Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) is back for NHL 22, and that means a new year to grind. HUT is the type of mode that can be tough to play for individuals who don’t want to spend money on packs. If you fall into that category, or whether you’re someone that’s new to the mode, you might be looking for some tips. We can help, as we will go over our 10 tips that you should know for HUT in NHL 22.
1. Claim your returning user packs.
Before you do anything Hockey Ultimate Team, you should make sure that you have received all of your pre-order items (if you did pre-order NHL 22), as well as claim any returning user packs. Make sure to look in your HUT Unopened Pack box.
2. Start grinding in HUT Challenges and Squad Battles
After you have received your starter pack (as well any pre-order and returning user rewards you were owed), the team you possess might look a little weak. Luckily, you can boost your team before hitting the ice in online play through offline HUT Challenges and Squad Battles. Each HUT Challenge typically has three objectives, and while you’ll only have to complete one to move on, satisfying all three objective requirements will yield you the maximum reward. In Squad Battles, players can take on other HUT teams or custom teams created by influencers and pro athletes in offline play and receive coins or packs.
Getting good rewards from Challenges and Squad Battles can be time-consuming. However, you can get a good amount of Coins, plus some packs that can help boost your squad.
3. Have a synergy gameplan
Synergies are back for NHL 22, but there’s a twist. Team synergies do not exist in NHL 22. Player synergies are the name of the game this year, meaning that if a synergy is active, only the players who have it will receive the boost. Which synergies are the best? Take a look at our guide breaking those down.
Related: Best HUT Synergies in NHL 22
4. Change your strategies
If you find yourself struggling in HUT, try changing your team strategies. Strategies affect your team’s positioning throughout the three zones, plus breakout commands, and PP and PK setups.
Team strategies can be changed at the HUT Team section. Here, you can change how your team breakouts of the defensive zone, set Neutral Zone setups, as well as modify your Power Play and Penalty Kill setups.
5. X-Factors change the ice
Superstar X-Factors have been added to NHL 22, and that includes HUT. This year, Hockey Ultimate Team X-Factor cards have been added to the game, as well as Superstar and Zone Abilities. These abilities are reserved for the best cards in the game, and you will need to decide which cards on your team should have active abilities. The reason is because EA, much like in Madden, has set a cap on the amount of Ability points you can allocate to your squad.
Additionally, EA has also added two new types of cards: X-Factors and Power-Up Icons. Take a look at how those work down below.
Related: NHL 22: How HUT X-Factor and Power-Up Icon cards work
6. Don’t forget to do your sets
Sets can be your friend in NHL 22. There are a variety of different types of sets, ranging from jersey and logo exchanges, collectible exchanges, to even special X-Factor choice sets. Keep in mind that most of these have “cooling periods.” During these times, you won’t be able to do a set. This usually occurs immediately after you have completed one that can be done repeatedly.
We’ll talk more about which sets you should and shouldn’t do in a second. If there’s one set we do recommend completing with regularity, it’s the Gold player exchange ones. There’s a number of them, but two of the more popular re-rolls are ones that take either eight Silvers in exchange for two Golds, or eight Golds for a chance at a Premium Gold. These sets are perfect for using up non-valuable Gold and Silver items, and you might be able to get a really good card.
7. Be careful with MSP sets
Throughout the year, EA will have special promos in HUT. During these promos, the NHL team will typically have a couple of major sets featuring high-rated Master Set Players (MSPs). While you might want to ensure that you get every single, the reality is that unless you’re someone who’s willing to spend money on HUT, don’t go too crazy with these sets. This is especially true during the early stages of the game, in which most of the big sets will feature low 90 OVR cards that will get overwhelmed by the meta in the near future.
We’re not saying that you shouldn’t do any of these sets. However, should you want to, make sure that you are adding a player that you can immediately slide into the top of your lineup. And, pick players you know you will use over a long period of time.
8. Don’t spend your Coins on packs
As the heading suggests, we highly recommend that you don’t spend you Coins on HUT packs, especially if you are a ‘no money spent’ player. It might seem like a good idea to grab a pack and see if you can get a big pull, but the odds of you actually doing so are pretty low. Rather, it would be smarter to stockpile Coins and then choose a specific player to grab. Not only will this ensure that you pick the right card that fits the synergy and setup of your squad, but it also minimizes the risk.
9. Work the market
If you’re looking for an alternative way to make HUT Coins fast, keep a close eye on the Auction House. You should regularly check to see if any Gold player items are relatively cheap (~500-950 Coins) on the market. If you do find them, scoop them up quickly and re-list those items.
Because of Team Building Sets and X-Factor cards, Gold cards will have a good amount of value throughout the year. So, you’ll need to be quick when looking through the House, and buying up items.
10. Check into HUT frequently
Lastly, we should emphasize that you should log into Hockey Ultimate Team. Logging into HUT once every day ensures that you receive a free daily pack. These packs reset every day, and each of these packs includes a mix of player items and/or Coin rewards. Additionally, you will also obtain at least one Seasonal Collectible. These can be used for a variety of different sets, including ones for packs, and even random high overall players.
