In this episode we talk about the Anaheim Ducks adding a veteran and waiving another, a serious injury to a Hurricanes star and a bizarre injury to a St. Louis defenseman. We also preview the Pacific Division with complete analysis and predictions for each team and we talk to Sharks radio play-by-play voice Dan Rusanowsky to get his input on the defending Division champs. We also talk about a former NHL player making a generous donation, give you some advice regarding your fantasy hockey draft and a whole lot more.
MP3 File
I’m close to buying an XBox 360 to get NHL 09, but I did rent NHL2K9 for Playstation 2, and boy, they did not waste any time on that game. Get this – despite having the correct Awards listed for 07-08 (something I’m sure took about 10 minutes to type up), they did not update team histories when you create a Season. So, Detroit is still listed with 10 Championships while the Penguins have appeared in just two Cup Finals. It floored me. This game was obviously NOT user tested for more than an hour.
It seemed like the new camera mode was the best 2K could come up with a couple years ago, and their heads exploded.
I got an Xbox 360 earlier this week and have been playing NHL 09 like a mad man. “Be a Pro” all the way, love it! 2K9 for PS2 shouldn’t have been released, same game as it has been for the past years.
You guys should be put in the penalty box for picking an image for San Jose that wasn’t even from last season! It’s a cool picture, but look at that old logo and jersey 🙂
I want to disagree with you guys about the Sharks not taking the Pacific division again, but I can’t fault your logic. Personally I think Dallas will take the division, but like you guys said – it’s pick ’em odds in the Pacific when all is said and done.
Here’s a bold prediction on my part… Phoenix will make the playoffs. One of the Pacific’s Big Three will not make it. Laugh now, if you will… but the Yotes will fight their way in.
Ya, be really careful when you’re buying any new NHL game for the Wii, Playstation 2 or PC. The real money is made on NHL games through the XBox 360 and the PS3. Because of this, the development teams spend most of their resources on THOSE versions of the game, instead of the Wii, PS2 and PC versions. As the “premiere” versions of NHL 09 and NHL2k9, the 360 and PS3 titles is where all the new features, innovations and technologies are placed. The top programmers work on the 360 and PS3 titles, where the “B Team” programmers are relegated to the Wii, PS2 and PC versions.
All-in-all, you’re not getting the same game on different systems, despite having the same title. You’re going to get the best experience of both games on the 360 and PS3 only.
I think it was 2K7 that I tried when I decided I would test the “other” NHL game. I bought it, brought it home, played it for 5 minutes, put it back in the box, and took it to EB GAMES, and got a few bucks back. I will never touch NHL 2K games ever again, not even renting.
NHL 09 is pretty sweet. The only problem I have with the be a pro is as a defenseman, the angle is really hard to play with as you don’t see where you are according to the blueline, and making a d-to-d pass is a hit and miss. So, I play with regular view as a D man.
BTW, I know the guy who was the brains behind the Be A Pro feature on the game, and I’ve pointed him your way so they can have a listen to your comments 🙂
I still do have NHL 2K3, I think it’s a decent game and better than EA’s games pretty much from 2001 (ps one!) through 07, when I finally got a better video card to play it on my PC.
Is it not cool to wear a jersey of a player from the NHL team when they’re playing in the AHL? I have McCarty’s Red Wings jersey… If I go to Grand Rapids to a Griffins game, should I not wear the Red Wings jersey? What about bringing it to get it signed?