NHL 16 vs A.I. is hard!

I'm playing Be a GM on hardcore and second hardest difficulty. I rocked the ai on nhl 15 with this setup but now I cant. The computer is surprisingly good with sticks. Over half of my passes are cut and they steal your puck very easily, doesnt feel like you can be quick enough to avoid their sticks. Anyone else?

From the small amount i've played I'd agree that you can no longer force plays through very small windows of opportunity. You really have to hang back and wait for the right moment to advance the puck and your setup.