head to head
vs
NHL 23vsWWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
NHL 23 leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 leans Execution (Competitive PvP).
NHL 23WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 5
NHL 23 leans harder on execution: Skill-stick dekes and shot timing carry possession play
Reads4 vs 4
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization5 vs 4
NHL 23 leans harder on optimization: Meta builds, line chemistry and set plays are studyable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.