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Tips for passing


KurtVogel

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Another issue, on which I haven't really seen threads on this forum is actual tips on passing the puck.

Sometimes when I pass the puck, it goes to completely wrong direction, wrong player.

A lot of times the receiver just can't get hold of the puck at all and one timers seem to fail at times, and at times I can shoot a laser quick one timer.

it's frustrating to lose your promising offensive scoring attempt just because the pass goes completely wrong when trying a one-timer for example.

Can you gurus provide some kind of a quick list of things to keep in mind when trying to make that perfect pass?

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I am no guru, but here is my $.02...

When you pass, the CPU takes 3 things into consideration:

1. the direction you are pressing wit d-pad

2. who on your team is near that general area (and how far away*)

3. what is your passing rating (of the passer)

Players miss passes, and one timers, all the time. Just look at the passing % of everyone. It is common to miss more than half of your passes! (I just looked up one example: http://nhl94online.com/html/box_score.php?gameid=24236which is featuring 2 of the best coaches. Neither has greater than 50% in that game.)

The only advice I can offer is don't pass to a player too close to you, especially with your goalie. (Which is why point #2 above gets the *) Aside from that, we all share your passing frustration. (Though like Pearate, I hope others have some tips!)

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Like you said, sometimes the passes click, and sometimes they are all over the place. Most of it really depends on the momentum of your team in that game, imo. Sometimes I can rip one-timers from players right next to each other, other times my guy launches the puck to my defensemen standing at the red-line instead of the wide-open center in front of the net! Very frustrating.

At one point I ran simulations with the passing rating and noticed a higher CPU completed passes % (and frequency) with players that have a higher passing rating. However, I have never tested or determined if the passing rating actually affects actual human gameplay.

One tip is to try and switch to the receiving player to accept the pass (assuming there is some distance and this is possible). You'll have more success if you're able to control the player and direct the stick to accept the pass. Most notably on a long breakaway pass, but I try to do this if I can. Example here, you can see the switch right before:

Tp5NzLy.gif

Players miss passes, and one timers, all the time. Just look at the passing % of everyone. It is common to miss more than half of your passes! (I just looked up one example: http://nhl94online.com/html/box_score.php?gameid=24236which is featuring 2 of the best coaches. Neither has greater than 50% in that game.)


Note that successful one-timers show up as missed passes. You have to adjust the passing %'s by adding one-timers back to the completed passes. That will raise everyone's passing completion percentage..the average is in the low 60% when you account for the one-timers.

Here's the old Blitz league data, which adjusted for that one-timer stat error...you can see every season of every league was around low 60% completion on average.

http://www.blitz94.com/teamstandings.asp?orderby=PPct&season=7&playoffs=false&mode=lg

Note, I'm also not a top passer, lol.

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At one point I ran simulations with the passing rating and noticed a higher CPU completed passes % (and frequency) with players that have a higher passing rating. However, I have never tested or determined if the passing rating actually affects actual human gameplay.

To be clear, you are saying that you have observed that when CPU-controlled, higher Passing rating means higher passing completion. However, when player controlled, you do not know if Passing rating has an impact?

If I have the above correct, what is your feeling?

(I figured it was a no brainer that the higher the Passing rating, the greater the passer [whether human controlled or CPU-controlled] just like Shot Power or Speed. But come to think of it, I thought similarly about Checking rating, and had that wrong.)

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Looking at those Blitz stats...

Does anyone have an idea why passing stats improved dramatically between seasons 4 and 5? It went from averaging around 50% to averaging around 60% quite suddenly. I wouldn't have changed the way the stats are parsed. Was there a hack added to the game that fixed the passing bug in the game?

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You are like Rain Man... seem to have photographic memory or something.

But you never did answer if you think that Passing rating reflects the passing skill/accuracy when a player is controlled by a user (not CPU-controlled)? Plabax says he thinks so, but minimally... your thoughts?

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But you never did answer if you think that Passing rating reflects the passing skill/accuracy when a player is controlled by a user (not CPU-controlled)? Plabax says he thinks so, but minimally... your thoughts?

I have no idea, however, for what it's worth, the Genesis '94 manual says:

"Pass Accuracy - Player’s accuracy in passing the puck"

The SNES'94 manual says:

"Pass Accuracy - Player's skill in passing the puck".

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Some basic keys

  • Aim your passes!
  • Avoid passing when there is high traffic around your player or the pass receiver
  • Avoid passing when your receiver is changing direction
  • Look for open lanes
  • You need to anticipate if your opponent will be able to read the pass, change his player and intercept. If you think he can choose another lane
  • Shorter passes have a higher degree of success. You are much more likely to get intercepted with very long passes

The passing rating does have an affect, its not a huge one unless you have an elite passer like Gretzky or a super terrible passer. Most guys are about a 4 rating. A guy like Gretzky can pass straight through traffic around skates and his passing is much faster. Now some players are also terrible at accepting passes, not sure what stat attribute this is related to, but there are definitely some guys that have a high chance of the puck hitting their skate.

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  • 3 weeks later...

This is definitely true. Pat LaFontaine is THE WORST at kicking the puck after a beautiful pass. Here's my list of worst puck kickers. Wondering if anybody agrees or has more:

LaFontaine

Granato

Larmer

Oates

Geoff and Russ Courtnall

LeBeau

Sundin

Dineen

Others seem to always catch the puck no matter what:

Sandstrom

LeMagnifque

Gretzky

Bob Errey

Brett Hull

Broten

Roenick

Richer

Turgeon

Gilmour

Sakic

Edited by Brass Bonanza
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Ability to receive a pass cleanly is linked to either skating or awareness. I'm not sure which one determines it. It could possibly be a combination of both.

Knowing this, guys like LaFontaine and Oates definitely don't mess up passes the most. They have good skating and very high awareness ratings. It's just in your head.

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Not a guru, but I agree that passer rating is minimal. I have a very "pass heavy" style, and I used to over-value high rated passers. I WILL say there is a definite smoothness when a 5 passer passes to a 5/4 or 5/5 shooter on one timers, but I've noticed that a lot of scrubs can be VERY capable passers and I would say that it comes down to timing and passing lanes.

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