting has gone way down. I guess this is all good from a sportsmanship perspective, but it’s bad from an “I just wanna see Gordie Howe and Wendel Clark throw down” perspective.

Speaking of which, it’s nice that the character designs have been remodelled, especially on the classic players. During closeups, Gordie and Wendel actually look quite a bit like Gordie and Wendel, though still far from lifelike.

And hey, that’s NHL 22 in a nutshell, isn’t it? Quite a bit like real hockey, though still far from lifelike. With possibly one circa 1994 exception, NHL 22 is the best hockey video game ever released. It’s also, more or less, the same hockey game as NHL 21, with some minor tweaks. But if you’re desperate to play as the brand-new expansion team Seattle Kraken, you’ll know where to find it. As someone once said,

It’s in the game.

***
Final score: 9/10 hat tricks.

Visit the official page for NHL 22 here.

The post NHL 22 (PS5) Review: It’s in the Game appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Brendan Shanahan, Leafs President explains in the press material about when the idea of the show was first pitched to them he wanted to make sure that none of the footage be released until after the season was done to help limit distractions in an already challenging year. “…in Toronto, obviously there’s a lot of interest in the team, some of that is beneficial, and some of it is not. Therefore, we understand there is going to be a lot of scrutiny, and a lot of talk. So we try our best to sort of limit as many distractions as possible during the season. While at the same time, we know that we have a fan base that wants to see the players, they want to see more, and there’s a responsibility, and sort of a privilege, in being in that position in Toronto. So I think the idea of knowing the inevitable things that are going to pop up during the season, thats seen at times as distractions, that sort of exists for every team, we weren’t going to be creating a whole bunch of brand new ones and challenges for the players. Beyond that though we are fans of the show I think that this generation of players, they’ve grown to become very comfortable with cameras and microphones, catching them doing all the things.”

Defenseman Justin Holl tells us in our interview that the season was definitely a challenging and the series touches on what that was like for the players and coaches during this pandemic. “It was a weird season. There were no fans at the games and we weren’t allowed to go anywhere outside of the rink,” said Holl.  “Also, our significant others were here and not able to do anything so that was tough for them.”

The series gives the audience both perspectives on and off the ice. With a camera crew following them, one would think that was pretty intrusive but as Holl mentioned, it was  something most of them were already accustomed to with the team’s show, The Blueprint. “We had cameras in the dressing room that were automated so it was a little different but at the same time we just were as natural as possible. We were use to it.”

And what about the media pressures? There’s been a growing awareness about how interviews are impacting younger players and with social media everyone has a say. Not only are you dealing with journalists sometimes beating you down but now there’s an instant reaction to everything by anyone but Holl tells us he takes everything in stride. “Anyone can put their opinion out there. You might get some mean tweets after a bad game. It is what it is. A lot of people are going to say stuff online so it’s futile to even worry about it. I have a pretty good idea if I’ve played well or not and that’s what really matters for me.”

But is it hard to turn off? “Yeah, sometimes but the only time it hurts is if it’s true, you know? But it hurts because you feel like you’re not helping the team not because someone says you’re bad,” said Holl.

And we all know that Leafs fans are relentless. But are they any different from other hockey fans? Holl tells us that Leafs fans are one-of-a-kind. “There’s no fan base as passionate about their team as the Leafs fan base. I think it’s really special to play here, honestly, where people care so much it’s a lot of fun.”

And what about the younger fans? He tells us that growing up and watching a game on television or to be able to see someone they know from their town or school will always be exciting. “When I was younger I always thought it was cool to see players and now to go full circle for the younger kids wanting signed jerseys is really cool.”

The docuseries is good for more than diehard Leafs fans? “For sure! I really enjoyed the All or Nothing Series. I’ve seen a few of the football and soccer ones. It’s a really entertaining show!”

All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs is produced by Amazon Studios, NHL Original Productions, and Cream Films is set to launch on October 1st in 240 countries and Territories. Here’s the official trailer …

The post Leafs player Justin Holl talks about Amazon’s docuseries All or Nothing appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

This year, the Leafs brought in a group of young creatives to be mentored by the Leafs production team to create video and graphic design content for the season’s two “Next Gen” games. The three Next Gen Creators were:

• Kamila Soneira-Sosa (16) is interested in Photography and graphic design and has been working on Digital Player Wallpapers.

• Matthew Gomes (17) is interested in Sports media production and has made some Hype Videos that have been share on the Leafs social media channels.

• Fiona Tsegaye (16) is interested in Graphic design and cartoon art and will have her work featured at the “Next Gen” game on April 7th.

We got a chance to speak with these young creators in advance of the “Next Gen” game on April 7th against Montréal to find our more about them and their interests.

Where did you find your interest for your creative outlet?

Fiona Tsegaye: I wanted to start finding something that I was good at, finding myself and my true talents you could say. I decided to download some apps and started cartooning. I started in 2017 and practiced all throughout the years, till now and continuing. I always saw people drawing with pencil and paper but I wanted to switch it up a little. I started doing more digital art and I started while I was very young and kept going from there. There’s never a day that goes by where I am not interested, my love keeps multiplying for graphic design.

Matthew Gomes: I found my interest in video editing during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and I didn’t want to be at home and do nothing so I decided I was going to start making little hype videos for people so I got myself a laptop and a camera and just starting making these hype videos for people, so that’s how I found my interest in video editing.

Kamila Soneira-Sosa: When I was younger, I would go on vacations to Cuba with my parents. We would visit Havana and then travel to Varadero to stay in some of the most beautiful resorts in the Caribbean. My parents had this small digital camera that they would take with them on every trip together, and I asked them one time if I could use it to take a beach photo during sunset. Obviously, the picture was terrible because I had no idea how the camera worked, but that experience became the beginning of my favourite pastime.

Since then, photography has become an enormous passion of mine. As I grew older, I practiced using my phone and gradually gained a better understanding of lighting and how angles and the positioning of the camera affect the shot. After I bought my first digital camera, I started learning how complex settings like aperture and shutter speed worked. Even with all this experience, I still have a lot to learn and have infinite ways to improve. It’s what I love about photography; I’m getting better and better with every photo that I take.

Graphic design is something I’ve only recently started to pursue. I didn’t realize how much I loved it until I was told to create and produce a magazine article for my PhysEd class last year. I never imagined that designing the magazine would motivate me most to complete the assignment. Writing the actual article turned out to be my least favourite part.

After that class ended, I wasn’t given any reason to produce graphic designs. I missed it so much that I decided to start a graphic design account on Instagram in March this year. I wanted to educate people on real-world and relevant topics by posting fun infographics to keep viewers engaged. Even though I don’t have a huge following, I continue to post every week because it inspires me to do what I love.

What do you like about being creative in this way?

Fiona Tsegaye: Drawing and doing digital art gives me an escape from being lonely to having my own vibe and to do whatever I want to way I like it. It’s like a sport to me, I always practice and I always want to be stronger than my competition and be better for myself. Since everything is now digital, I feel it benefits me when I am older when I start working for corporations and maybe even Disney! Especially while doing art, the outcome of the master piece is the most satisfying thing to see, that is why I love it.

Matthew Gomes: What I like about video editing and video creation is that you have a lot of freedom to go out and make some great content for people and that it’s something really easy to pick up on.

Kamila Soneira-Sosa: My favourite thing about photography and digital editing is its flexibility and the fact that there are no rules or guidelines that I have to follow. There’s no one telling me that I have to do it a certain way. The only thing that limits me is creativity and imagination.

What has been the best part about working with the Maple Leafs and this program?

Fiona Tsegaye: The best part about working with the Maple Leafs program was definitely being able to connect with the brains of the operations team. I love how I could speak and feel like I can ask any questions and assistance. One of my favourite programs I have done, everyone was very kind and welcoming!

Matthew Gomes: The best part about working with the Maple Leafs and this program was being able to meet some great people in the Maple Leafs organization and being able to put my name out there.

Kamila Soneira-Sosa: The best part about working with the Maple Leafs was that I met a bunch of new people while doing something that I enjoy. I became aware of the opportunity last minute, but when I found out that the Maple Leafs offered a chance to create graphic designs, it was a no-brainer. I had to apply.

I was super excited to hear a few days later that I would be one of the Next Gen Creators this year. I was introduced to the Maple Leafs media team, and I learned about the different players on the Maple Leafs. I also had access to some fantastic creative elements like photos, logos and stickers to create my digital wallpapers. Participating in this program is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I am so grateful that I had the chance to meet such amazing and talented creators.

What is your favourite creation in the program so far?

Fiona Tsegaye: Honestly I love all my work equally, but definitely the one attached (above). This image reminds me of Toronto and the ice rink and it made me feel like this is a great hockey wallpaper with the editing and it’s cold blue features. It’s definitely an amazing piece of work! I love how I was able to incorporate the CN tower which is one of Toronto’s sites to see!

Matthew Gomes: See Matthew’s Maple Leafs hype video here. 

 

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Kamila Soneira-Sosa: My favourite design that I made for the program is my wallpaper of Frederik Andersen (at top). I liked how the colours came together and how the four elements created depth in the design.

Tell us about your favourite player? Have you been able to meet them yet?

Fiona Tsegaye: I don’t personally have a favourite player, hockey is a team effort but Auston Matthews is definitely someone I look out on, his stats are very good. I like how he idolized other players before he became one and fulfilled his dreams. He definitely is a successful human being with great success. He is a great player on the ice as well. Very confident, he has his own unique shot the goalie could never catch! His character is dominant, he creates plays and finishes them on his own so effortlessly.

Matthew Gomes: My favourite hockey player has to be Zach Hyman because he plays with so much passion and he’s willing to put his body on the line for the benefit of the team.

Kamila Soneira-Sosa: My favourite player is Mitch Marner. I love his energy and how talented he is. He also has a really goofy personality, and his passion for the game is inspiring. I have never met him, but an opportunity like that would be amazing.

What do you love about hockey and what do you want to show through your work?

Fiona Tsegaye: Hockey is a sport that needs skill. You have to be spot on and be very talented to be a hockey player. I give so much respect to the game because I can’t even put on a pair of skates and walk. The game is so difficult yet they make it look so effortless. Even when they get their tooth knocked out they are always still smiling! Through my work I want to show that hockey isn’t just aggressive and teeth flying everywhere. I want people to see that hockey players are fun and playful and have a fun side to them off the rink.

Matthew Gomes: I’m going to be totally honest I didn’t really watch much hockey before I was working with the Maple Leafs but when I started watching games and highlights, I realized hockey is an exciting and competitive sport. I want to show that hockey is a great sport, especially to people that haven’t really watched hockey, through my work.

Kamila Soneira-Sosa: I never really got into hockey until I participated in this program. The first time I watched a hockey game was the Next Gen Game on March 29th, and it was then when I discovered why people love and are so dedicated to the sport. The games are action-packed and played at a super high speed. Whenever someone scores, it’s amazing to watch the players celebrate the goal.

The idea behind my work was to show how anyone can be a hockey fan. I wanted my wallpapers to look fun and be something that would attract people to the Next Gen Game. I used the players’ nicknames and personality shots to show how the Leafs are a young and fun-loving team capable of bringing people together.

The post Young creators showcased in Maple Leafs “Next Gen” games appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

WHAT IS IT?

An excellent update to the NHL series with incredible 16-bit graphics.

IS IT GOOD?

It’s the best NHL video game ever made.

WHO SHOULD PLAY IT?

Sports fans, Vince Vaughn.

EA

Three entries in, the NHL series of video games has peaked with NHL ’94. It’s a game that showcases all the 16-bit glory our current console generation can muster, with the added bonus of updated rosters and teams.

As fans may recall, previous series entries suffered from incomplete licensing agreements. NHL Hockey had NHL teams but no agreement with players, meaning you could play as the LA Kings, but not as Gretzky. Conversely, NHLPA ’93 brought us player names and likenesses, but no NHL: you could now play as Gretzky – and make his head bleed – but he represented a generic “Team LA”, which just happened to have the same jersey colours as the real-world LA Kings.

Happily, NHL ’94 remedies past mistakes, bringing both licences home to roost. However, this does mean NHLPA ’93‘s much-vaunted fighting system (and aforementioned bleeding heads) have been excised. If only the real-world NHL could do the same.

But it’s not just about rosters and licences: NHL ’94 has gotten a major quality-of-life overhaul, with improved sound, crisper graphics, and several major gameplay enhancements. I can’t get enough of NHL ’94, and I predict I’ll be playing it for years if not decades to come.

SPORTS

An odd thing happens when I boot up my PS4 copy of NHL ’94. For whatever reason, the game is labelled NHL 21, and the only way to actually get to the main game is to wander the menus of the PSN store until I find something labelled NHL ’94 Rewind. It’s not a problem I’ve encountered on my Genesis copy, so I’ll chalk it up to the Sony online distribution system.

Regardless of which system you play it on, NHL ’94 is easily the best NHL game I’ve ever played. It’s easy to get a handle on, but only reveals its many subtleties after hours upon hours of play. The sound effects are realistic, and I love the way the in-arena pipe organ blasts out chiptunes between whistles.

As for what ’94 brings new to the table, let’s start with those updated rosters. There’s no Gretzky to be found, but fans will be happy to take control of contemporary favourites like Connor McDavid (power rating 99) and Alex Ovechkin (95). The teams are up to date, too: the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights are in; the Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers are out. (Pour one out for the Nordiques.)

In terms of gameplay, here’s a short list of features present in NHL ’94 (aka NHL ’94 Rewind) that were absent from NHLPA ’93: 

The post NHL ’94 (PS4) Review: Instant Classic appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Sharp announced a new partnership with Airbnb that includes a $25,000 donation to the GTHL Legacy Fund. The Greater Toronto Hockey League Legacy Fund helps families in financial need who cannot afford the costs of minor hockey participation for their children. It also assists organizations in funding hockey programs with a focus on child and community development.

Since finishing his career in Chicago, Patrick has been keeping busy with TV work. Locally doing stuff with the Blackhawks in Chicago where he lives with his family and working nationally with NBC.

We wanted to know a little bit about his experience with billeting and how this practice helps young athletes.

I want to talk a little bit about your experience with billeting. What was it like for you? When you were young did you experience this?

Patrick Sharp: I did.

At which stage of your career would you kind of start doing this?

Patrick Sharp: So I finished playing Bantam hockey at 15 years old, and Thunder Bay, Ontario is where I grew up, and I wanted to further my hockey career. I had a dream of playing in the NHL, and I thought Junior hockey was the next step for me.

So at 15 years old, I moved to Ottawa with my older brother and we lived with a new family. Our experience was great. It allowed us to play a year of Junior hockey in Ottawa, away from home, living with a new family. And really more than just the hockey side of it, we met lifelong friends, and have great memories, and people that we’re still in touch with today.

Is 16 is usually when billeting takes place?

Patrick Sharp: I would say 16, yeah. It’s scary to think about. I got two daughters at home that are 8 and 6, and to think that at 15 they might go off. I’m going to let them leave the house to chase their dream. But that’s kind of the connection between the billeting of these young players and Airbnb, really. It’s about opening your home and home sharing, helping these young kids further their dreams. So today is kind of like our Airbnb Billet Day, we’re going to donate $25,000 to the GTHL to kind of help these young kids continue their hockey journey.

And does this practice happen somewhat in the NHL, for a rookie?

Big time. We have a situation like that with the Chicago Blackhawks, actually. Kirby Dach, the young 18 year old third overall pick, he’s living with the Seabrooks in Chicago. It helps with the transition.

And “Seabs” is a guy that also did the billeting experience in Lethbridge when he was playing Junior hockey. It’s not unique to Canada, but Canadians certainly have a reputation for being great hosts and opening up their doors to not only hockey players, but people traveling as well.

So how do the finances work for billeting? Do you have to pay the people that are hosting you? Do they support you? How does that usually work?

Patrick Sharp: As far as the hockey billeting side of it goes, that’s always usually worked out with the team, and the team is looking locally for some great families that are willing to host some young players.

Now what are the financial restrictions? Are there sometimes some families that aren’t able to maybe go through this? Or are there any kind of financial struggles that somebody would face if they want to get into billeting or being a host?

Patrick Sharp: There’s always a financial support from the team locally, so it’s an opportunity to kind of house these kids. And basically, the point of being a great billet is to just be supportive and a second family for these young kids. It’s not easy moving away at a young age, and kids have to do it time and time again in order to chase their dreams.

And it is not just hockey. I remember staying at different families’ homes for baseball tournaments, and it’s a nice option besides just staying in a hotel downtown. It provides a local experience.

Thanks Patrick!

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