On defense I mainly rely on positioning. Body checks are less effective in NHL 10 and focusing on keeping the stick blade in your opponents passing lane will get you a long way.
Strategy wise I try to force the puck carrier towards one side of the ice. This I do by positioning myself in the passing lane over to the weak side (the side where the puck isn't), so that my opponent only have the strong side (the side where the puck is) open to move/pass to.
Also, I kind of set a trap by not challenging the winger but positioning myself near him. When the winger receives the puck, I bodycheck him if he's by the halfboards (and I'm positioned right). If he moves away from the boards, I'll skate backwards, infront of him, letting him get closer until the puck's right infront of me and then I'll go for a poke check. This strategy works well with the Neutral Zone Trap.
I very rarely go for open ice bodychecks and on D I'm carefull when moving my players. Overchecking will send your players all over the ice, and that's what breaks down your defense. I skate backwards slowly (I sort of pump the LS with little moves in the direction I want to go), and I focus on following my opponents body (not the puck), letting him get closer until, when he's close enough, I make my move.
1 on 1, I position myself between the opponent and my own goal (quite obvious) and a little bit over to the weak side (trying to force him over to the near post). Letting him get closer, I try to challenge him, at least, before he pass the line between the face off points.
Here's a video with some solid defensive play from both teams (my opponent was actually better). I especially like how he body checks the pass reciever instead of going for the puck carrier (0:10).
Here's an example showing the importance of positioning. I play C here and instead of challenging the puck carrier all the time, I stay in the centre, trying to cut off the passing lanes, until I get an opportunity to win the puck.
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my d is pretty simple, keep the player to the outside all the time, i stay to the center and let him have a lane to the outside, then i close in on him and either go for the hit if hes by himself or use the RB and that works really well when a player tries to deke to the inside and it takes that away 99 percent of the time unless the puck sometimes just go through my stick, Snake6820 is my GT check me out.