NHL 24 HUT Beginner's Guide to build your Hockey Ultimate Team

As the season begins to heat up, NHL 24 Hockey Ultimate Team ushers in another year of the card collecting mode where you'll build a true dream lineup. While a good chunk of what made it great in recent years returns, some extra refinement has really leveled up the HUT 24 experience.

In this NHL 24 HUT Beginner's Guide, we'll break down everything new players need to know as they dive into what can be a daunting game mode. For veterans, we'll also go over some of the new features you don't want to miss in Hockey Ultimate Team.

NHL 24 HUT Beginner's Guide

While the biggest set of new features this year went towards core gameplay mechanics, NHL 24 Ultimate Team was also the beneficiary of some upgrades. Far and away the biggest of them being the introduction of HUT Moments.

These special Hockey Ultimate Team blasts from the past replace the HUT Challenges of the past. Instead of players having to just tackle vaguely defined rosters and goals, HUT Moments recreate some of the most important moments in hockey history and recent big play across the sport.

X-Factor cards also make a return, and the Auction House has gotten a bit more connected. Same-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles now have a combined Auction House, which provides a much more fluid in-game economy.

Most of the other Ultimate Team hallmarks are back, as players will generally spend their time unlocking cards to upgrade their squad before tackling both online and offline games. Below, we'll break down areas where you can get the most out of HUT 24.

Objectives & Single Player Challenges

One of your biggest go-to areas in HUT 24, especially early on, should be Single Player challenges and knocking out regular Objectives to unlock consistent new rewards. Whether you're hitting the HUT Squad Battles or HUT Moments, keep an eye on your Objectives to know what else to focus on.

While you'll get some great rewards and a feel for the gameplay in HUT Moments, HUT Squad Battles are best to really get a feel for your lineup. Every opponent is different, but generally things get much more challenging when you head online.

HUT Rush (Online & Offline)

One great area to focus on in HUT 24 is still giong to be HUT Rush, as this dual online and offline mode allows you to draft a squad specifically for event challenges. HUT Rush is perfect for early gameplay, because you'll get to try out many of the cards you don't yet have access to on your standard Ultimate Team squad.

The actual events and challenges will vary, as weekly events will arrive throughout the year to keep things fresh. This is an especially usefuil mode for objectives, as one you might be struggling with elsewhere could be easier to complete with a HUT Rush drafted lineup.

As you play in each mode, your performances will rack up points for the Season Rewards track in HUT Rush. While you can enjoy it entirely offline, you may find playing online gives you a higher point total and could trigger rewards faster.

Auction House, Sets, and Online Play

The last big areas of Hockey Ultimate Team in NHL 24 are likely to see varied usage depending on how you enjoy the mode. Competetive online modes like HUT Rivals and HUT Champions will be a major focus for some players, but they can be easily ignored by those who prefer to stay offline.

However, the Auction House is something everything should get plenty of use out of. You can unlock many powerful HUT 24 cards just by opening packs via rewards, but completing Sets and trying to find that one player eluding you will likely send you to the Auction House eventually.

Unfortunately, it's not something you'll have access to right away. You'll have to use the Training Camp Cale Makar card in your lineup to knock out several objectives first. You can do this in a variety of modes, but keep an eye on other objectives so you can get the most out of each game while doing this.

While waiting for that to unlock, something you will already have access to is Sets. Here, you'll redeem a mix of collectibles and cards earned via objectives and packs for new rewards. Together, the Auction House (once you're in) and Sets are a fantastic way to constantly build up your NHL 24 Ultimate Team as your HUT 24 journey rolls on.