NHL 23: Complete Controls Guide (Goalie, Faceoffs, Offense, and Defense) for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, & Xbox Series X|S

NHL 23 offers three sets of controls for you to use: NHL 94, Hybrid, and Skill Stick. While the goalie, fighting, and faceoff controls remain mostly the same between all three – with the exception of faceoffs in NHL 94 controls – the skater controls vary a great deal.

On this page, you can find all of the NHL 23 controls for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, including deke controls, fight controls, faceoff controls, goalie controls, and skater controls.

In this guide, the controls which involve the right or the left analogue on either the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S controller will be denoted as L and R, with the pressing of each analogue to activate its button being shown as L3 and R3.

NHL 94 controls in NHL 23

The NHL 94 controls setting in NHL 23 is best suited to newcomers of the game franchise and those who don’t have a lot of experience with sports games. NHL 94 controls cover all of the basics, allowing for you to quickly come to grips with the game and compete on the ice.

NHL 23 Hybrid controls

NHL 23’s Hybrid controls suit those who have experience with EA Sports games, with many of the action buttons being assigned to the four symbol buttons on the right side of either console controller. Through the use of the Hybrid controls, you’ll be able to perform the vast majority of the actions available in NHL 23 through a more familiar controller setup.

NHL 23 Skill Stick controls

The Skill Stick controls of NHL 23 offer you the full scope of play, including more options as a skater and better control over the stick of each player. Skill Stick gives you the most control of the puck while also providing more skill-based moves.

How to hip check in NHL 23

The hip check is a favoured manoeuvre of defending players in NHL 23, with a well-timed hip check being devastating to a puck carrier.

To perform a hip check in NHL 23 using the Skill Stick, you need to:

• Hustle towards the opponent (hold R3);
• When you get close, press L1 or LB before impact to power through them with a hip check

NHL 23 faceoff controls

In the NHL 94 Controls, all you have to do is time the pressing of the X or A button with the puck drop to contend for a win in the faceoff circle. It’s a bit more complicated with Hybrid and Skill Stick controls as you need to use both analogues to set your grip and then direct your attack in the duel.

The most basic approach to winning a faceoff in NHL 23 is: 

• Set your grip (hold R to the left or right);
• As the puck drops, push R upwards to perform a stick lift, and then quickly pull back on R for a straight win back;
• Use L to direct where the puck goes when you pull R back to win the faceoff.

As for the grip selection of your faceoff center, the faceoff controls listed below assume a left-shot center (when looking over their shoulder, the toe of the stick is to their left). For a right-shot center, your grip controls will be in the opposite direction.

NHL 23 Fighting controls

Once you’ve initiated a fight, either by double-tapping Triangle or Y, or committing a serious foul or unsportsmanlike conduct offense, you’ll then square off against your opponent. For the NHL 94, Hybrid, and Skill Stick controller setups in NHL 23, the fighting controls are the same, which you can see below.

NHL 23 complete deke controls list

While the NHL 94 Controls offer a good selection of deke moves, the Hybrid and Skill Stick controls provide a full slate of crafty manoeuvres.

NHL 23 goalie controls

If you fancy taking on the responsibilities of playing as your team’s netminder with any of the controller settings selected, you’ll need to master all of these NHL 23 goalie controls.

NHL 23 Goalie Alternate Controls

If you prefer to play in goal with a slightly different set of controls to the default, try out NHL 23’s Goalie Alternate Controls set-up.

Whether you’re fighting, deking, in the faceoff circle, defending, on the attack, or in the crease, those are all of the NHL 23 controls that you need to play the game.

Looking for goalies? Check out our complete NHL 23 goalie control guide.

Got tips? Let the Outsider Gaming team know in the comments.