A good hockey game which suffers from some small glitches but worth the buy for the true hockey fan.
2K7 casts off the "arcade" feeling of the EA Sports series, in particular NHL 2006 and 2007 and brings more of a simulation feel. The checks aren't huge, the shots aren't all over 130 MPH, and the scores don't always end up 15-14 as they seemed to in EA's franchise.
2k7 brings decent A.I. competition that can be changed with sliders, much better goal tending as goalies don't slide and dive everywhere, as well realistic shot, hit, and score totals that make the feel more accurate, especially for those who like authenticity in their game.
Not to mention the online play, that despite the lack of actual league players, is astonishingly fun with a small amount of lag that makes playing enjoyable and unpredictable.
2K also releases roster updates, adding that new rookie or moving the unsuspecting franchisers to their new teams to mirror the real life moves.
Overall, there are a couple of rule bugs (goalies keeping their hands up on icing calls even if the opposing team is first to the puck, line changes on icing calls), but the aesthetics and the overall feel of the game give it an 8.4 in my books. Not a great game, but a good NHL game that kills the competition.