A Tribute to Heroes

As of this writing in April 2026, I've been back active in the NHL 94 community for almost a year after numerous absences and extended periods away since 2015. I was fortunate & trusted enough to be given this space 10+ years ago by the site's leadership and I remain grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts about the plethora of different lineups and options that can be utilized for every team in SNES. More importantly, I'm extremely grateful for the patience the community extended to me in this space being left as it was for the years I was away. This is especially so knowing it could have just as easily been converted over to someone else or the community at large to pick up from there.

In that sense and now that I'm back active again, I'd like to not only continue on with the original goal of completing lineup guides for every team on the SNES but also share other general "epiphanies" about the SNES game and the many different facets of it that make a difference for coaches in online games. However, I also want to take some time to recognize many folks who were/are still instrumental over the years in contributing and building the SNES community into what it is today. Many of them are no longer active today and it remains to be seen if they will emerge again at some point. But I do believe it is not short sighted to call them the heroes of SNES and to recognize & remember them for the mark they left that still lives on many years later.

Disclaimers:

1. There is no set criteria for inclusion on this list. This is a list of folks who were most influential on my journey in NHL 94 but also contributed a lot to the SNES community at large.

2. This list is in no particular order and is not "locked" to the here and now. There is always the potential for future revisions down the road. Also, any names potentially "excluded" are not because of malice or ill intent. There is a large number of legendary folks who were here before and who I was never fortunate enough to interact with. There are also several folks currently in the SNES community that are held in high regard and whom I simply have not interacted with yet or that I am still developing relationships with that will only continue to grow over time.

The Heroes:

- JAGNHL94 aka Grayto - One of the greatest SNES players of all time and whom I originally most looked up to in terms of skill level to strive for. Also, one of the most generous in terms of sharing tips and strategies to be mindful of while playing. Much of the top class play we see right now online is due to the bar he set in the early 2010s that we had to evolve to match. Great player and a great person who I hope returns at some point to push the boundaries of online play even further.

- Xot82 - Like Grayto, another highly skilled player who helped set the bar in the early to mid 2010s for SNES online play. Also, the founder of the missed and now extinct snesot.com site that housed several notable SNES tournaments. His YouTube highlights and compilations were among the first major steps in trying to grow the online footprint of the SNES game and community beyond this site and word of mouth. Another great player and person who I hope might return eventually to continue his community contributions and push the boundaries of online skill level.

- c4outlaws - Once dubbed "The General" for having the most SNES games played online. The first person I ever interacted with from this community and who helped me get everything set up to play others online in December 2010. If it wasn't for the great and friendly first interactions and games I had with him, I may have never stuck around here and I believe many others would say the same. Another well liked player who is missed and that we'd welcome back in a heartbeat.

- Fenty62 - Some of my favorite and funniest memories playing online on SNES were with Fenty. I lost count over the years of the number of funny remarks he'd deliver after a crazy goal or a play he felt was "lopsided" against him that made me burst out laughing out loud. In reality, Fenty would make these remarks with a smile and in the interest of entertainment. Once you got to know and understand him, it was apparent that Fenty just wanted to have fun and a good time and that a lot of who he was was actually showmanship and him playing a character. No idea what he's up to nowadays but I hope he's well and that if he sees this that he knows how much I appreciate him for the amount of times he made me laugh and smile while playing.

- cjgarnet - My first "sparing" partner and the person who I played the most exhibs with in my first few years online. He quickly developed into a strong player over several seasons and then quietly/suddenly left sometime in 2013. Another who I sadly lost touch with but who really helped me hone in on the recipe for success online and who I had many great games and talks with. More importantly though, a very genuine person who I consider a friend and who I hope is doing well today.

- Pondhcky - One of the "constants" during the bulk of my original run in the SNES community. A friendly and good player who you knew would be there or wasn't far away if you were looking for games and a few laughs. Like c4outlaws, a model person to represent the community and it's openness to new players and faces and one who is still respected and appreciated many years later.

- Annatar - A player who arrived on the scene midway through my original run from 2010-15 and who almost immediately changed the entire landscape of the league with his skill level and playing techniques. I never felt like I truly "solved" him which I believe is a testament to his world class abilities. I haven't looked in several years now but last I knew, he held the record for most SNES A Stanley Cup victories. Arguably the most decorated SNES online player of all time and a great person who we are thankful to still have in the community so many years later.

- BobKudelski26 - One of the most long-standing players in the league and one who has always been very friendly and courteous to me and everyone else in the community. A beacon of knowledge, experience, and skill who has left his mark on SNES and continues to do so today.

- NorthwayNative - A player who was around for a relatively short time but won an SNES A championship in 2013 and very quickly developed himself into a top player before his departure. Another who was always very friendly and personable to myself and others and who is missed and remembered fondly.

- Shaftman - One of the representatives of the "old guard" of NHL 94 online. I haven't had many interactions and games with him but the few I've had over the years have been nothing but positive and friendly. It's always an honor to be able to have a link to the past and beginnings of the online scene and so I'm humbled and thankful for his presence and contributions here.

- Halifax - The "bud" and face of NHL 94 online (in my humble opinion). His enthusiasm for the game has always been highly appreciated and remains so now. I can't say enough good words about the interactions and games we've had over the years and I believe practically everyone who has interacted with him feels the same way.

- Schwartz - Another representative of the "old guard" who popped up again for a short while during my most active years. Yet another friendly person and skilled player who showed us the skill level of prior greats who came before us and more importantly, helped us to not take for granted the path & foundation they laid out before our arrival.

- AngryJay93 - While most known for his participation and work on the GENS side of NHL 94, this list wouldn't be complete without his inclusion. A multi-time GENS A champion who is the top of the class and one of the few who successfully crossed over to SNES and won multiple championships here as well (including A). That level of success doesn't happen by accident and is a testament to his skill, studies, and knowledge that we have all benefited immensely from. It has been and always is an honor to interact with and play against him in any context.

- Kingraph - Another player mostly known for his contributions to GENS but who has also participated in SNES and has always been a friendly face and "touchpoint" in community events, tournaments, etc... Crossover players from the different platforms are rare and so it's the folks like AJ and Kingraph who are wholeheartedly appreciated for giving us a common link and reminder that we're all here for the same reason and not as different as we may sometimes believe.

- BoKnowsNHL94 - Yet another crossover player who enjoyed success on both platforms and also contributed a lot of the knowledge we have today on both sides of the NHL 94 fence. One of the first GENS folks who I ever interacted with and another person I enjoyed many great games with on SNES. I'm hopeful he may return at some point and that we can play again on SNES and maybe even expand our matchups over to GENS.

Edited April 19Apr 19 by Oilers442
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