Eihl in NHL 13

[powermetalforward]

Now as any of you who play EA Sports NHL Franchise games for current generation of consoles will know that no British teams appear in these games. Most years new leagues are added but still there is no Eihl.
There are other European leagues in the game that are not of the quality or the size of our leagues, I also believe that the proper GB team does not appear either.
I would really love to see our teams in those games and I believe if they were it could help to promote hockey in this country and would also help the sales of the games in this country, which has a very large gaming Market.
Also if sales increase the NHL it's self may take notice and start to schedule more games in this country like the NBA and NFL have.

Now I wanted to know if any of you agree and if I could get some contact details for the developers would anyone be will to send a quick email asking for UK teams to be added to the next incarnation of the game.

[Kirk55]

I agree but it won't happen as long as football, rugby, cricket, tennis, snooker and even darts will always get priory over any north American sport I've always said if ice hockey ever got half the air time as even the least popular sports on British television its popularity would grow expenencially.

[powermetalforward]

And I believe you are correct, like I say there are leagues on that game who are not even as big as ours that's why I think we can get it changed. I believe if we can get uk teams in it then it will help promote ice hockey as a sport plus it would probably be very easy and quite inexpensive for EA to promote the game at eihl matches.

[james1977]

Powermetalforward - Do you know anyone at the University of Derby?

Derby has quite well-developed computer programming faculty and I know they often have visiting lecturers from the likes of EA Games. Perhaps a word from someone at a university who sponsors an EIHL ice hockey team as to the possible benefits for minimal expenditure would be useful.

[lee]

i understand the thread... but lets be honest who buys NHL game on the PS3 xbox etc to play as any other team than an NHL one?

the rankings of the teams would be so poor that it wouldn't be worth it.

[me87]

Agree with Lee, it is frustrating enough playing the other European Elite Leagues that are at AHL/ ECHL level. Would love to see the KHL in it though as that league is really starting to show itself as a competitor to the NHL in a years to come.

Sad but just don't think it will happen.

[Pies]

Its stressful enough having to watch Panthers week in, week out let alone have to get frustrated playing as them at home!

[jono222]

Nov 9, 2011 20:55:15 GMT powermetalforward said:

Most years new leagues are added but still there is no Eihl.
There are other European leagues in the game that are not of the quality or the size of our leagues.

Is there? Which one? i thought that the EIHL would be the lowest in quality and size wise.

[lee]

Nov 11, 2011 12:09:23 GMT jono222 said:

Nov 9, 2011 20:55:15 GMT powermetalforward said:

Most years new leagues are added but still there is no Eihl.
There are other European leagues in the game that are not of the quality or the size of our leagues.

Is there? Which one? i thought that the EIHL would be the lowest in quality and size wise.

this is probably a whole other topic, but you seriously think that the eihl is the lowest in quality across the whole of europe? even though we have the EPL and ENL in our own country that are lower quality?

take a look at the groups that Team GB play against and see those ranked below us for more info on worse quality leagues than ours.

it appauls me that you think our league is the lowest quality in europe.

[Pies]

The Dutch league is a lower qulaity IMO having seen us play Holland and watched Tilburg.

[me87]

I think it would require some effort by the league to get this done too and the Elite League just seems to be ran by an old boys network who only have half an idea what they are doing in regards to promotion of the sport. For god sake we don't even have a rule book! Just make it up as they go along but that is another discussion!

[Yotes]

Going back a bit, there used to be a user made mod for the PC version of NHL which added the Elite League teams (was our 60th anniversary season). Wasn't perfect but was graphically very nicely done, even had the NIC ice done properly.

Doubt they bother anymore and it'd be no use for 360 or PS3 anyway.

[powermetalforward]

Yes I agree the Dutch league is a good example of a league lower in size and attendance than our own. I do not agree that our players stats would be that bad, even the Americans agree that our league is at least the equal of the ECHL and alot of the major junior leagues, which appear in the games. Also we have alot of guys in the league who have played at ECHL and even AHL and few in NHL games. And also it's not really about playing the panthers against team canada in the game it more as a reward to the guys who work hard in our league, a small reward to the fans who put with the league and hopefully a way to improve the image of hockey in this country.
Also to the people who reckon it will never happen and believe hockey is marginalised in this country and that it will never change , well it will never change if you just sit moaning about it on forums that the wider hockey or mainstream community does not know exists. Why not be proud of what we have and use our power to promote it. Yes the Eihl maybe an old boys club but why let that stop us. And if you don't like our hockey and find yourself constantly moaning about it then buy NHL Gamecentre. I did and it's fantastic lol

[swillis93]

Nov 11, 2011 6:59:03 GMT @james1977 said:

Powermetalforward - Do you know anyone at the University of Derby?

Derby has quite well-developed computer programming faculty and I know they often have visiting lecturers from the likes of EA Games. Perhaps a word from someone at a university who sponsors an EIHL ice hockey team as to the possible benefits for minimal expenditure would be useful.

Im at derby uni, although doing a media course. Dont know anyone doing programming courses but cant be too hard to find out...

Ive been waiting for the EIHL in NHL games for ages and its not gonna happen anytime soon. Too little ice hockey support in the UK, its all about football.

Panthers get a sold out home game of what, 10,000 people? Football teams in the championship and even league one get more than that without a sellout. Not enough exposure for the sport is the problem.

[sheffphil]

There aren't any leagues worse than EIHL in the NHL game, the list of leagues is
NHL
AHL
Swedish League
Finnish League
DEL
Czech League
Swiss League
OHL
QMJHL
WHL

All of those have a much higher standard of hockey than the elite league. There are leagues missing that would also have a higher standing, according to the IIHF we're the 21st best league in Europe
www.iihf.com/en/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/browse/3/article/russian-league-tops-first-chl-ranking-1.html
I play a lot of NHL online & rarely see any other british teams playing EASHL. The sport needs to grow much larger than it currently is here before we see it in this series.

[alanh]

The best thing for them to do would be to allow more editing options, then you could create the teams/league yourself and use them. similar to how it worked with PC versions, or how PES allows for with full kit editing.

[Ghost]

Nov 12, 2011 6:31:28 GMT powermetalforward said:

Yes I agree the Dutch league is a good example of a league lower in size and attendance than our own. I do not agree that our players stats would be that bad, even the Americans agree that our league is at least the equal of the ECHL and alot of the major junior leagues, which appear in the games. Also we have alot of guys in the league who have played at ECHL and even AHL and few in NHL games. And also it's not really about playing the panthers against team canada in the game it more as a reward to the guys who work hard in our league, a small reward to the fans who put with the league and hopefully a way to improve the image of hockey in this country.
Also to the people who reckon it will never happen and believe hockey is marginalised in this country and that it will never change , well it will never change if you just sit moaning about it on forums that the wider hockey or mainstream community does not know exists. Why not be proud of what we have and use our power to promote it. Yes the Eihl maybe an old boys club but why let that stop us. And if you don't like our hockey and find yourself constantly moaning about it then buy NHL Gamecentre. I did and it's fantastic lol

Jeff Heerema was on NHL11, his rating was something like 78 (equivalent to an average NHL 3rd/4th liner) and was playing for the 'Canes during my be a GM season.

[manannan]

They could always start a beer league section !!!