Assistance in Identifying a PS3/360 NHL Game (if it even exists)

[dr.robbie | 78]

Hey guys. I've been getting the reoccurring itch to play some hockey video games lately. I get this every few years and always end up going back and playing something from the 90s or early 00s because it's honestly more fun to play with the players I grew up with than the newer players. Hoping to break this cycle and play something newer. Have been going through youtube reviews trying to find a game with specific qualities, but thought it might be quicker/easier to just ask here for at least a start. Here's what I'm looking for:

-Something newer, but not current gen. PS3 or 360 would be ideal, but PS4 or Switch would also be fine.

-Single player only. Don't really want to sink time into online play at all

-Want the ability to play with current and past stars together. Whether it's unlocking legends or something available from the start, I want the ability to play with past stars and current stars together. You know, build your all-time dream team that could never realistically happen.

-Decent gameplay. I know the games are almost always copy/paste each year, but some sort of decent gameplay.

Thoughts? I feel like something like this has to exist by now, but I'm struggling to find it. Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks

[Kguillemette | 1,547]

If you get NHL 21, you can unlock NHL rewind, which features modern players with NHL 94s coding. If I had a PS4, I would be playing this near non-stop. Not sure if this is to your liking though.

[Estil | 1,265]

On 4/18/2022 at 8:26 AM, Kguillemette said:

If you get NHL 21, you can unlock NHL rewind, which features modern players with NHL 94s coding. If I had a PS4, I would be playing this near non-stop. Not sure if this is to your liking though.

EA must've really hit a sweet spot with the 1994 releases (such as Madden '94)...I received MLBPA Baseball (has 1993 players/stats so it's '94 without the actual year in the title) from my dearly departed Uncle Jerry to go with my Mario All-Stars+World SNES I finally got for Christmas 1994...and it's about the most realistic looking/playing 16-bit baseball game you'll ever find.  Yet hardly anyone even mentions it at all.

And to think all along I thought it was just the nostalgia talking...

Edited April 22, 2022 by Estil

[a3quit4s | 4,124]

For some reason NHL 12 was always my favorite, it was like a good mix of semi realism and still fun to play. @Kguillemette makes a good point about NHL rewind. 
 

NHL Hitz is also a blast for an arcade game. 

[captmorgandrinker | 1,650]

Maybe NHL Legacy Edition for PS3/360 would fit the bill?