If they were to add just a few more upgrades to the NHL09 formula then it would still be worth gettin' pumped for NHL10. Shooters vs. Sports multiplayer is an apples to oranges comparison but when it comes down to just plain old fun, I'd have to say NHL09 and hockey games in general are the funnest multiplayer games there are in my opinion.
The only thing I wish all of EAs games would implement, and I know it won't happen anytime soon, is dynamic animations. Canned animations are past their time, and there are plenty of resources to make it happen, but EA instead has chosen to use their own engines.