NHL 09 was easily one of the best hockey games I’ve played in quite some time, but if the demo is any indication, NHL 10 just might be taking that crown away.

The demo, which is available on Xbox Live Marketplace currently (and will be on the PlayStation Network next Thursday) shows off a number of improvements that EA Sports will be bringing to the table in this year’s edition of NHL. The first, and perhaps most significant to me, is the addition of a playoff atmosphere. In almost every sports game, when you’re playing a regular season game or a playoff game, the crowds act as if the two games are equal in importance. Because of this, you’re not being treated to the most realistic experience, especially in hockey, where the playoff atmosphere is a huge difference from regular season games. During my interview with NHL 10 producer David Littman, he said that this wouldn’t be the case in NHL 10 and he wasn’t lying.

One of the modes that you’ll be able to play in the demo is “Battle For The Cup Now”, which will put you in the third period of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, where you can play as either the Red Wings or Penguins. The first thing you’ll notice is how loud Joe Louis Arena gets, and the crowd AI is absolutely fantastic. Crunch a visiting Penguin into the boards, send him crashing onto the ice and hear the crowd roar with approval. This noise doesn’t simply stop after a goal, save or body-check happens, though. Instead, there is the same electricity and vibrancy within the crowd as the play continues that is very different from the feel you’re used to getting in your hockey (or heck, any other sport) game.

While in the Battle For the Cup Now mode, you’ll also be able to check out a number of other new additions to the game. Increased defensive AI seems to play smarter defense, especially against cross ice passes. The newly included board-play mode will allow you to pin opposing players up against the boards and dig for pucks, while if you’re the one finding yourself pinned, you can kick the puck to an open opponent to get another scoring chance or clear the zone.

If you’re one for a good ol’ fashioned donnybrook, you’ll notice two welcome additions. The first is the new first-person fighting mode, which makes hockey fights feel a lot more personal. The control method is reminiscent of the Fight Night series, in that the attacks are mapped to the analog sticks—movement is controlled by the left stick, while you rear back and deliver hay-makers with the right stick. It all works pretty well, though it definitely will take some getting used to so you can master the art of when to block and when to deliver that timely hook. To get into these fracases, however, you’ll need to mix things up a bit by delivering checks and face-washes after the whistle. This in turn will make the AI turn around and give you a taste of your own medicine. If you keep it up, almost every player will find a dance partner (Though, sadly, it doesn’t look like line-brawls are going to be happening).

The core gameplay, with a few improvements here and there appears to be intact. Factor in the realistic atmosphere, tight board-play and great changes to the fighting mechanics, and you’ve got a recipe for one hell of a hockey game.

NHL 10 is scheduled to be released on September 15, 2009 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.