HFNHL Oilers and the great Western Conference game of musical chairs

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
With only 20 games remaining the situation in the West is generally the same as it was at mid-season with a peloton of 8 western conference teams fighting over 5 play-off spots.

With only a few games separating the teams the standing order changes almost daily where one small slip or injury sends a team plummeting and vice versa stringing a couple of wins together vaults them up the standings.

Case and point the Oilers put a few wins together a few weeks ago and moved up as high as 2nd in the Pacific division while the Kings slipped to 9th in the conference – just one week later and the positions are exactly reversed with the Oilers on the outside looking in after a few loses.

With the trade deadline soon approaching the Oilers find themselves both buyers and sellers. The team has so far made two depth moves to acquire Matt Stajan and Brandon Davidson. In the case of Davidson he will have continued value as a bottom pairing or 7th dman next year as the Oilers transition phase continues ... we don’t say rebuild in Edmonton ;)

As for bigger deals so far the Oilers have been unwilling, and frankly unable, to pay the rental price being asked for some guys on the market. The team will likely take it's chances and hope to have a seat when the music stops after game 82.

Frankly this GM remains cynical any single deal could insure a spot in the tight Western Conference play-offs never mind avoid being quickly bounced in the first round and instead is more focussed on finding a 'hockey deal'. While not expecting star players the Oilers would however consider the possibility of sacrificing a chance at the playoffs by moving some players along with picks/prospects if it would return a useful roster player with reasonable value beyong this season.

With less than 48 hours remaining to the deadline GM Niece will keep both buying and selling options open.
 

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
With almost all teams now standing at 66 games played (16 games remaining) the HFNHL Western Conference peloton is getting even tighter.

DifferencePosition RangeTeamsOther
1 game5th to 9thLAK, WPG, EDM, NSH, STL
1.5 games3rd to 9thSJS, ANA, LAK, WPG, EDM, NSH, STL
3 games2nd to 9thCHI, SJS, ANA, LAK, WPG, EDM, NSH, STLVGK also in range of a wildcard spot
4 games3rd to 10thSJS, ANA, LAK, WPG, EDM, NSH, STL, VGKVAN also in range of a wildcard spot
5 games3rd to 11thSJS, ANA, LAK, WPG, EDM, NSH, STL, VGK, VANCGY also in range of a wildcard spot
5.5 games2nd to 10thCHI, SJS, ANA, LAK, WPG, EDM, NSH, STL, VGK
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
When things are this tight with so few games remaining tiebreakers such as regulation wins are bound to decide some play-off matches.

Heck, in the next few hours these rankings and orders will already have changed again ;)

For the Oilers injuries are again becoming a concern in this insanely tight race. After being out for 5 games James Neal has just recently returned, though not yet 100%, and the team is down two defensemen in Jordie Benn (likely remainder of the regular season) and recently acquired injured reserve Brandon Davidson (2 weeks).

No rest for the weary and wounded though as the Oilers welcome a tough Islanders team that currently sits 2nd in the Eastern Conference.
 
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Wildman

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
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Toronto
No worries Drew, Islander have their own injuries to deal with as we down with our two top RW in Okposso and Radulov, Top Pairing defenceman in Johny Boychuk and Back Up Goaltender Curtis McElhinney. it has been interesting season given the injuries have risen compared to previous few years.

Did I mention Klas Dahlbeck our 7th and 8th defenceman out for a month?:(
 

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
... and then there was 10 games remaining.

Even though the HFNHL Oilers have seen a surge that's vaulted them into top spot in the Pacific, and 3rd overall in the conference, the fans are nervous as they've seen this movie twice already this season. In each case it was quickly followed by a fall to 9th or 10th so even a 3 game gap with 10 remaining is far from certainty of a play-off spot.

Based on the accordian trend in the standings this might not be the last update either. Last week things were tightening further with four teams tied but over the weekend there was a slight separation. Who knows what tomorrow will hold.

Right now 9 HFNHL teams are realistically fighting for 6 play-off positions with only Colorado and Chicago being relative locks. Focusing purely on the binary question of being in or out of the play-offs the Western conference battles are as follows and includes multiple combinations for some point differences:

DifferencePosition RangeTeams
0 games8th & 9thVGK & STL
0.5 games8th to 10thVGK, STL, SJS
1 game7th to 9thLAK, VGK, STL
1.5 games7th to 10thLAK, VGK, STL, SJS
1.5 games6th to 9thNAS, LAK, VGK, STL
2 games5th to 9thANA, NAS, LAK, VGK, STL
2.5 games8th to 11thVGK, STL, SJS, VCR
2.5 games5th to 10thANA, NAS, LAK, VGK, STL, SJS
2.5 games4th to 9thWPG, ANA, NAS, LAK, VGK, STL
3 games4th to 10thWPG, ANA, NAS, LAK, VGK, STL, SJS
3 games3rd to 9thEDM, WPG, ANA, NAS, LAK, VGK, STL
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
Note: 7 of the 9 teams in contention have 10 games remaining but not reflected in the above is the fact that Anaheim has only 9 games remaining while Nashville has a game at hand on all teams (2 on Anaheim)
 
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