Whatifsports.com - Playoff Simulations

[Megahab]

Today was a slow day at work so I went to whatifsports.com and simulated the 1993 NHL Playoffs. The game-by-game results are below. The first team listed in a score line is the road team, the 2nd team is the home team.

I am going to do this for every playoff year up to 2012.

1993

Divisional Semifinals
(1) BOS vs. (4) BUF
BUF 6-7 BOS
BUF 2-4 BOS
BOS 5-4 BUF (OT)
BOS 6-3 BUF
BOS WINS 4-0

(2) QUE vs. (3) MTL
MTL 4-5 QUE
MTL 4-3 QUE
QUE 6-5 MTL (OT)
QUE 3-6 MTL
MTL 3-6 QUE
QUE 4-2 MTL
QUE WINS 4-2

(1) PIT vs. (4) NJD
NJD 4-3 PIT
NJD 6-5 PIT (OT)
PIT 6-5 NJD (OT)
PIT 3-2 NJD
NJD 6-5 PIT (2OT)
PIT 5-7 NJD
NJD WINS 4-2

(2) WAS vs. (3) NYI
NYI 4-5 WAS
NYI 5-4 WAS
WAS 6-3 NYI
WAS 6-7 NYI (OT)
NYI 3-4 WAS
WAS 7-5 NYI
WAS WINS 4-2

(1) CHI vs. (4) STL
STL 3-9 CHI
STL 3-5 CHI
CHI 5-4 STL
CHI 5-3 STL
CHI WINS 4-0

(2) DET vs. (3) TOR
TOR 4-1 DET
TOR 3-4 DET
DET 1-4 TOR
DET 1-7 TOR
TOR 5-4 DET (OT)
TOR WINS 4-1

(1) VAN vs. (4) WPG
WPG 3-4 VAN (OT)
WPG 2-5 VAN
VAN 6-4 WPG
VAN 6-5 WPG (OT)
VAN WINS 4-0

(2) CAL vs. (3) LAK
LAK 3-7 CAL
LAK 3-8 CAL
CAL 6-4 LAK
CAL 6-3 LAK
CAL WINS 4-0

Divisional Finals
(1) BOS vs. (2) QUE
QUE 3-2 BOS (OT)
QUE 1-3 BOS
BOS 8-2 QUE
BOS 6-5 QUE
QUE 7-5 BOS
BOS 3-5 QUE
QUE 4-9 BOS
BOS WINS 4-3

(2) WAS vs. (4) NJD
NJD 2-7 WAS
NJD 7-6 WAS
WAS 9-1 NJD
WAS 6-7 NJD (2OT)
NJD 5-7 WAS
WAS 6-2 NJD
WAS WINS 4-2

(1) CHI vs. (3) TOR
TOR 6-4 CHI
TOR 7-6 CHI (3OT)
CHI 4-5 TOR
CHI 0-7 TOR
TOR WINS 4-0

(1) VAN vs. (2) CAL
CAL 3-5 VAN
CAL 5-13 VAN
VAN 2-5 CAL
VAN 5-6 CAL (OT)
CAL 4-5 VAN (OT)
VAN 4-2 CAL
VAN WINS 4-2

Conference Finals
(1) BOS vs. (2) WAS
WAS 6-0 BOS
WAS 5-2 BOS
BOS 1-5 WAS
BOS 3-4 WAS
WAS WINS 4-0

(1) VAN vs. (3) TOR
TOR 8-2 VAN
TOR 4-3 VAN
VAN 3-6 TOR
VAN 3-5 TOR
TOR WINS 4-0

Stanley Cup Finals
TOR vs. WAS
WAS 1-3 TOR
WAS 2-6 TOR
TOR 4-1 WAS
TOR 3-2 WAS (OT – Dave Ellett with the OT Winner)
TOR WINS 4-0

So, the Leafs go 16-1, including 15 consecutive wins to win the cup somehow. The real cup champs, the Habs, lose in the first round, as do the Presidents' Trophy Champions the Penguins.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

How does what if sports calculate winners?

Leafs had a few players playing way over their career averages in the playoffs (starting with Gilmour an Potvin), so it's strange that they would do so well in a simulation

 

[Megahab]

How does what if sports calculate winners?

Leafs had a few players playing way over their career averages in the playoffs (starting with Gilmour an Potvin), so it's strange that they would do so well in a simulation

Skimming through the website, I couldn't find any detailed description as to winners and scores are determined/calculated. I assume they assign ratings to players just like a video game would.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Pittsburgh got upset again in the simulation?
Washington having playoff success?

 

[optimus2861]

I couldn't resist running the 84/85 Oilers vs the 01/02 Red Wings (see the big thread in here). It went 7 games, with the home team winning every game, then this happened in the first period of game 7 in Detroit:

1:14 84-85 Oilers Goal scored by Dave Hunter assisted by Mark Messier and Charlie Huddy 84-85 Oilers 1-0
3:49 84-85 Oilers Goal scored by Jari Kurri assisted by Mike Krushelnyski and Paul Coffey 84-85 Oilers 2-0
3:55 84-85 Oilers Goal scored by Paul Coffey 84-85 Oilers 3-0
11:29 84-85 Oilers Mike Krushelnyski shoots and scores on the rebound assisted by Wayne Gretzky 84-85 Oilers 4-0
14:42 84-85 Oilers Goal scored by Mark Napier assisted by Paul Coffey and Don Jackson
Dominik Hasek is replaced by Manny Legace in the net. 84-85 Oilers 5-0

7-2 the final. Coffey with 5 points despite the Wings holding Gretzky to just 1.

 

[ssh]

Whenever I pit the 95-96 Red Wings against other teams Stu Grimson gets ridiculous amounts of ice time, close to 20min, including PP and top unit PK responsibilities. Usually either Yzerman or Fedorov plays less along with most other forwards. It used to be 30min some time ago but seems that they've changed the engine or player ratings somewhat.

Still very annoying and undoubtedly bad ice time allocation affects the results in a bad way.

 

[SealsFan]

first game 74-75 Caps 7, 74-75 Seals 6.
Shots: Washington 72, California 64

second game Seals 9, Caps 5
Shots: Washington 62, California 60

Great concept for a website, but I've seen enough.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

That is a lot of sweeps. Have to laugh at this simulation somehow resulting in a Leafs cup win with only 1 loss.

 

[Hobnobs]

the simulation doenst seem to take anything in consideration.. did Kings vs. Jets '12 rosters... Jets won and Wellwood were their best player

 

[reckoning]

Their simulations are pretty realistic for football and baseball, but not so much for hockey. As mentioned by SealsFan, their shots on goal numbers are simply ridiculous. As well as what was also mentioned about which players get the most icetime.