EA Sports addresses NHL 27 Connected Franchise feedback, teases post-launch evolution

NHL 27 arrived earlier this month with Connected Franchise, a long-requested feature that allows players to manage teams in online leagues. However, the mode's launch has already drawn criticism from players wanting to run complete 32-team leagues with smaller groups, as CPU-controlled teams are not yet available.

In an interview with GamingBolt, EA Sports explained the reasoning behind this decision. "When we set out to build Connected Franchise, our vision was anchored in feedback we gathered from players early in the development cycle," the developers said. "Across every conversation one theme consistently rose to the top: human connection is the heartbeat of the mode. The richest, most memorable stories in a feature like this are always the ones created between friends, so we decided to prioritize the core social experience right out of the gate."

The developers acknowledged community requests for CPU-controlled teams. "We hear the feedback loud and clear regarding CPU-controlled teams for smaller groups trying to create their own experience," they said. "Our overarching goal is for Connected Franchise to be a staple of this series for many years to come." EA Sports stated it is actively gathering feedback through a community portal and committed to continuously evolving the mode based on player input.

Connected Franchise also currently lacks features including entry drafts, player progression, aging, retirement, and multi-season statistical tracking. EA Sports attributed these omissions to development priorities. "As with any development cycle, time constraints require feature priority and decision making," the team explained. "For this first iteration, we focused heavily on building a brand-new UI system from scratch to ensure the mode was as solid and friction-free as possible."

The developers prioritized features like full team-to-team trading and dynamic free-agent bidding to deliver a functional launch experience. However, they acknowledged understanding the importance of deeper franchise mechanics. "We know that the deep stories friends want to write over time are fueled by things like entry drafts, seeing players age and retire, and tracking rich statistical histories from season to season," they said.

Regarding competitive gameplay, some players have noted that NHL 27's Cohesive Team AI and individual team playbooks, designed to make all 32 teams behave differently, become less noticeable online where familiar strategies dominate. EA Sports responded that this is natural at launch. "When a game first launches, it's completely natural for players to lean into familiar strategies," the developers said, noting that cross-crease plays are fundamentally sound hockey.

The team emphasized that playbook differences emerge in zone attacks, defensive coverage, breakouts, and power play formations. "Because every playbook is built on real-world positional data, the way teams move, rotate, and support the puck is completely bespoke," they explained. "Some playbooks excel at low-board cycling, others focus on working the point to create net-front traffic, and some unlock unique set plays."

On goaltender balance, EA Sports confirmed it improved goalie anticipation and save capability this year, particularly for fresh goalies with clear sightlines. "This doesn't mean you can't come in, find a seam, and fire a shot past a completely rested goalie, but we have improved their viability at making saves when they are fresh and can clearly see the puck," the developers said.

The team stressed that goalie fatigue plays a larger role in scoring variety this season. "Wearing a netminder down is crucial, but a tired goalie doesn't instantaneously become an automatic goal," they noted. "Creating screens, shooting through heavy traffic, and forcing the goalie to move laterally across the entire crease will drastically increase your chances of lighting the lamp."