Historical Replay....some interesting results.

[scootermojo]

I did an NHL historical replay starting in the earliest season allowed, 1931-32, up until and including today, January 11, 2016. I saved each season individually before continuing to another season so I could go back and get some info on my own that the game itself doesn't compile. I didn't interfere at all with the league and let it just grow on it's own. I also let the teams draft players on their own rather than being placed on the team they originally started their career with.....I basically wanted a complete fictional league using historical players to see what type of results would be produced.

For starters, here's the list of Cups won from the FHM2's history screen alongside a complete list that I compiled from all teams along with number of seasons, playoff appearances, division and conference titles, number of times being runner-up and also number of times being NHL champions. I included teams prior to the earliest playable season of 1931-32 for my own sake of continuance and OCD when it comes to stats....that's why teams such as the Pittsburgh Pirates and Hamilton Tigers are also listed on my table.

I thought it was a little interesting that the Cup leaders were more like the NBA's championship list where multiple teams are far ahead of the rest of the league as opposed to both Major League Baseball and the real NHL where one team is even farther ahead. It seems in this case of my replay that the talent was distributed slightly more evenly....obviously having the draft instituted from the beginning clearly plays a part in that.

[scootermojo]

Here is a chart I made of all division winners during my replay sim (again, I include seasons prior to 1931-32):

[scootermojo]

Here is the list of NHL Champions and the series results. Next to each team I have their regular season record listed along with their regular season point and win percentage and also their standing within their respective division and conference if applicable and their overall league standing during the regular season. I made each cell of my chart team colored since it made it easier, in my opinion, to have standout the dynasties that sprouted up.

Toronto, the NY Rangers and Ottawa all won 5 Cups in a row with the Rangers winning 5 in a row two different times. In fact, at one point during the mid to late 60's and early 70's, the Rangers won it all 7 out of 8 years. The Canadiens won 4 in a row at one point during the early 60's while Toronto in the late 50's, the Canadiens twice (early and late 30's) and the Nordiques during the late 80's and early 90's all managed a three-peat.

In the hard luck dept. the Red Wings lost 4 Cup Finals in a row during the late 40's to the Rangers and the North Stars lost 3 straight Cup Finals (again, all to the Rangers) but the worst luck of all teams belonged to the Black Hawks who became the Buffalo Bills of my NHL replay by losing 10 Cup Finals in a 14 year span losing three in a row twice and two in a row twice. However, they did manage to sneak one Cup win in during that span so at least they have that on the Bills.

The Rangers made the most consecutive Finals with 7 in a row from 1946 to 1952 going 5-2 in the Final during that span. The Leafs had the second most consecutive Final appearances with 6 in a row right from 1954-1959.

[scootermojo]

Now we're getting into some of the info the game doesn't compile but what I wanted to know. The following chart is a list of teams that have come back from a three games to none or a three games to one series deficit. On the right side of the chart is the number of times a team has been involved in 3-1 or 3-0 series comebacks and their records in such series. I'm sure Capitals fans will be happy to see the Caps were only involved in 2 and won one of them

In the real life, the NHL has had 29 such series while my replay produced 27....so I was surprised to see that be that accurate. The difference was mainly in the number of 3-0 series comeback. They've happened 4 times in real life whereas it occurred 6 times in my replay. Although it's a difference of only 2 I guess I was kinda hoping it would be even more rare....but I was still happy with those results.

[scootermojo]

Here is the list of the teams with 55 or more wins during the regular season along with all other team stats from that year (I, personally, like to see the complete stat line when seeing lists....such as for teams I'd like to if the reason they are so good is because of their offense, defense, PP, PK....that's just my own taste).

To help explain why Quebec and Washington are so well represented on this list is because Mario Lemieux was drafted by Quebec and Washington drafted Ovechkin (who was basically a man-beast during my replay).

[scootermojo]

The following is a list of most game winning goals in a regular season that I compiled. I'm a little disappointed that FHM2 doesn't list single season leaders for game winning goals....hopefully in future versions it will.

[scootermojo]

Here is a list of all defensemen who scored 30 or more goals during the regular season. Another nice addition for future versions of FHM, in my opinion, would be the ability to sort through single season leaders of all positions (C, RW, LW, D, G) instead of just skaters and goaltenders.

[scootermojo]

Here is a list of defensemen who scored 100 or more points in my replay. In the real NHL a total of 100 points by a defensemen has happened 14 times where in my replay it happened 22 times. Absolutely no complaints here....nice to see how improved FHM2 was over its predecessor when dealing with offensive defensemen.

As anyone can see, Bobby Orr was still a beast which was refreshing to see. But Bruce Bell? WTF? I'm also attaching his career stat line...I wouldn't say a flash in the pan....not a bad career but also rather short....but I think his peak and record setting year was the byproduct of Mario Lemieux. Not the first time Mr. Lemieux's made a career......Warren Young, Rob Brown, you two listening?

I attached Quebec's 1989-90 stat line as reference, as well.

[scootermojo]

Hopefully, in future versions we'll also get the ability to sort through playoff leaders, as well. I understand how it probably wasn't a priority for this version.....hopefully it will be for future versions.

That being said, I went back through each individual season that I had saved from my historical replay and compiled the leaders for several playoff categories. Here's the list for players with at least 15 goals, 25 assists and 35 points in one playoff year.

FYI: the reason why the list for assists is so short is because I was getting overwhelmed with the number of players with 20 or more assists which is where my original cutoff was. For the sake of time (and my own sanity), I decided to make the cutoff 25 assists.

[scootermojo]

The following few posts deal with another area of info that I was looking for that FHM2 doesn't compile: number of 50 goal scorers. To be honest, I really didn't nor do I expect the game to compile this list (would be nice, though...just sayin' lol). Anyway, I created this list as I was simming seasons stopping whenever I seen a player score his 50th goal and recording the info as it is done in the NHL Guide & Record Book by noting the opposing goaltender, player's and team's number of games played up until and including the date of the 50th goal and the final total of games played and goals at season's end. Interestingly, this came out remarkably similar to real life whereas there has been 190 seasons of 50 goals or more in the NHL whereas in my replay there was a total of 193 seasons of 50 or more goals.

However, my first 50 goal season didn't happen until 1961-62 unlike the actual NHL when it happened during the 1944-45 season. As with reality, there was an explosion of 50 goal scorers in the 80's and that number subsequently declined during the late 90's and on out to present day. The most 50 goal scorers in real life was 14 during the 1992-93 NHL season but the most during my replay was during the 1980-81 season with 15. Also, nobody scored 50 goals from 2002-2005 in my replay.

The player with the most 50 goal seasons in my replay was Gretzky (big shock!!!) with 15. Lemieux and Ovechkin both were tied at 2nd with 8 50 goal seasons each.

11 times a player scored 50 in 50, 12 times if I include Michel Goulet who scored 50 in 50 games played but missed 12 games and his team had played 62 games at that point. Lemieux scored 50 in his teams first 45 games during the 1993-94 season but Gretzky scored 50 in his 43rd game played but it was his team's 50th game during the 1985-86 season. Kinda odd a little since he ended up in my replay with 81 goals that season while in real life he "fell back" to only 52 goals...but added an obscene 163 assists that year (which, in my opinion, is the most impressive NHL record/feat by anyone.....163 assists, man....that's more assists that anyone else in history has even had points save for the handful of times Lemieux had more).

Here is the list of 50 goal scorers from 1962 to 1992:

[scootermojo]

Here is the list of 50 goal scorers from 1992-93 to 2014-15:

[AaronV]

This man just applied for a job, is there an opening, hire him.

Good work

[GlennN]

Very impressive information! Thank you for posting. I am curious of the career Eric Lindros had (without those pesky real life concussions). I expected to see him on a couple of those lists, but I didn't see his name at all. Did the injury bug derail his career in FHM as well?

[Duranium]

well done - some inspiration for Seb for future versions

[scootermojo]

Thanks, guys....I was hoping someone would find the info I compiled to be as interesting as I found it. I have some more stuff on the way, as well.

[scootermojo]

Originally Posted by GlennN

Very impressive information! Thank you for posting. I am curious of the career Eric Lindros had (without those pesky real life concussions). I expected to see him on a couple of those lists, but I didn't see his name at all. Did the injury bug derail his career in FHM as well?

Here's the career of Lindros as requested. Little bit of the injury bug....but ultimately he was just released by Tampa Bay at the age of 31. I found teams releasing players quite a bit....that was something that I found strange and this was even before the salary cap was implemented in for the 2005-06 seasons onward. I noticed Evgeni Malkin was released in his prime by Vancouver....which was odd. The strangest one caused me to interfere for the only time during my replay. Bobby Orr was drafted by the Red Wings then was oddly released after a 99 point season in only 70 games during the 1970-71 season. I actually didn't notice he was released until far into the 1971-72 season and nobody signed him so I continued to replay the offseason between those two campaigns yet nobody would sign him.....so I took it upon myself to sign him to Boston (seemed like he'd be a perfect fit in Boston to me...don't know why lol)

Anyway, here's the Lindros numbers you asked for (both regular season and playoff numbers).....gotta admit I was a little disappointed since he was a beast in real life when he wasn't injured but this was a fictional replay so I guess it is what it is.

[scootermojo]

I'll be posting more charts that I compiled....but if anyone is interested in seeing how any particular player did feel free to ask and I'll post snapshots of their career page from the game. I'll be more than happy to post it.

[monochameleon]

Loving the charts, there's some really interesting alternative world stuff here. How did Theo Fleury do? Did he end up a Flame or get drafted by someone else?

[scootermojo]

Originally Posted by monochameleon

Loving the charts, there's some really interesting alternative world stuff here. How did Theo Fleury do? Did he end up a Flame or get drafted by someone else?

Ahhhhh.....one of my favorite diminutive athletes of all-time!!!! Carved out a respectable career. Seemed to be very chippy what with his PIM numbers like he was in real life. Had a monster playoff in 1996 while winning the Cup with the Hawks. Won another with Chicago in 1999, too.

Interesting enough, was traded by the Hawks to St. Louis in 2001 at what I believe was the trade deadline....then was traded back to the Hawks right before the beginning of the 2001-2002 season. Unfortunately, he didn't start his career until he was 22....that seemed to happen quite a bit during my sim. Guys were drafted but then didn't make the main squad until a year or even several years later.

[Leafs67]

You my friend, are outstanding! I love this stuff, I do it all the time with FHM 2, but to lay it all out an share it like this is great. Can't wait to read it, looks like it will be really good!