Oilers442

Upon falling to Bo's Buffalo Sabres 4 games to 1, the Edmonton Oilers have been eliminated from Spring 2013's SNES A playoffs. I'm certainly sad, disappointed, etc. but am proud to have achieved something that I proclaimed to this community last November that I would someday like to do... I remember when I started playing SNES NHL 94 in December of 2010, I noticed that Edmonton was among the least used teams among the SNES community in both league and exhibition play. I could certainly see why initially as on the surface of things, Edmonton really doesn't look to be all that threatening, skilled, etc. However, as I slowly started to improve as a player, I started to give the team further usage in my exhibition matchups. With the addition of Craig Simpson to the starting lineup, I found that Edmonton became a team worthy of being used in league play and one that could be successful with enough patience. After an early exit in the Fall 2012 SNES A playoffs with Washington, I decided that if I was able to play future NHL 94 online seasons, I wanted to use Edmonton to have a lot of fun with my favorite team, attempt to bring some respect back to the team, and hopefully influence other SNES players to give them a shot. With a 30-8 regular season record, a strong journey to the conference finals, and a lot of excitement and joy throughout the entire process, I'd say that I can rest easy even in the final shadow of defeat this season. With that, I'll simply conclude by saying thanks to everyone (and I mean EVERYONE), for another great season...especially now that we're in the 20th anniversary of this amazing game. I can say for sure that next season, Edmonton will be making a return to SNES A for another crack at the championship...and maybe, just maybe Craig Simpson will be able to improve upon his suprising #4 finish in league scoring lol. Thanks again everyone and see you again sometime soon...Fall 2013 will be here before we know it!! -Oilers442 #Simpson3:16

We've been exchanging offline AIM messages for the last few days but keep missing each other. I am available all day today to play our series. Please message me if you log into AIM bud. Thanks

I'm not sure which team I'll do next. But Hartford is one of the ones that came to mind when pondering it over. If they aren't the next one, they'll be VERY soon I'm sure

Count me in if it gets revived!

From the SNES side of things (and probably true on GENS as well), I think it's because NHL 94 simply plays better than the versions that came after it. The overall speed of the game feels more correct...not too fast, not too slow. This can be applied to the speed of the players, the speed of passes, how fast slapshots and one timers are, etc. The checks and hits that you can make on NHL 94 simply feel more satisfying. Like when you lay out someone with Dave Manson or Scott Stevens and the check is just extremely devastating or violent, you either laugh out loud or at least smile. On later versions of the game, these same hits don't feel even remotely as deadly. There are other reasons as well, but these are the ones that first come to my mind on why I play NHL 94 instead of later versions

Washington Capitals Highly under-rated on the SNES, the Washington Capitals are a team that brings forth many crucal skills and strengths at both ends of the ice along with the ability to counter any style of play offered by the opposing team. Thus, while not necessarily the most balanced or "user-friendly" team, Washington is one that can consistently deliver solid performances and provide more than a match for the most elite teams in the game. Forwards Ridley-Khristich-Bondra Consistency, consistency, consistency: the hallmark of Mike Ridley. 212 lbs., 65 Agi/Spd/Off Awr/Shot Acc/Stk. Ridley's skills are not necessarily considered elite in comparison to the top players in the game, but his strengths allow him to do a number of things adequately. With his weight, 55 defensive awareness, and 45 checking, Ridley is Washington's best threat on the forecheck and is no stranger to laying out the opposition with effective body checks mostly due to his weight. Offensively, Ridley's speed, agility, and shot accuracy are strong enough to allow him to lead the rush up ice and score effectively in deking or one-timer situations. For Dmitri Khristich, the name of the game is Sniping. If a user can get Khristich open in prime scoring areas, he is going to cash in on a large majority of his chances with a dangerous 65/100 shot. In fact, a large percentage of Khristich's output will likely have to be generated through long distance dart throwing for two reasons. Firstly, Khristich's skating is average at best (55 Agi/Spd). Thus, he is not very effective in most situations when going 1 on 1 with defenders in deking and dangling situations. The second fact to consider is Khristich's 196 lb. weight. In short, Khristich is not fast/agile enough to consistently slip by defenders ala Selanne or Gartner, nor is he heavy enough to withstand checks and power his way through the defense like Linden, Andreychuk, or Lindros. In a manner similar to fellow Eastern European Khristich, Peter Bondra's speed (100) is the one trait that most clearly defines his game. Along with 65 Agility/Off Awr/Shot Acc., Bondra has the offensive skills to go off and have some big games offensively. He is smart enough to get in a good position to score on one timers and his shot accuracy is effective from a decent majority of scoring areas (provided he doesn't skate out of them too quickly). Make no mistake though, Bondra's speed is what gives Washington a true edge offensively on some occasions. Not only can Bondra move the puck out of the defensive zone quickly and effectively, but if he gains some separation from defenders, he can create a large number of breakaway chances if a user can get the puck to him. This line is all about mitigating incompatibilities. Khristich gets the nod at Center not just because of his shot ratings, but also because placing Ridley or Bondra at Center could cause other problems. Though Ridley is a good option at Center in the vein of Linden or Muller, placing Khristich on the Wing with his slower speed would likely hamper Washington's breakout and rush while also giving him less room to utilize his shooting ability. The effect would be similar with Bondra at Center, though the user would gain a very strong 1 on 1 option down the middle that could evoke similarities to Teemu Selanne. However, with Bondra's slightly lower offensive awareness and shot accuracy, it may be asking him to do a bit too much. Ultimately, if a balance or otherwise desired look that suits a coach can be reached, this trio of forwards can start to pile up the goals in a hurry and rival even the most effective offenses in the game. On the bench, Washington has a few decent forwards to choose from that could lend some help in injury, substitution, or penalty situations. Though not much to write home about defensively, Kelly Miller and his 65 Agi/Spd/Stk is the team's best option for keeping an effective pass receiver on the ice and maintaining the pace of the game on the rush. Michal Pivonka won't make much of a dent on the score sheet or on the bodies of the oppostion, but his 65 stick handling must be considered if further substitutions must be made. Lastly, Pat Elyniuk's 85 shot accuracy can allow the Caps to keep a skilled sniper on the ice if shooting ability is of the utmost importance. Defensemen Iafrate-Hatcher What is there not to love about this pairing? Two massive heavyweights who can throw down the most devastating body checks in the game, play solid defense, and contribute positively on offense. 'Big Al' (228 lbs.) and 'Big Kev' (236 lbs.) possess some major similarities in terms of checking (65) and awareness (65 Off/Def). In short, both players can knock down almost any player in the game at will, withstand punishing hits, and can be trusted to generally be in the proper positions on both sides of the ice. What separates the two are Iafrate's slightly better skill set that undoubtedly makes him one of the best defensemen in the game. For a heavyweight, Al's skating (65 Agi/Spd) allows him to move the puck up ice effectively and start the attack if necessary. From there, Al possesses a booming 100/45 shot that can be a major threat in one-timer or slapshot situations. For Hatcher, his skating is more modest at a mere 55 for Agi/Spd, but like Iafrate, he is a threat offensively with a powerful 85/45 shot that must be respected if he finds an opening on the ice. Ultimately, Iafrate and Hatcher may just be the best overall pairing in the game due to how effectively they can play on both sides of the ice as well as conform to the style of play of almost any coach that uses Washington. There are 2 defensive options on Washington's bench that are ideal should Iafrate or Hatcher leave the game for any reason. First, and certainly the better of the two, is Calle Johansson. Aside from his weight (only 212 lbs.) and shooting ability (65/35), Johansson plays in something of a similar mold to Iafrate and Hatcher. With 65 defensive awareness and 65/55 agility and speed ratings, he can be counted on to play strong, conservative defense and occasionally lead the offensive attack up-ice. Despite a slightly reduced checking rating (55), his weight still allows him to be physical and take the body effectively enough. Though not as much of an offensive threat due to shooting and 55 offensive awareness, Johansson is a competent defenseman who can provide adequate play off the bench and certainly won't cripple the team's overall effectiveness. The second option is the far-lighter 188 lb. Sylvain Cote. Though Cote also possesses a decent 55 checking rating, his weight reduces his effectiveness in playing a physical game. Elsewhere, his awareness (55 Off/Def), skating (55 Agi/Spd), and shooting (55 Acc/45 Pwr) indicate that he is nothing extraordinary in terms of skill, but isn't at a total loss for ability. The only other noteworthy rating is a lower 55 stickhandling rating in comparison to 65 for Iafrate, Hatcher, and Johansson. Thus, a coach must be aware that Cote may fumble some pucks from time to time and reduce Washington's offensive effectiveness on the breakout and rush. Summary A competent offense and very strong defense ranks the Washington Capitals as the front-runner for 'dark horse' team of the game. The trio of Ridley, Khristich, and Bondra brings forth all the necessary skills and talents necessary for a successful offense: speed, shooting, physicality, and finesse. Iafrate and Hatcher can outright dominate the opposition physically, yet still be able to play a smarter, conservative defensive game if necessary. Add their offensive abilities to those already on the table via the forwards, and you have a team that is just as competitive as many of the elite teams in the game and one that can most definitely be used with great success.

Ask and you shall receive! No worries guys, ive been planning all along to get every team completed...admittedly, i just haven't made time. Starting tonight, that will change now that i know that there's a bit of demand. I wont guarantee that ill have the next one up by tonight, but it will be very soon!

Then why did you even sign up to play SNES then?

Probably wants to sabotage the legitimacy of SNES...

Not luck when there's a technique involved. I'd say that doing what I do, I can score with slappers against an Auto Goalie about 10-15% of the time....far from unrealistic when you consider real-life shoothing percentages. GENS slapper scoring on the other-hand you could argue is unrealistic with how many goals can be scored in comparison to real-life. I've gotta call 'bogus' on less ways to score on SNES. We have nearly all the same stock ways to score as GENS and our passing is more crisp and smooth...meaning that in SNES there's more passing lanes to manipulate and more creativity with one-timers and passing. It's a wash in my opinion... We may have a smaller community, but the fun is there. We'd love to have you around to try SNES A sometime...I can guarantee you that it is no walk in the park

Stheds, haven't seen you online lately bud. Msg me what time(s) you are available to play and ill make every effort to be available when you are. With 38 games currently played, I only have 2 left to do and would like to hit 40. Let's get it done bud!

I've mostly used 'Total_Annihilation' over the last 7 years or so that I've been active on forums (predominantly those of my favorite heavy metal bands). When I signed up here in 2009 to download a few SNES roms, I wanted to have a hockey theme to my username. However, I didn't really think long and hard about the name and simply started off with a tribute to my favorite NHL team, the Edmonton Oilers. As for 442, I simply tacked settled a tribute to Anthrax's 'Stomp 442' album. Not a very creative username, but when I came back here in December of 2010 to start playing SNES online, I decided to continue to use Oilers442 to avoid any confusion and/or criss crossing with my forum name, AIM name, etc.

I'll add my thanks into the mix as well...I'm absolutely loving these stat pages!!

*cheap plug* *warning: information may not be factual* Don't forget the only player to ever bypass C & B and join the 30 win club in a rookie season. I said it on FB earlier tonight...this is the deadliest lineup of SNES A online players ever in a season. This season is going to be a barn burner!!

I received a voice-mail this morning from a certain NHL '94 player in Edmonton named Craig Simpson...a significant quote follows... Simpson: "Oilers, all I can tell you is that an entire city/province is counting on you right now. Edmonton wants in SNES A, and wants you to guide us...for better or worse..." LOL!! In all seriousness, I've thought a bit about how ive been able to successfully scale back on playing NHL '94, focus on other things in my life, and not be addicted to the game like I was in the past with endless practicing, training, exhibs, etc. With that, I'm joining up for Spring 2013 and contributing to the 20th anniversary of the game! #fortheloveofthegame

Marchawg, I tried uploading 9 games that Northway and I did last night. For each one, it supposedly uploaded successfully and I could see the stats screen and confirm that the upload was correct. However, I don't see the games appearing under recent games or even at all on mine and Northway's user profiles....Possibly a bug?

Just signed up for this. Should be fun to contribute, upload, and keep track of stats on the few exhib games that I play nowadays

SDL coaches, as I alluded to you guys in the lineups and #'s topic, I will not be able to play this season. I stuck it out as long as I could and completed the draft, but unfortunately, I can't committ to leagues any longer partly due to reasons I touched on in this topic I made a few weeks ago: http://forum.nhl94.c...ll-2012-season/ I'd like to recommed that Grayto take over the Edmonton Oilers for SDL 3 if he is still interested in joining the league. With him, you can rest assured that you'll be getting not only a very high quality player in terms of skill level, but one who is committed to playing his games, is very respectful, and has a great attitude that I know will suit SDL absolutely perfectly. Good luck this season everyone! -Oilers442

Putting this up won't really matter too much for me seeing how I'm 100% sure I won't be able to play the upcoming season, but ill at least help out by listing the lineup for the Oilers... Scoring 1 LW Pierre Turgeon #77 C Steve Yzerman #19 RW Trevor Linden #16 LD Scott Stevens #4 RD Dave Manson #24 X Stephan Lebeau #47 G Andy Moog #35 Scoring 2 LW Mike Ridley #17 C Geoff Sanderson #8 RW Stephan Lebeau #47 LD Teppo Numminen #27 RD Eric Desjardins #28 X Steve Yzerman #19 G Andy Moog #35 Power Play LW Pierre Turgeon #77 C Steve Yzerman #19 RW Trevor Linden #16 LD Scott Stevens #4 RD Dave Manson #24 X Stephan Lebeau #47 G Andy Moog #35 Penalty Kill LW Pierre Turgeon #77 C Steve Yzerman #19 RW Trevor Linden #16 LD Scott Stevens #4 RD Dave Manson #24 X Stephan Lebeau #47 G Andy Moog #35

Can't say too much personally about snaking due to my draft position...it doesn't really affect me much in this case. However, I will say it should probably be kept at least for consistency's sake in terms of season 1 and 2 having snaking. As for the new guys having the top picks, I dunno. I don't think it's the worst thing in the world. My goal was to get an elite player early. Ideally, I wanted Cam Neely and maybe would have got him if Fank took Lemieux or Bourque. However, I'm happy with Yzerman so it's all good

Hey everyone. I just officially bowed out of the SNES A playoffs by losing in the opening round to Cjgarnet 4 games to 1. Having played him in hundreds of exhibition games over the last few years, I am not suprised one bit about the series loss. In the end, his Chicago Blackhawks played out of their minds (Larmer in particular), while my Washington Capitals struggled somewhat but overall just didn't seem to have that same magic that had carried me throughout the season. Ultimately, I'd like to congratulate Cjgarnet on the victory. GGS and best of luck in the next round brother! As far as this season as a whole goes, i simply have one thing to say to everyone; Thank you. To have been allowed into SNES A while technically a classic league rookie has been nothing short of a blessing. I'd like to thank Halifax and Chaos for allowing me into SNES A and nhl94dan for volunteering to move to SNES B for my sake. To have been given the chance to play against the best SNES players in the world and even prove to myself and them that I could mix it up with them and perform rather well and even beyond my expectations has been an incredible experience. I waited for so long to finally participate in a league and despite not winning a title, I can say that I'm proud to have played all my games and at least etched my name into the history books as an online league participant for the greatest sports game to have ever been created! As for what the future holds, I can only say that I'm not sure. Over the last few months, I've been struggling with some family issues, personal things, and career/job setbacks that have collectively taken their toll on me. While my intention is to most certainly come back for more classic seasons, the next few months and what happens during them are going to weigh heavily on if I'll be able to come back for Spring 2013 classic and beyond. Thus, I most definitely need take some time to try and fix my life and get myself moving in the direction(s) I should have been heading all along. However, I'd like to make one last thing clear...this is not an exit...I've had the time of my life playing this game and don't forsee myself putting it away forever...merely scaling back somewhat. I'll still at the very least be around for occasional exhibition games from time to time. I'd love nothing more than to play a season or more of SNES A with the Edmonton Oilers and prove that they are a worthy online team for SNES. We shall see if that day will come... GGS everyone and thanks for a great season!! -Oilers442

I've just received word that Matticefire will not be returning for SDL 3. Shame to hear...he's been a very reliable player...we'll miss him for sure

Probably because you stopped playing at some point. I asked you to play at least 7-8 times after i took over Edmonton and you never answered...