NHL 23: How To Deke

NHL 23 has officially launched and is available in stores for fans to sink their teeth into the latest installment of the EA Sports hockey franchise. With newly enhanced graphics, features, gameplay and more, there’s so much to relish and enjoy in NHL 23.

That said, there’s no better feeling than scorching a defenseman or embarrassing a goalie with a beautiful deke. There are a bunch of ways to break someone’s ankles in this year’s game, some more useful than others.

In this guide, we’re going to help you achieve just that by breaking down some of the most useful and fun dangles in your arsenal that you can apply in NHL 23.

Let’s take a look.

READ NOW: Check out the key steps on how to defend in NHL 23 here.

NHL 23: How To Deke

Backhand Toe Drag Flip

This is a move that is highly useful in EASHL if you’re playing against a user-controlled goalie. People playing goalie love throwing flying poke checks and one of the best counters to that is by using the backhand toe drag flip. The controls are as follows: R3 + R(Down) +R1 on Xbox and R3 + R(down) + RB on PlayStation.

In a game, say you’re a lefty flying down the left side of the ice and you’re cutting towards the net in EASHL. If that goalie comes out for a poke, you can pull the puck back with this move and do a flip right over him. Same goes for a righty coming down the right side of the ice. It’s a fun move, looks great, and it works!

Through the Legs Deke

As more dekes get added year by year, some of the classic moves can get lost in the fold. But make no mistake, the through the legs deke in NHL 23 is one of the most effective moves you can use in this year’s game. And if you think about it, many players in real life rely on this move often. You’re going to see through the legs plays way more often than you see a guy trying the Michigan. So you should be the same way in NHL 23!

This is the button combo: LB + RS (rotate stick down anticlockwise) on Xbox and L1 + RS (rotate stick down anticlockwise) on PlayStation. This deke can be used in any game mode effectively and it should be your best friend when it comes to dangles.

Obviously, players with higher overall ratings will have better luck performing this move, but you’ll have a better chance using this deke with a lower rated player than most of the other dekes available to you. Get comfortable with this one and use it often because it’s simple and it’ll help you create a lot of space out there on the ice!

One-Hand Tuck

Ah… the old Peter Forsberg move. While this move isn’t as OP as it was a couple of years ago, it still works pretty well against both AI goalies and user goalies. And it’s fairly simple to perform: RS (left or right) LB +RB on Xbox and RS (left or right) L1 + R1 on PlayStation. This is another move you can use on breakaways.

You need to learn the timing for this one before you start using it effectively though. So make sure you hit the practice rink and get some reps in first. Once you get a good feel for the move, you’ll see that it’s a useful tool on the ice.

How to Learn Other Dekes in NHL 23

There are many other dekes available in this year’s game, some more complex than what we listed in this guide.  There’s the Michigan, self-pass off the boards, slip deke, and more.

Check the NHL 23 control guide to see how you can perform these dekes if you want to get your dangle game even better. But in terms of dekes you can use often and rely on, the three listed here should make for some great highlight reel plays for you!