NHL 27 Update 4 Brings Gameplay Fixes, Connected Franchise Improvements and More

EA Sports has released update 4 for NHL 27 today, bringing a bunch of gameplay fixes, presentation improvements and changes across several modes. The patch also takes care of some crashes and performance issues while adding new center-ice designs and uniforms for teams across a few different leagues.

On the gameplay side, defensive AI has been adjusted so defensemen aren’t pinching too aggressively during line changes. Goalies should no longer hover slightly above the ice, which sometimes allowed pucks to sneak underneath them. There’s also a fix for puck warping in EASHL Clubs 3v3. A few camera issues have been cleaned up as well, including some problems during replays and fights. Players using the True Broadcast camera should also see less stuttering and fewer frame rate drops.

Franchise Mode and Connected Franchise received some fixes, mostly dealing with crashes, roster management and menu problems. Commissioners should have fewer issues when moving players around or making roster changes. Playoff progress should now show up correctly in the League tab, while Power Play and Penalty Kill formations should update properly when making adjustments. Be A Pro received some fixes involving draft interviews for goalies and challenge requirements for certain defensemen.

World of Chel fixes include crashes in the Club dressing room, incorrect voice chat indicators and Ones Eliminator stats not counting toward certain objectives. Over in HUT, scrolling through line combinations and switching roster tabs should feel smoother. The update also fixes problems with Daily Packs, Auction House purchases and occasional crashes when loading into games.

There are some visual updates in the mix too with new center-ice artwork for several AHL, ECHL and CHL teams. The Chicago Wolves, Cleveland Monsters, Coachella Valley Firebirds and Norfolk Admirals are among those getting updated designs. Several ECHL teams are also getting new or updated uniforms, along with a handful of teams from the CHL and Germany’s DEL.

EA Sports says it will keep an eye on gameplay and community feedback as players spend more time with the update. The full NHL 27 update 4 patch notes are posted below.

GAMEPLAY IMPROVEMENTS

Defensive AI

• Resolved an issue where defensemen pinched too aggressively during forward line changes rather than maintaining proper defensive positioning and gap control.

Miscellaneous Gameplay Fixes

• Resolved an issue where goalies could hover approximately an inch above the ice surface, unintentionally allowing pucks to pass beneath them into the net.
• Fixed an issue causing puck warping after a shot attempt taken simultaneously during a body check in EASHL Clubs 3v3.
• Fixed an issue where helmets remained partially visible after being knocked off or removed during goalie fights.

PRESENTATION & BROADCAST

Cameras

• Fixed an issue where the Offplay camera changed incorrectly after modifying the Instant Replay camera while paused during a replay sequence.
• Addressed an issue in the New Jersey Devils Home Arena (Prudential Center) where the camera became obstructed by crowd members and bleachers during on-ice fight sequences.

Visuals & Immersion

• Fixed issues causing mascot hands to clip through the spectator plexiglass in Columbus and Colorado.
• Corrected an issue where ice rendered completely black inside the Picture-in-Picture window while a goaltender skated to the bench during delayed penalty situations.

STABILITY & PERFORMANCE

• Resolved rare desynchronization issues occurring during online Connected Franchise matches.
• Fixed an issue where using the True Broadcast camera angle caused noticeable stuttering and frame rate drops during high-action gameplay sequences.

BE A PRO

• Fixed an issue where draft interview media incorrectly presented skater-specific questions to goalie prospects.
• Resolved an issue where the “Make the Team” challenge hit requirement was set incorrectly for select defenseman archetypes.
• Fixed an issue where custom stick tape selections failed to persist following Rezztek Blade Grip modifications across Be A Pro and World of Chel.

FRANCHISE MODE & CONNECTED FRANCHISE

Franchise Mode

• Fixed an issue where player clause trade lists were unintentionally reduced after modifying a player’s X-Factors.

Connected Franchise

• Fixed an issue where player rating attribute text was not displayed on the Surplus/Wants asset tile when sorting by ‘Aggressiveness’.
• Fixed an occasional crash when league commissioners re-entered the roster control screen after removing all rostered players from multiple teams.
• Resolved an occasional crash when a commissioner moved players to a team that exceeded the maximum roster limit.
• Fixed an issue where the console indicator icon did not display in Roster Override when selecting a user team in the right-side panel.
• Fixed an issue where the League tab failed to track and display league postseason progress correctly during the playoffs.
• Fixed an occasional crash on the Game Setup screen when a team had an assigned custom player in Edit Lines.
• Fixed an occasional crash when adding a 6th player using the “Browse Trading Block” feature within the Propose Trade screen.
• Fixed a rare issue where the highlighter/selector cursor failed to return after exiting nested menus on the Edit Lines screen.
• Fixed an issue where Power Play and Penalty Kill formations failed to update visually while adjusting lines and playbooks.

General Franchise Fixes

• Corrected headshot display issues affecting select player portraits.

WORLD OF CHEL

• Fixed an occasional crash caused by rapidly pressing R1 inside the Club dressing room lobby.
• Fixed an occasional crash when switching user profiles and canceling the first-party controller confirmation prompt.
• Fixed an issue where gameplay stats earned within Ones Eliminator did not track properly against Weekly and Season Objectives (specifically Hits and Shots).
• Fixed an issue where the dressing room microphone/speaker icon appeared muted even when voice chat was active.

HOCKEY ULTIMATE TEAM (HUT)

Edit Lines & Team Management

• Resolved an issue where selected teams did not filter accurately within the Line Combo Search Filters.
• Resolved noticeable UI lag observed when scrolling through line combinations and switching between roster tabs in HUT Edit Lines.
• Fixed an issue where the player highlighter disappeared after selecting “Reset Playbook” while configuring Power Play strategies.

Stability & Functional Issues

• Fixed an issue where the store interface could potentially hang on an unresponsive screen after opening a Daily Pack.
• Resolved a soft lock that could occur immediately following the purchase of an item directly from the Auction House Watchlist.
• Fixed a rare crash occurring in HUT after finding an opponent and loading into gameplay.

AUTHENTICITY UPDATES

Center Ice Updates

Updated official center ice artwork has been introduced for the following teams:

American Hockey League (AHL)

• Chicago Wolves
• Cleveland Monsters
• Coachella Valley Firebirds

ECHL

• Cincinnati Cyclones
• Florida Everblades
• New Mexico Goatheads
• Norfolk Admirals
• Trenton Ironhawks

Canadian Hockey League (CHL)

• OHL: Oshawa Generals
• WHL: Portland Winterhawks

Uniforms & Sweaters

The following uniforms have been added or updated in NHL 27:

ECHL

• Florida Everblades: Home
• Indy Fuel: Home, Away
• Kansas City Mavericks: Home, Away, Third
• Rapid City Rush: Home, Away, Third
• Tahoe Knight Monsters: Home, Away, Third
• Trois-Rivières Lions: Home, Away, Third

Canadian Hockey League (CHL)

• OHL — Kingston Frontenacs: Third
• WHL — Lethbridge Hurricanes: Third

Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL)

• ERC Ingolstadt: Third
• Fischtown Pinguins: Third