For many, this will feel like a minor detail of little importance. However, for a site that focuses so much on the center ice designs, it is a big day. NHL 22 gameplay has been revealed and the center ice circle is finally regulation size.
It is hard to believe that for a decade of EA Sports NHL video games, we have had a smaller center ice than is regulated on the actual rinks. And before you say, "Why would you care about this and not the actual gameplay issues?" let me just say I do. You can go anywhere and find all the info you want about gameplay issues though, so why add to that list when that is not our specialty. And we do feel it is important to have a regulation ice surface. Can you imagine if football games messed up the field dimensions?
Well now we finally have proof that the center circle issue has been fixed. Use the fader below to see the same view of the ice from NHL 21 and NHL 22. Is it a huge difference? No, but when you see the players all facing off at that circle in NHL 21, it sure does look weird.
We are glad to see this issue finally resolved and we are also excited to see more subtle ice details that have been improved. Once we see all of the center ice designs for this year's game, we will be sure to take a look at their accuracy.