Thank you for this, never occured to me to read FAQ

In conclusion, EA Access is OK, it's just this game that got massacred.

I agree, they are actually screwing over ALL gamers and butchering one of their longest-running franchises.

My best assumption on this is that they just didn't have enough tiime to implement these features. The same with how Madden was when it first got released on last gen consoles, a bare bone experience. Most, if not all these missing features should be present in the next title.

EAA system seller confirmed! In all seriousness though the only EA sports game I purchased yearly was NBA Live before it went to total shit.

REGARDING XBOX ONE AND PS4 (CURRENT GEN) ONLY

Modes/Features

-- No GM Connected

-- No Online Team Play (when this is patched into the game later this year, it will use real NHL players and teams)

-- No EA Sports Hockey League

-- No EA Sports Arena

-- No Online Shootouts

-- No Live the Life

-- No Be A Legend

-- No Winter Classic

-- No tournaments or Battle for the Cup

-- No season mode (you can only play seasons in Be A GM, which is limited to NHL teams)

-- No NHL 94 Anniversary mode

-- No custom music support

-- No create-a-play designer

-- Cannot customize each team's AI

-- No create-a-team

-- No way to edit individual players

-- Practice mode is now limited to one skater vs. an AI goalie

Gameplay

-- No custom camera option

-- No Action Tracker replay highlights

-- No Top 3 Stars at the end of games.

Be A GM

-- Yearly draft is fully automated by the CPU

-- Cannot play the AHL games for your chosen franchise

-- Players sent down to the minors do not accumulate any season stats

-- No fantasy draft option

-- No preseason games

Be A Pro

-- No option to sim ahead to the next shift

-- You only play in the NHL; you cannot play for minor league teams

-- The Memorial Cup tryout period is gone. You now begin by picking an NHL team, or by letting a random CPU team draft you.

-- No All-Star game

-- Ultimate Team

-- Cannot play against your friends

-- No tournaments

-- No mobile app

^^^ This is NOT good guys.. This is coming from someone who has bought this series since 08 too. I did bite the bullet and bought it only because I need a hockey fix on next gen, but I do feel bad for those who want those modes. THe only mode I'm truly annoyed at being gone is the offline season mode though. But still very poor by EA Sports.

Edit: Wish some people would honestly take a more objective look at things. This has nothing to do with EA Access ffs. Good God... 

Fret not, you may still get these features. In the form of DLC.

Could also be an update/patch.... but that wouldn't surprise me. :( 

Very much so. But, this is a reason for people to criticise EA again I suppose, so there's not much surprise that the press are jumping on it.

Often a lot of that hate is well founded; but this time it isn't. Well, hate on EA for destroying the game but not for EA Access.

After the Sims 4, nothing EA does will ever surprise me again. I've underestimated them before, but now I know better. Only when their games start to bomb will they begin to change.