“NHL 17” has finally arrived in North America and is slated for a Sept. 15 worldwide release on the PS4 and Xbox One. As the fresh installment of the ice hockey franchise, EA Sports teases that gamers and fans will enjoy its all-new game modes and more responsive gameplay.

When players get their hands on “NHL 17,” they will be introduced to the three new gaming modes: World Cup of Hockey, Draft Champions and Franchise Mode. Each mode has its own perks and unique features

In the World Cup of Hockey mode, players can choose from eight teams from North America and Europe. Each team has its own official jersey, and players should take note that the rosters are locked, so they can’t make changes even when a player is pulled out from the tournament due to injury, as per SB Nation.

In Draft Champions mode, players will get to experience the thrill of fantasy draft night wherein they could pick the players whom they want to be part of their team. This mode is described as a “fast, fun, fantasy draft.”

On the other hand, the Franchise Mode lets players experience the business side of hockey as they try to build their own legacy franchise by managing budgets, dealing with players, carrying out promotions and, if necessary, realize relocations to any of the seven options: Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Markham, ON; Miami, FL; Regina, SK; Sacramento, CA and San Francisco, CA. This mode is filled with unique goals and challenges, according to Geek Nifty.

“We’re really excited to deliver completely new ways to play the game for our fans. Combined with the new gameplay features and deeper experiences in our fan favorite modes, NHL 17 is the biggest year-over-year release we’ve ever had and we can’t wait to get it into players’ hands,” “NHL 17” lead producer Sean Ramjagsingh said of the game.

Aside from the new modes, EA Sports also ensured that “NHL 17” would come with updated and more responsive gameplay features. Electronic Arts’ sports-centric brand stated on its own website that the multiple gameplay updates implemented in the new installment include enhancements to the human and AI goalies, so they can perform and respond to in-game happenings as realistic as possible. Improvements in collision physics are also present, along with deeper strategic choices.

For players who had played “NHL 16” on the PS4 and Xbox One consoles, EA Sports has previously confirmed that there is a special one-time bonus of Returning User Packs available only to them. The Returning Packs are said to contain rare and common gold items and everything needed to boost the player's Hockey Ultimate Team.

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