FHM Ottawa Senators Historical Challenge, 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 1

Franchise Hockey Manager 6 is a text-based hockey management simulation game by Out of the Park Developments. It’s a lot of fun, and I find it super realistic. I recommend checking it out if you’re looking for a good way to kill time while social distancing.

In the game, you take over as GM and/or head coach of pretty much any hockey team on the planet, and make roster moves to bring your team a championship. The CPU plays the games for you, but you craft the team.

One of the coolest game modes is the Historical Challenges, wherein you take over as GM of a team at a particular point in their NHL existence, and attempt to relive or rewrite history. For the purposes of this play-through, we’ll be taking over the Ottawa Senators in the Fall of 1996, and attempting to win a Stanley Cup no later than the spring of 2007.

For the purposes of this little exercise, I’m going to play through this mode, trying to win a Cup for the Sens, with help from you - yes you - the readers! At the end of every edition, I’ll ask you questions about key roster moves, and make it based on how you respond!

We’re going to take this on a month-by-month basis, with a new instalment coming out every week, so make sure you let me know in the comments what you want to see, and any suggestions you have to achieve this goal! I want to make this as interactive an experience as possible, so I really want to hear from you!

It’s time for Round 1 of the 199 Stanley Cup Playoffs!

Despite some dissent, you folks seem reasonably confident that out first round date with the New Jersey Devils will end in our favour.

Drama right out of the gate! Alexei Yashin, Daniel Alfredsson, and Glen Wesley scored in regulation, and Wade Redden beat Martin Brodeur in overtime to give us a Game 1 win!

Senators lead series 1-0

The Devils get a boost going into Game 2, with the return of Bobby Holik from suspension.

We can’t take back-to-back 4-3OTW’s, though, as the Devils get one of their own to tie the series. Yashin scored twice, while Bret Hedican added another in a losing effort.

Series tied 1-1

For a third straight game, the Sens and Devils needed overtime, and the series swings back in our favour. Eric Daze did it all with a hat-trick, while Byron Dafoe stopped 46 of 48 New Jersey shots for a 3-2 victory.

Senators lead series 2-1

Finally, a game that didn’t require extra time. Dafoe stood on his head, turning aside 51 of 54, and we got goals from five different scorers. Jozef Stumpel, Alfredsson, Yashin, Daze, and Wesley all lit the lamp to take a stranglehold on the series with a 5-3 win.

Senators lead series 3-1

And there it is! The Ottawa Senators win their first ever playoff series, coming in five games against the New Jersey Devils! Dafoe was excellent in the deciding games, stopping all 24 shots he faced. Pavel Bure scored twice, and Anson Carter added another, for a series-clinching 3-0 win on the road.

Senators win series 4-1

That’s Round 1 in the books! Here’s how the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoff picture shakes out.

Round 2 Preview - Ottawa Senators (44-29-9) vs Philadelphia Flyers (45-30-7):

Season series: 3-0-1

Lineup - Senators:

Extras: Boyle, Arvedson, St. Louis

Lineup - Flyers

Extras: Haller, Svoboda, Westlund

Top Scorers - Senators

Top Scorers - Flyers

Goaltending - Senators:

Goaltending - Flyers:

Notes:

For once, we’re not the underdogs! The Senators had their way with the Flyers throughout the regular season, and with a healthy offensive unit and some superb goaltending, come into the series as the favourite. That said, the Flyers are an uber-talented team, and Ron Hextall is playing some seriously lights-out hockey, so there’s no reason they couldn’t steal this one.

Who wins Round 2

Come back next week to see if the Sens will be going to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time, or hitting the golf course instead!