Analog control is a very welcome addition but, while the shock function is there, it clearly still has a ways to go in terms of making it more context specific. At this point, the game plays very much like NHL 98, not only in terms of control, but speed as well. Fortunately, your players no longer crumple to the ice when you crash them into the boards. Shot totals are still unrealistically high though thanks to the constant up and down nature of the play. The CPU is already way harder to score upon and much more lethal offensively as well.
Goaltenders are much stingier with rebounds, and that leads to fewer cheap goals.
CPU controlled players are far more agressive and quick to jump on defensive lapses for scores. Defensemen are more alert in keeping the puck in the offensive zone, making it now possible to control the play and set up one-time shots from the point. It's still a little difficult to run an NHL-style powerplay and sustain pressure, but there's definitely been some improvement in this area. Hopefully, EA will tune this aspect of the game even further as they come down the stretch. The smarter AI also results in slightly quicker games as CPU players make a noticeable effort to stay onside resulting in fewer stoppages in play.