NHL 26 Patch Notes: New Update Brings Gameplay and CHEL Improvements

Gameplay & Goalie AI

EA’s tuning pass for NHL 26’s core gameplay focuses on realism and smoother transitions. The update reduces saucer pass speed, tweaks energy systems like Second Wind, and eliminates the reverse-hit exploit on face-off wins. Goalie logic also got a major overhaul — they now seal posts more effectively in Reverse VH and drop into butterfly faster when pucks slow down near the crease.

Penalty-box exits have been reworked so players in good defensive positions actually help on defense instead of instantly heading for the bench. These subtle but critical fixes make penalty kills feel more natural and less chaotic.

Be A Pro Adjustments

Career players get some long-overdue fixes in this patch. Challenge requirements for third and fourth-line form scores have been balanced to better match actual gameplay difficulty. Injured players can no longer interact with health activities, and several progression bugs tied to lineup promotions have been resolved.

Visual errors, incorrect endorsement dialogue, and likability stat icons in the Be A Pro hub have also been fixed. Goalie prospects benefit from updated AHL logic that correctly reassigns them after call-ups. The update even restores correct center ice visuals that occasionally displayed Memorial Cup logos during NHL gameplay.

World of CHEL Overhaul

The CHEL faithful are getting some much-needed love. The patch fixes one of the community’s most frustrating bugs — non-party leaders being locked out of club games — and improves how avatars update when you change handedness or loadouts.

Other fixes address wrong skater models appearing in Arcade Club, broken custom colors on logos, highlight alignment issues, and the infamous mute-bug that left 3v3 lobbies unfiltered. EA also addressed crashes in the World of CHEL store and corrected item category mismatches that sent players to the wrong gear menus.

Hockey Ultimate Team Improvements

HUT gets a major quality-of-life overhaul. Players can now use multi-select when managing sets, quickly access their inbox from the Sets screen, and assign multiple captains per season while designating one active leader. A new chemistry glossary and filter system also helps track lineup bonuses and team synergies.

The patch also squashes a long list of soft locks and crash triggers, from Ranked transitions and reward claims to autofill lineup issues. EA even fixed inflated OVR display bugs, broken chemistry badges, and untranslated UI text.

Miscellaneous & Visual Updates

Beyond gameplay, this patch improves global stability, post-match screens, and trophy tracking for PlayStation users. Rosters can now display more than 20 official files at once.

Visual touch-ups hit hard this round — the Ducks and Kings now have correct modern logos, Kraken uniforms get proper socks, and dozens of teams across the NHL, AHL, ECHL, and CHL receive center ice and uniform updates. New gear also joins the locker room, including the True Catalyst Nitro, True Hzrdus L95 goalie sets, and the Bauer Proto 2 and Bauer Pulse sticks.

Patch Summary – NHL 26 Update 1.2.0 (October Patch)

• Gameplay & Goalie AI: Adjusted saucer pass speed, fixed reverse-hit glitch, improved penalty-box behavior, and refined goalie reactions to slow pucks.
• Be A Pro: Balanced challenge requirements, fixed progression and visual bugs, and restored correct AHL logic and arena visuals.
• World of CHEL: Fixed club connection issues, avatar model errors, mute and crash bugs, and improved customization syncing.
• Hockey Ultimate Team: Added multi-select for Sets, multiple captains, chemistry filters, and fixed lineup and reward crashes.
• Visuals & Equipment: Updated logos, uniforms, center ice art, and added new sticks and goalie sets across leagues.
• Stability: Addressed global crashes, post-match blank screens, and achievement unlock issues for smoother gameplay.

Final Thoughts

NHL 26’s latest update feels like one of EA’s more complete patches this cycle. It doesn’t just fix the surface-level gameplay issues — it smooths career progression, adds new tools to HUT, and polishes CHEL for the community that never logs off.

Between the refined AI, detailed visual updates, and stability boosts, this patch is about as close as you can get to a mid-season tune-up. The ice feels smoother, the lobbies feel fairer, and for once, goalies actually look like they belong in the NHL.