If you combine all the online issues 19, and 20 had, you may be close to the amount 21 has. I spend more time waiting for a failed connection then I do playing. I’m actually back playing 20 again lol.
NHL games these days only cater to people who have never played an NHL game before. Or those that just want to play the latest NHL iteration. EA makes sure to send out those early review copies to people who never played NHL games before to build that hype, but that hype dies 2 months after the game releases. EA has no incentive to make a great, long lasting NHL game anymore.