HFNHL Oilers: Playoff edition

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
The Oilers would like to extent their respect and admiration to the San Jose Sharks for an exciting, tough fought, and clean first round series.

Going the full seven games was not a surprise considering how close the teams were in the regular season. In a number of ways the Sharks were the better team in the play-offs as they outshot, often by a large margin, the Oilers in every game and got some great goaltending from Martin Jones.

In the end the Oilers got an extra lucky bounce or two. In their own end the Oilers also got some great goaltending from Troy Grosenick who, despite not being able to play the whole series, won three of the four games he played in and came away with a .941 sav%. If there was one concern coming out of the first round it’s the lack of balanced scoring. Glass half full the top unit was hot producing 11 goals but on the flip side the balanced scoring the team has been dependent on was noticeably lacking.

In round two the Oilers will have a return match-up with the Kings who quickly dispatched them (5 games) in last year. Accordingly a number of returning Oilers are looking forward to a chance to redeem themselves this year.
 

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
"One of these is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong." - from Sesame Street (credit unknown)

Luck has clearly been shining on the HFNHL Oilers as they find themselves advancing to the Conference Finals. Other teams include the President's Trophy winner Colorado Avalanche, the Pittsburgh Penguins striving to repeat as HFNHL Cup champions and one of two very good teams in the Habs and Bruins pending a game seven winner. Clearly the Oilers standout as an anomaly among this class of talented teams but don't tell them that.

The Oilers would like to extend their respect to the HFNHL Kings for an interesting and hard fought series. The series was definitely a strange one that drove coaches, and probably fans, nuts on both sides with mixes of great plays but also inconsistent performances night to night.
The final game of the series partially encapsulated the oddities as both teams played fairly tight games with unusually low shots on net but neither goalie could stop a beach ball with 14 total goals scored and that's not including a potentially game changing goal for the Kings called off in first minute of the 3rd period. Additionally both teams scored short handed (their first of the series) less than two minutes apart. A very strange game.
Of course the Oilers can't seem to face the Kings without injury. Team leading, at that time, goal scorer Patrick Sharp was taken out of the series early on but should be ready for the next round while Brandon Davidson is not as fortunate and will miss the rest of the play-offs.

Next up are the the President Trophy winners who have shown no sign of weakness having only lost once in the first two rounds. Asked if he was nervous GM Niece Sr. responded "I was but now I'm just going to take the time to enjoy it and embrace being a fan myself. What changed my mind was speaking with some of the guys at this morning's optional skate who were very upbeat and looked loose. As Stastny summed it up 'we can't lose' we're not supposed to be here and so if we win if it's a continuing Cinderella story, if we lose we are expected to lose and still come out winners for making it this far. The pressure is all on the Avs."

It was refreshing to here such a zen like tone from the GM who has felt pressure all season long. No matter what happens next this has been a good years for the Oilers and the fans."
 
Last edited:

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
Scrappy, dappy, doo!

From 104th Ave to Jasper Ave, fans filled the streets Friday night to celebrate the improbable and frankly unexplainable advancement of their HFNHL Oilers to the cup finals. Aside from some minor incidents the crowd was reasonably well behaved.

The Avalanche are a formidable team and as they rebounded from a 3-1 game deficit to force a game 7 many an Oiler fan inwardly acknowledged the possibility that the clock might have struck midnight on this Cinderella season. In game 7, however, the Avs were uncharacteristically undisciplined taking a number of penalties, some questionable, and on this rare occasion the Oilers struggling PP units got their act together scoring 4 of their 5 goals with the man advantage.

GM Niece extends his respect and admiration to Ville and his team on a great season and toughly contested series.

Since the play-offs began several Oiler players have known this is potentially their final games in the HFNHL while others may be moving on elsewhere. For them each series brings one last chance to play the game they love. Now entering what is likely the final series of their HFNHL careers guys like Sharp, Wideman, Michalek, Korpikoski, etc. will do their best to make their finale a memorable one.
 

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
Out of gas?

The engine that pushed the Oilers farther than expected may have run out of gas after three grueling series. The team sputtered a bit in the conference finals and now, even though spirits were high entering the finals, the team has looked very flat and is facing the potential of being swept.

No single aspect of the Oilers play has been unaffected. The teams defense has been giving the Habs forwards way too much room to operate while Grosenick has struggled mightily. The offence has also been missing with below average shots on net which won't cut it against a star goaltender like Rinne.

While the team is down fans still believe they're not out as the team has shown too much moxie to go away quietly.
 

Ohio Jones

Game on...
Feb 28, 2002
8,257
201
Great White North
Kudos, Mr. Niece, for the astonishing run - and the excellent coverage. This story has been every bit as fascinating to watch as the NHL Golden Knights Cinderella run.

Selfishly, I’m glad you lost - after winning a Stanley Cup with that roster, you would truly have had nothing left to prove, and would have retired again! Now at least you’ve had your appetite stoked, and will be more inclined to see the restructuring of the HFNHL Oilers through to the (seemingly inevitable) conclusion of a second Cup Ring for their esteemed GM.

Great, great season.

See you at the draft!
 

CopperAndBlueGM

Registered User
Mar 9, 2017
119
41
It’s often said nobody remembers who finished second but I believe the great fans of Edmonton and the players themselves will beg to differ … at least for now. For several weeks Oil country has had a welcome diversion and the fans were out in force at the airport this morning to show their support and welcome the players back from Montreal despite the sweep.

The Oilers truly epitomized the sense of team playing as a cohesive unit. Many were surprised when the team entered the season without a delegated Captain, or even alternates, and that experiment continued through the play-offs as players considered by some as a group of misfits and 'has-beens' worked together to achieve more than anyone imagined. If they had of won the cup it would surely have been made into a Disney movie.

While a bit of a Cinderella story the obvious refrain of “We’ll get’em next year” doesn’t necessarily apply here as many players will not be back and so the process of reassembling a transition team for 2019/20 begins again in earnest. This summer at least the team has a little more financial stability thanks to the long play-off run to be able to entertain some options that were not feasible financially last year. The only downside of the run is that the team most in need of rebuilding a farm system won’t pick until 30th and so the long rebuild gets a little longer.

Congratulations to the Canadiens on a winning the HFNHL Cup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MatthewFlames

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->