NHL 15: Build of the Week -- Power Forward

Sorry, I have been out of the loop here for a while. My low level of enthusiasm for NHL 15 because of the lack of a next gen version has sapped my will to write about it. That is until now. So let's dive into the build.

Power Forward
Legend 2
6'2"
195 lbs
Regular flex
Second curve from the top
13" Skates

Deking: 88
Hand-Eye (+7): 90
Offensive Awareness (+7): 86
Passing: 70
Puck Control (+7): 89
Slap Shot Accuracy: 65
Slap Shot Power: 65
Wrist Shot Accuracy (+7): 88
Wrist Shot Power (+7): 80

Aggressiveness: 90
Body Checking: 68
Defensive Awareness: 86
Discipline: 85
Faceoffs: 65
Fighting Skill: 65
Shot Blocking: 65
Stick Checking (+7): 88

Acceleration (+12): 90
Agility (+7): 84
Balance: 67
Durability: 90
Endurance: 86
Speed (+12): 90
Strength (+7): 83

Built at http://pixelhockey.net/builder/p/jmpeLLFK

This type of build should be pretty familiar if you have seen my previous builds. Offensively it looks like accuracy over power is the way to go again for the shot. Passing gets fiddly if you put it up too high so minimal spending there. Max puck control, deking, and hand eye let you hang onto the puck. You can pick corners from the high slot with this build pretty easily.

Defensively the maxed stick check, defensive awareness, and aggression are highlights. To avoid unnecessary fights keep body checking low. If you play a more physical game you can feel free to increase that by taking away from say discipline or aggressiveness. The aggressiveness is to be able to corral loose pucks. It has a good stick check and isn't prone to tripping players like the playmaker.

In athletics it is all about the speed and acceleration and endurance. Agility is nearly max as well. Strength is solid. Balance is for left overs. Durability is maxed but injuries still happen with alarming frequency. It is an inexpensive stat so spending points there probably doesn't hurt the build. Injuries really need to go away (or be completely revamped) in EASHL. Getting hurt, especially if it is skating, ruins the rest of your game.

So why power forward? Playmaker trips everything in sight. Two way forward can't score well enough. Grinder ditto. Sniper is too squishy and doesn't shoot any better. Enforcer (pause while there is lots of laughter ... still pausing ... more laughing ... catches breath finally...) um ... no. Obviously you are not going to play this build at center. For center I would go two way forward. You won't score quite as much but max faceoffs and great defensive ability along with decent offense is a good balance. Maybe if I get ambitious I will put up my two way forward center build.