Hockey fans, prepare to be disappointed. If last year’s lockout wasn’t bad enough, this year’s hockey video games will be delayed due to modifications to Canadian hockey rules. Changes such as a switch to smaller goalie pads are designed to speed up play and increase scoring in an effort to inject some excitement into the game. In addition, roster changes erupted when a new collective bargaining agreement was reached, and the NHL logo has even been altered, along with other minor modifications that mean changes to the games to keep them realistic. Some titles have been in development for over a year, making the recoding a massive undertaking.

Gretzky NHL 2006 for PS2 is now scheduled for a September 20 release, while the PSP version is expected to be available on October 11. NHL 2K6 for PS2 and XBox has been pushed to early September, and EA’s NHL 2006 is should hit shelves on September 13.