So I actually got this bug after few minutes in the practice mode, check this out, pay attention to number 19, red jersey (bottom right corner).
He (no19} and no 3 are the actual defenders on my team and none of them is using full speed as they chase. The other players on the red team that chasing the players are the offense (the 3 players in the front) and they can use the max speed. It looks pretty ridiculous from a hockey perspective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bvIDFvJue8
Do you want me to send you a savastate from this situation?
edit: here it comes
defbug savestate
Thanks. I need to know the dolphin version. Also at what point was it saved? I should be saved either right before entering the slow max speed state or right before exiting it.
As for the save point, can I find and save the point afterward in the replay?
No, replay doesn't help :/. I can probably find it from your second video myself. I think using goalie cam will help.
In my testing, when you are taking the puck to the opponent's goal your defenders slow down when they hit the middle, I assume this is preferred behavior. Maybe the bug is that it doesn't check which team has the puck, so it can't tell if the defender should slow down or not. So they always do.
It's not happening for me, are you using any movement speed mods in that video? Try without them?
It is happening on my side all the time, with or without mods. That's why I start to mod it actually
It might take a little patience. You have to "lure" the defender so he skate towards you to your zone/goal (maybe wait there little) and then when he is getting closer skate over him. Just like in that second vid
Hmm not happening for me, and the AI never runs at me with one hand off the stick.
But you will skate over him and he will not chase you full speed right?
Yeah and that's the bug that he not chase full speed with stick in one hand. That's what we are fixing

There are various options under difficulty which may be affecting this. "Pro" setting doesn't seem to get it. Max/min'ing various sliders does seem to affect it. What's speed burst?
I didn't know there was a skating speed option in the game, that might have helped make the codes, but I got the basic speed stuff fairly fast. There's also acceleration.
In my game he just LT runs at me with adequate speed.
/edit I think hall of fame setting does give what you are describing. But maybe it can be fixed by tweaking the option values.