The SHL has had a few different simulation engines during its history. At first the league used the SimonT Hockey Simulater, or STHS. From the looks of things it was very robust, with each game generating a highly detailed play-by-play that made up for a lack of graphical interface and still having a wide variety of tracked stats. However, for Season 53 the league moved on to Franchise Hockey Manager 6 (FHM6) made by OOTPDevelopments. This sim came with a graphical way to watch the games, though as I've noted in a media article, much much worse fight tracking. In this Deep Dive, I'd like to explore how the teams handled the transition between sims.
First things first, how did things work in Season 52? The teams were still separated into the same two conferences, and we still played 50 games. However from what I can tell the playoff format shifted. Previously 10 teams made the playoffs, 5 from each conference with division winners getting a guarantee for the top 4 seeds. After the switch in S53, the number contracted to 4 teams per conference. This left a team like San Francisco, who scored 57 points in the West compared to playoff-bound Manhattan's 53 in the East, on the outside looking in.
The first thing that struck me after plotting the differences for team performance between seasons is just how much parity was lost in the transition. The team with the lowest total points in S52 was Tampa Bay with 36, 33 points behind San Francisco at the front. In S53, New England battered the league for 85 points, 70 clear of Toronto. In changing games, the spread between teams nearly doubled. Part of the gap at the front came from a huge leap for the Wolfpack, going from a close 2nd in the Atlantic Division to handily winning the division and jumping Hamilton for control of the conference, while S52 playoff-bound Toronto crashed hard.
Other teams that saw significant improvements were the Panthers, who flew from wildcard team to West Conference leaders, Calgary, whose improvement moved them from fringe playoff team to competing for the Northwest Division, and Buffalo, whose great jump in performance was somewhat overshadowed by two other teams in the conference eclipsing the 80-point mark. As for others who fell behind between games, the Renegades bore a lot of the burden of the death of parity in the league, going from 44 points to 18 while only dropping one spot on the overall standings. While Tampa Bay fell 14 points between sims, they ended up in front of both Texas and Toronto. And as a fun bonus, the Baltimore Platoon at this point were based in West Kendall-- I'll let you decide whether that's an upgrade or not.
Lastly, let's take a look at the goal scoring environment changes. With the parity being lost, it shouldn't come as a surprise that goal differential range widened significantly as well. The Pride and the Barracuda were split by 103 goals in S52, while the Wolfpack and North Stars found themselves separated by 286 goals by season's end in S53. Despite that, overall goal scoring was down from 2,519 to 2,336. This indicates that top teams were winning more games in blowout fashion than before, a reality that seems to have continued to today.
#1 Smitty Werbenjaegermanjensen - Left Defense
Drafted 12 OA by the Detroit Falcons
Drafted 12 OA by the New Orleans Specters
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SEASON STATS
S76: 4 G, 14 A, 43 TA, 98 BLK, 61 HIT
S77: 16 G, 20 A, 37 TA, 78 BLK, 67 HIT
S78: 5 G, 23 A, 53 TA, 123 BLK, 71 HIT
S79: IN-PROGRESS
SMJHL CAREER: 25 G, 57 A, 133 TA, 299 BLK, 199 HIT
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HONORS & AWARDS
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Louis Bélanger
Interesting deep dive. FHM clearly has its own way of simulating and it should come as no surprise that it changed the parity and stats of the league
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ZodiacEXE
Brooklyn Physt || LD/RD || Colorado Raptors
Height: 5'11" || Weight: 162lbs
Number: 7
Birthplace: New Orleans, US of A
August Von Hecht || G || Tampa Bay Barracuda
Height: 5'8" || Weight: 179lbs
Number: 89
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
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SMJHL Season Career Statistics
S66: ANC GP: 62 W: 29 L: 25 OTL: 5 SO: 1 GAA: 3.30 SV%: .895%
S67: ANC GP: 58 W: 29 L: 20 OTL: 7 SO: 3 GAA: 2.86 SV%: .902%
S68: ANC GP: 56 W: 30 L: 21 OTL: 5 SO: 4 GAA: 3.02 SV%: .893%
S69: ANC GP: 33 W: 14 L: 14 OTL: 1 SO: 4 GAA: 2.97 SV%: .884%
TOT: ANC GP: 209 W: 102 L: 80 OTL: 18 SO: 12 GAA: 3.05 SV%: .895%
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SMJHL Playoff Career Statistics
S66: ANC GP: 6 W: 2 L: 3 OTL: 1 SO: 0 GAA: 2.85 SV%: 0.906%
S67: ANC GP: 5 W: 1 L: 2 OTL: 1 SO: 0 GAA: 4.36 SV%: .863%
S68: ANC GP: 10 W: 5 L: 3 OTL: 2 SO: 0 GAA: 2.77 SV%: .884%
S69: ANC GP: 8 W: 3. L: 3 OTL: 2 SO: 1 GAA: 3.79 SV%: .873%
TOT: ANC GP: 29 W: 11 L: 11 OTL: 6 SO: 1 GAA: 3.33 SV%: .882%
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SMJHL Hardware
S67 Cedric Robinson Trophy Nominee
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SHL Season Career Statistics
S70: TBB GP: 57 W: 13 L: 39 OTL: 1 SO: 0 GAA: 4.87 SV%: .885%
S71: TBB GP: 58 W: 17 L: 29 OTL: 6 SO: 1 GAA: 4.14 SV%: .900%
TOT: TBB GP: 115 W: 30 L: 68 OTL: 7 SO: 1 GAA: 4..50 SV%: .893%
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SHL Playoff Career Statistics
S70: TBB GP: 0 W:0 L: 0 OTL: 0 SO: 0 GAA: 0.00 SV%: .000%
S71: TBB GP: 5 W:1 L: 4 OTL: 0 SO: 1 GAA: 4.41 SV%: .899%
TOT: TBB GP: 5 W:1 L: 4 OTL: 0 SO: 1 GAA: 4.41 SV%: .899%
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SHL Hardware
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Ruslan "Sparkplug" Zaporozhets || LW || Toronto/Calgary
Height: 6'1" || Weight: 200lbs
Number: 18
Birthplace: Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine
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SMJHL Season Career Statistics
S50: STL GP: 50 G: 15 A: 12 PTS: 27 +/-: -9 PIM: 20 SH: 114 SH%: 13.16% Hits: 33 SB: 8 Fighting: 0-0-0
S51: STL GP: 50 G: 19 A: 21 PTS: 40 +/-: +1 PIM: 21 SH: 122 SH%: 15.57% Hits: 50 SB: 6 Fighting: 0-0-1
S52: STL GP: 50 G: 16 A: 30 PTS: 46 +/-: +11 PIM: 12 SH: 149 SH%: 10.47% Hits: 71 SB: 9 Fighting: 0-0-0
S53: STL GP: 50 G: 17 A: 25 PTS: 42 +/-: -10 PIM: 20 SH: 161 SH%: 10.56% Hits: 47 SB: 34 Fighting: 0-0-0
Tot: STL GP: 200 G: 67 A: 88 PTS: 155 +/-: -7 PIM: 73 SH: 546 SH%: 8.15% Hits: 201 SB: 57 Fighting: 0-0-1
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SMJHL Playoff Career Statistics
S50: STL GP: 13 G: 4 A: 3 PTS: 7 +/-: -1 PIM: 0 SH: 24 SH%: 16.67% Hits: 11 SB: 1 Fighting: 0-0-0
S51: STL GP: 12 G: 4 A: 6 PTS: 10 +/-: 7 PIM: 6 SH: 34 SH%: 11.76% Hits: 14 SB: 2 Fighting: 0-0-0
S52: STL GP: 17 G: 3 A: 5 PTS: 8 +/-: -3 PIM: 6 SH: 56 SH%: 5.36% Hits: 16 SB: 6 Fighting: 0-0-0
S53: STL GP: 14 G: 5 A: 3 PTS: 8 +/-: 0 PIM: 2 SH: 47 SH%: 10.64% Hits: 19 SB: 5 Fighting: 0-0-0
Tot: STL GP: 42 G: 16 A: 17 PTS: 33 +/-: 3 PIM: 14 SH: 161 SH%: 10.06% Hits: 60 SB: 14 Fighting: 0-0-0
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SHL Season Career Statistics
S54: TOR GP: 50 G: 16 A: 22 PTS: 38 +/-: -20 PIM: 28 SH: 109 SH%: 14.68% Hits: 111 SB: 56 Fighting: 0-0
S55: TOR GP: 50 G: 6 A: 15 PTS: 21 +/-: -41 PIM: 41 SH: 102 SH%: 05.88% Hits: 136 SB: 58 Fighting: 0-1
S56: TOR GP: 50 G: 15 A: 21 PTS: 36 +/-: -20 PIM: 24 SH: 121 SH%: 12.40% Hits: 115 SB: 40 Fighting: 0-0
S57: TOR GP: 66 G: 17 A: 31 PTS: 48 +/-: 5 PIM: 35 SH: 212 SH%: 8.02% Hits: 126 SB: 36 Fighting: 2-1
S58: TOR GP: 66 G: 37 A: 34 PTS: 71 +/-: 33 PIM: 20 SH: 216 SH%: 17.13% Hits: 159 SB: 40 Fighting: 0-0
S59: TOR GP: 66 G: 24 A: 39 PTS: 63 +/-: 14 PIM: 44 SH: 194 SH%: 12.40% Hits: 152 SB: 33 Fighting: 0-2
S60: TOR GP: 66 G: 22 A: 30 PTS: 52 +/-: 20 PIM: 48 SH: 179 SH%: 12.30% Hits: 274 SB: 17 Fighting: 0-0
S61: TOR GP: 66 G: 20 A: 22 PTS: 42 +/-: 11 PIM: 12 SH: 172 SH%: 11.60% Hits: 148 SB: 22 Fighting: 0-0
S62: TOR GP: 66 G: 16 A: 25 PTS: 41 +/-: 3 PIM: 38 SH: 165 SH%: 9.7% Hits: 182 SB: 28 Fighting: 0-0
S63: CGY/TOR GP: 65 G: 18 A: 21 PTS: 39 +/-: 7 PIM: 65 SH: 145 SH%: 12.40% Hits: 210 SB: 14 Fighting: 1-0
S64: TOR GP: 66 G: 18 A: 26 PTS: 44 +/-: -14 PIM: 22 SH: 139 SH%: 12.90% Hits: 183 SB: 64 Fighting: 0-0
S65: TOR GP: 66 G: 11 A: 19 PTS: 30 +/-: -29 PIM: 8 SH: 139 SH%: 7.90% Hits: 106 SB: 45 Fighting: 0-0
S66: TOR GP: 66 G: 17 A: 30 PTS: 47 +/-: 6 PIM: 16 SH: 170 SH%: 10.00% Hits: 85 SB: 78 Fighting: 0-0
Tot: TOR/CGY GP: 809 G: 237 A: 335 PTS: 572 +/-: -25 PIM: 401 SH: 2063 SH%: 11.49% Hits: 1987 SB: 531 Fighting: 3-4
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SHL Playoff Career Statistics
S54: TOR Did not qualify
S55: TOR Did not qualify
S56: TOR Did not qualify
S57: TOR Did not qualify
S58: TOR GP: 19 G: 4 A: 7 PTS: 11 +/-: 5 PIM: 2 SH: 49 SH%: 8.16% Hits: 51 SB: 5 Fighting: 0-0-0
S59: TOR Did not qualify
S60: TOR GP: 4 G: 1 A: 0 PTS: 1 +/-: -3 PIM: 0 SH: 3 SH%: 33.33% Hits: 12 SB: 0 Fighting: 0-0-0
S61: TOR GP: 5 G: 0 A: 3 PTS: 3 +/-: 3 PIM: 0 SH: 6 SH%: 0.00% Hits: 8 SB: 4 Fighting: 0-0-0
S62: TOR GP: 4 G: 0 A: 2 PTS: 2 +/-: -7 PIM: 0 SH: 7 SH%: 0.00% Hits: 12 SB: 1 Fighting: 0-0-0
S63: TOR GP: 5 G: 2 A: 1 PTS: 3 +/-: 1 PIM: 4 SH: 11 SH%: 18.2% Hits: 21 SB: 2 Fighting: 0-0-0
S64: TOR GP: 5 G: 2 A: 0 PTS: 2 +/-: -3 PIM: 0 SH: 8 SH%: 25.0% Hits: 10 SB: 6 Fighting: 0-0-0
S65: TOR GP: 6 G: 1 A: 5 PTS: 6 +/-: 4 PIM: 0 SH: 15 SH%: 6.07% Hits: 9 SB: 4 Fighting: 0-0
S66: TOR GP: 6 G: 1 A: 5 PTS: 6 +/-: 4 PIM: 0 SH: 15 SH%: 6.07% Hits: 9 SB: 4 Fighting: 0-0
Tot: TOR GP: 48 G: 10 A: 18 PTS: 28 +/-: E PIM: 6 SH: 99 SH%: 10.10% Hits: 123 SB: 22 Fighting: 0-0-0
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SHL Hardware
S54 Ryan Jesster Nominee
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SMJHL Hardware
NOTHING
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IIHF Awards/Medals
S53 Won Silver with Czechia
S54 Won Bronze with Czechia
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Richard "Big Dick" Physt || RD/LD || Alumni of Kel/Tor/Nola || Retired/CoGM of Toronto
Height: 6'1" || Weight: 202lbs ||
Number: 62
Birthplace: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
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SMJHL Season Career Statistics
S38 Kel GP:50, G:0, A:8 P:8, +/-:-1, PIMS:27, H:48, SB:32 fight rec: 0-0-1
S39 Kel GP:50, G:2, A:22, P:24, +/-10, PIMS:57, H:81, SB:39, fight rec: 0-0-1
S40 Kel GP:50, G:2, A:16, P:18, +/-14, PIMS:65, H:76, SB:48, fight rec: 0-0-5
SMJHL Season Career Totals: Teams: Kel GP:150, G:4, A:46, P:50, +/-:23, PIMS:149, H:205, SB:119, fight rec: 0-0-7
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SMJHL Playoff Career Statistics
S38 Kel GP:6, G:0, A:1 P:1, +/-:-0, PIMS:2, H:8, SB:7 fight rec: 0-0-0
S39 Kel GP:4, G:0, A:2, P:2, +/-0, PIMS:4, H:11, SB:1, fight rec: 0-0-0
S40 Kel GP:10, G:2, A:1, P:3, +/-3, PIMS:6, H:17, SB:14, fight rec: 0-0-0
SMJHL Playoff Career Totals: Teams: Kel GP:20, G:2, A:4, P:6, +/-:3, PIMS:12, H:36, SB:22, fight rec: 0-0-0
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SHL Season Career Statistics
S41 Tor GP:50, G:4, A:10, P:14, +/- -3, PIMS:120, H:83, SB:66, fight rec: 1-2-3
S42 Tor GP:50, G:2, A:14, P:16, +/- -9, PIMS:71, H:100, SB:82, fight rec: 1-0-2
S43 Tor GP:50, G:2, A:24, P:26, +/- 0, PIMS:44, H:109, SB:68, fight rec: 0-0-0
S44 Tor GP:50, G:6, A:10, P:16, +/- +10, PIMS:66, H:149, SB:76, fight rec: 1-0-1
S45 Tor GP:50, G:2, A:24, P:26, +/- +7, PIMS:44, H:123, SB:44, fight rec: 0-0-2
S46 Nola GP:50, G:4, A:28, P:32, +/- +27, PIMS:64, H:139, SB:54, fight rec: 1-0-1
S47 Nola GP:50, G:6, A:26, P:32, +/- +26, PIMS:67, H:119, SB:55, fight rec: 0-1-0
S48 Nola GP:50, G:6, A:29, P:35, +/- +14, PIMS:96, H:132, SB:62, fight rec: 1-1-1
S49 Nola GP:50, G:5, A:21, P:26, +/- -7, PIMS:59, H:101, SB:76, fight rec: 0-1-0
S50 Nola GP:50, G:4, A:29, P:33, +/- 14, PIMS:48, H:115, SB:74, fight rec: 0-0-0
SHL Season Totals: Teams: Tor/Nola GP:500, G:41, A:215, P:256, +/- +79, PIMS:679, H:1170, SB:657, fight rec: 5-5-10
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SHL Playoff Career Statistics
S41 Tor Did Not Qualify
S42 Tor Did Not Qualify
S43 Tor Did Not Qualify
S44 Tor GP:7, G:2, A:2, P:4, +/- 0, PIMS:8, H:25, SB:14, fight rec: 0-0-0, Finish: Semi Finals
S45 Tor GP:5, G:0, A:3, P:3, +/- 0, PIMS:6, H:16, SB:9, fight rec: 0-0-0, Finish: Semi Finals
S46 Nola GP:20, G:1, A:5, P:6, +/- -8, PIMS:32, H:55, SB:25, fight rec: 0-0-2, Finish: Cup Finals
S47 Nola GP:7, G:0, A:3, P:3, +/- 0, PIMS:15, H:20, SB:5, fight rec: 0-1-0, Finish: Semi Finals
S48 Nola GP:13, G:2, A:2, P:4, +/- 0, PIMS:30, H:29, SB:21, fight rec: 1-1-0, Finish: Conference Finals
S49 Nola GP:11, G:1, A:4, P:5, +/- -1, PIMS:8, H:19, SB:17, fight rec: 0-0-0, Finish: Conference Finals
SHL Playoff Totals: Teams: Tor/Nola GP:63, G:6, A:19, P:25, +/- -9, PIMS:99, H:164, SB:91, fight rec: 1-2-2
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GM Season Statistics
S61: Tor W: 33, L: 29, OTL: 4, Cups:0
S62: Tor W: 32, L: 29, OTL: 5, Cups:0
Total: Tor W: 65, L: 58, OTL: 9, Cups:0
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SHL Hardware
Turd Ferguson Trophy (S41)
Mathias Chouinard Trophy (Western Conference Champions) (S46)
Bojo Biscuit Award (Best Defensive Defenseman) Nominee (S47)
Bojo Biscuit Award (Best Defensive Defenseman) Nominee (S50)
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SMJHL Hardware
4 Star Cup (S40)
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IIHF Awards/Medals
S43 Won Bronze with Austria
S45 Won Bronze with Austria
S47 Won Bronze with Austria
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