Peace

A quiet Stars' arena bids farewell to the Toronto Legion as they disappear behind the away teams walkway shroud, the victorious away team cheering on as they defiantly reject complying to the predictions of numerous VSN writers who thought this series was an easy sweep for the far more talented Los Angeles Stars hockey club. In perhaps startling truth, however, the Legion find themselves returning to Toronto with a 2-0 series lead and the excitement that follows them has obviously been contagious. The Ricoh Arena erupted in incoherent screaming, crazed cheering and whooping as the cameras panned into their team in the Stars' away locker room doing the same thing. Taking the first game was reason enough to celebrate for the Legions' roster players, but walking away with the second game in their pocket is enough to cement an electric environment heading into game three. We'll see what happens tomorrow!

Claim #2

Hey this GM tag actually applies to my team finally!

The season is officially over, the final games have been played and the playoffs are officially set. Toronto will face Los Angeles in the North American wildcard round - a team they've performed relatively well against [2-3-0] - with newcomer Otto Numminen leading the way. Otto was acquired from Prague [alongside Lambert and some picks] when GM Peace sent Reinhart to the Phantoms, no one at the time would predict his immediate success as a member of the club; the rookie had a marvelous campaign, leading his team in points and tied Fire in game winning goals, in addition to leading the rookie race in points. The Legions' ending 34-27-11 record is a considerable improvement upon their previous 12-53-7 record, finally landing a playoff position since S77.

I'm probably going to be flagged as hypocritical about this, but this is one of the reasons I avoid the VHL Discord. Some drama happens and it dissolves into what I'd classify as 'meme culture' for half a month.

We're close to the finish line; season eight one has been a wild campaign for the Toronto Legion, who've been at times the best team in the North American Conference to just holding onto a wildcard spot. In our last article we covered how New York could catch the Legion, but after two clutch victories from our boys in blue and white, it appears their spot is all but clenched at this point. We all know how Toronto is doing, we can see how the roster is faring throughout the season, but I've yet to cover [I think] the S81 crop of draftees. Toronto made seven selections during the leagues' S81 VHL Entry Draft; (5) Cadmael Ixaxaluoh, (9) Harkat Mulds, (17) George Sanderson, (24) Weenuk Warrior, (29) Ashton Komaryk, (31) Harry Hagel, (41) Boris Tsezar and (60) Alessio Simeoni. How has their progression been? How are they doing in their respective leagues? Answers below. CADMAEL IXAXALUOH Toronto's S81 5th overall selection. Ixaxaluoh and the Bratislava Watchmen are enjoying an impressive 39-18-5 record as the team competes for the top position in the VHLE standings. Their battle with the Red Wolves will go the entire seventy two games, and the Watchmen are a mere two points from a tiebreaker with Istanbul. Ixaxaluoh himself has wielding his awe inspiring eighty three points in sixty two games. He's directly contributed more than his seventy two assists would suggest as he leads his team in numerous categories. Ixaxaluoh's bravery facing shots has been noted, creating opportunistic turnovers that lead directly into an assist. On top of his defensive play, Cadmael has acquired eleven goals for himself and currently sits with a plus three rating. The Legion prospect will -- without a shred of doubt -- join Toronto in the upcoming S82 campaign. His development has been consistent and his work ethic should be applauded, he's on the ice until the maintenance crews are begging him to leave. That dedication bodes well for his rookie campaign, now that's something we're all excited to see. HARKAT MULDS Toronto's S81 9th overall selection. Mulds made the jump to the VHL immediately after the S81 VHL Entry Draft and hasn't disappointed in his rookie performance. He is one of the four Toronto Legion rookies present in the top ten race and has contributed to many of Toronto's seasonal successes up to this point. His thirty two goals, twenty nine assists and sixty one points alongside one hundred six hits have firmly placed him as one of Toronto's better forwards, he's also tied for second in team scoring with a fellow Legion rookie. Mulds has created a position for himself as a powerplay goal scorer, contributing ten of his thirty plus goals with the man advantage. He's certainly been an invaluable piece for the Legion and will likely continue to be a force multiplier for seasons to come. Harkat continues to grow with a developing forward core, there shouldn't be a sophomore regression for this S81 prospect; if it wasn't clear by now, it's expected that Mulds will become a top three player for the Legion as soon as the start of next season. He'll likely overtake Numminen and join Peace and Fire as the teams go-to top three forwards, so now the question is how long will he stay in Toronto? GEORGE SANDERSON Toronto's S81 17th overall selection. Sanderson has had an individually turbulent season I imagine... he was drafted by the Geneva Rush, played twenty four games with them -- earning fourteen points in the process -- before being traded to the Vikings earlier this season. With Stockholm he's played thirty eight games, however with a massive unit on the back end, Sanderson's role within the Vikings had been reduced from nearly thirty minutes a game with Geneva to barely fourteen minutes a game with Stockholm. Despite the reduced opportunities, Sanderson has performed better from a points-per-minute perspective, and has nearly erased his negative rating during his time with the Rush. Offense isn't Sanderson's bread and butter [yet] as the defensive defensemen continues to improve his checking abilities and passing skills, and some of the categories support improved play despite less ice time. Sanderson will likely join the Toronto Legion next season depending on his personal decision, he'll certainly meet the minimum requirements to join competition in the VHL. Whether he stays in the VHLE for another season or decides to come up doesn't impact his development, which has been very consistent and deserves recognition while pushing through third line minutes. Should he come up he'll likely be paired with fellow VHLM teammate Ixaxaluoh for the initial games of S82. WEENUK WARRIOR Toronto's S81 24th overall selection. Warrior hasn't been able to get comfortable with a VHLM team yet; drafted by Halifax, traded to Saskatoon, followed by a trade to Philadelphia throughout the season may have had an impact on Warrior's earlier performance and inability to discover chemistry with former teammates. Fortunately the trade deadline has passed, and although he hasn't scored a goal since playing for Halifax, Warrior's performance with the Reapers has been a great improvement over his record with both Halifax and Saskatoon. Weenuk has earned five goals [all with HFX], twenty two assists and is currently plus three with the Reapers. Seven points in ten games in a Philadelphia uniform points towards improving chemistry, better play and confidence on the ice. Warrior will be joining Oslo in the VHLE next season. Warrior's steady but slower development will likely result in a few seasons of VHLE play prior to joining the Toronto Legion, but as we've previously covered, there's both a positive and negative edge to that sword. ASHTON KOMARYK Toronto's 29th overall selection. Komaryk has been enjoying a point-per-game season with the Houston Bulls as they fight for the second spot in the standings; twenty goals, forty three assists, sixty three points alongside an eye opening plus fifty five absolutely beacons confidence Huston has placed upon Ashton's shoulders. Oddly, Komaryk has been playing as the Bulls' top line center, with Salo and Laspenov flanking him on the wings. For someone who's natively a right winger, Komaryk has been doing a decent job within the faceoff circle, winning just under fifty four percent of his draws. Like Warrior, Komaryk has a steady but slow developing curve. He'll play in the VHLE for a few seasons before joining the Toronto Legion. HARRY HAGEL Toronto's S81 31st overall selection. It's probable the second VHLM season for Hagel is one to forget, especially considering he dropped from eighty points to being unlikely to reach fifty by the end of the season. It should be said that Hagel is one of the few skaters on Halifax that has any form of developed talent, the rest are -- in essence -- just bodies filling up the roster until they've developed into more efficient hockey players, which shouldn't take long in the VHLM level of competition before their natural talent is discovered. For Hagel, however, I'm sure he's looking forward to progressing into the VHLE in the upcoming season as a member of the Bratislava Watchmen. Hagel's development follows the trend set by the two prospects above it. It is steady, but slow, as Harry continues to grow into the defensemen he wants to be at his own pace. He'll spent a few seasons with the Watchmen assuming no future trades occur. BORIS TSEZAR Toronto's S81 41st overall selection. Tsezar has had an alright season, nothing impressive but still something to write home about. The Mexico City Kings have struggled this season, however they're a fairly depleted team much like Hagel's Halifax club. Boris will be looking forward to joining the Gladiators next season, leaving behind a twenty one - thirty eight - one record with his current Kings. It should be noted that of the two thousand plus shots Tsezar has faced, he's only allowed just north of two hundred goals, earning himself a comparatively impressive near ninety save percentage in a league known for turning goaltenders into a pile of swiss cheese with high blood pressure from the sheer stresses accompanying it. Tsezar has developed at a steady but slow pace, and will likely spent multiple seasons in the VHLE. ALESSIO SIMEONI Toronto's S81 60th overall selection. Simeoni began his season with Saskatoon before a transaction sent him to Huston, where he joined fellow Legion prospect Komaryk within the Bulls' forward group. Alessio had thirteen goals and twelve assists through twenty eight games with Saskatoon, and currently has thirty two points in thirty four games for the Texas VHLM team. Combined he's nearly had a point per game season for two hockey clubs, earning a one point oh-two points per twenty minutes with his new club. Simeoni's also released his wild side, spending forty four more minutes in the box with Huston than he did with Saskatoon... in case you're wondering, he's only got forty four penalty minutes throughout this season. Something about Huston unlocked his... bullish side? Like the prospects above, Simeoni will spend numerous seasons in the VHLE as his steady but slow development places on pace to join Toronto in the far future. 1500+ words, claiming for the next three weeks.

Rylan Peace's rookie season was full of inconsistencies as well, but both the player agency and Peace Jr. were expecting more from the ongoing rookie campaign of Kyle Peace. His thirty one [31] goals and twenty six [26] assists are good for more points than his father received, but they fall well short of the lofty expectations set by the duo prior to the season starting. It was hoped that Rylan's son would be able to maintain a point-per-game pace, seriously challenging for the top rookie award. While neither are disappointed that another Legion has a strong position within the race, it would have been nice for the agency to finally have a top rookie award. "I just hope I finish with a point per game," Peace admitted. "I'm going to work towards that and hopefully start climbing back into that range. It's why I'm here, it's why my father drafted me to Toronto. I gotta find a way to make it happen."

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- The Toronto Legion currently sit seventeen points ahead of the trailing New York Americans, and while the lead is comforting for the Legions' roster players, it is a well known fact that the teams' strength of schedule is likely the toughest they've had all season. The reality of New York catching up in points over the next half a week isn't threatening, it's an easy prediction: Two games against Chicago, two games against D.C and all in the span of five VHL games. Meanwhile, for Toronto, they've got a few scheduled games against EU teams that are easily 'arguably better' than the 'arguably' overperforming Ontario hockey club. Warsaw, Prague, Malmo and Los Angeles are the Legions' next four games, finishing off this five game comparison with the London United, who they themselves sit fourteenth overall in the standings. If the dominoes fall in favor of New York they could go from a distant look at the wildcard position to fighting tooth and nail every game to usurp Toronto's right to a wildcard series against Calgary determined solely who lands as the NA's fifth best team. The obvious needs to be stated, however, a statement that burns hot within the heart of Toronto: They're ready for a fight. A team that went 12-53-7 last season has impressed with a respectably modern 28-24-9 record, and while it's certainly nothing impressive, it absolutely represents a significant improvement from their last campaign on the the backs of those who've only just arrived the previous two seasons... now we've covered this in the past on other articles, but the increased competition from the Toronto Legion has clearly been bolstered by the reinforcements they received through their prospect pools, and they're only going to get stronger as current prospects in the pipeline further reinforce the team for S82 and beyond. Could the infusion of young talent make Toronto be a destination other players would be interested in? Perhaps, perhaps, only time will tell! For now though the Legion have their eyes set firmly upon the wildcard series they've so far earned with their sixty five points; they've rolled up the sleeves, clenched their fists, taken a stance and are ready to throw down just to keep a top five position in the NA Conference. "It'll be challenging, but we're ready... oh yeah, we're ready." Kyle Peace had stoutly declared before the Christmas break, clearly displaying confidence and pride with his body language. He was open, smiling, ready to face the barrage of questions we had prepared for him before the Legions' media availability after their 5-2 victory over Davos. Instead of continuing the sit down their media department had cleared, we simply thanked him with a smile and moved onto the next table to speak with another Legion. Our camera caught the perplexed Peace wondering what just happened. Now they're back at the practice facility. "It was a nice Christmas break, lots of new memories." GM Rylan Peace confirmed later that day, revealing he spent this time with his children and former Peace Player Agency defensemen Erik Killinger. "Had the family over for the mornin', invited Erik and his family over for breakfast and a dinner. It was a good day, but we're ready to get back to hockey."

Christmas edition! 1. How was your Christmas day? 2. Were you able to spend it with family this year? (Family dinner, maybe?) 3. What are some of your Christmas Eve traditions? 4. Boxing Day sales can contribute a major chunk of a retail stores montly profit... do you go shopping for Dec. 26 deals, or do you avoid the crowds and stay home/shop online? 5. Are you looking forward to any New Years celebrations? 6. How old are Christmas songs already?

So with the recent news that Horcrux/Kachur scammed Fonzi from a significant chunk of change, I'd like to step up to the plate for at least some of what is owed and invite others of our community to offer a week/weeks of capped TPE to compensate a $99 bid as well. I'll leave it to the mod team to explain it further, but I understand enough from the context through our Discord discussion to at least volunteer a week or two of capped TPE earning. I don't have a huge TPA dump like what was expected, however I can guarantee some capped and uncapped TPA for Fonzi to troll around with. Of course assuming this is allowed by the staff. If Fonzi is refunded his donation, that works too.

In before it locks!

Howdy.

Hello there.

Might be too late for this one.

Just in time?

As I sit here contemplating if I have permanent nerve damage or not, I found myself sifting through Toronto's week and our collapse back to reality. I noticed halfway through I had been wishing we stayed hot, obviously, but I needed to acknowledge I was also genuinely overjoyed that Toronto has really turned it around during this campaign. We just passed the half way mark of S81, and already Toronto has accumulated more wins than the team had victories through seventy two games last season. Reinforcements have really helped us out, from rookies joining us from the draft to our free agent acquisition. I'm hopeful we will make the playoffs now. God I love this team.

Hola!

Hello!

Howdy!

Final claim

I was mentioned? I'll have to listen when the blisters around my ears have healed.

For the next week [or if you're able to get it done in the next two hours, this week!] 1. What do you honestly think of Toronto's season so far? 2. Do you think we'll 'fall back to Earth', or do you expect Toronto to maintain a moderate winning record? 3. What do you think of your own individual players performance? 4. Do you prefer team press conferences, or the ask three answer three McWolf created? 5. Any surprises this season from your player? 6. Do you have any holiday plans?

I need two TPE and figured I'd do a small update about my general absence this week. Sunday evening I discovered some open blisters on the back of my neck [also known as the nape] and figured it was caused by the heating pad I had foolishly fallen asleep on the night prior. It's totally reasonable to assume it was a heat rash, right? Normally that'd be a solid bet, I reckon, but unfortunately for me it wasn't a heat rash at all. By Tuesday afternoon it had spread across the back of my head [known as the crown] and advanced along the top towards my right eye. At that point I knew something was wrong, and due to my family history of skin cancer, a collective group of concerned family members were starting to become concerned for my well being. These were similar symptoms before it was discovered that one of my family members had skin cancer just a few years ago. I called for a doctors appointment Tuesday evening before they closed, the earliest I could get in was Thursday. By Wednesday morning the swelling had begun, and by mid afternoon I had numerous sores the size of hockey pucks. Literally, I have picture proof. Thursday was worse, the never ending pain started and to this day has yet to stop. Prescription NSIAD painkillers? Not even helping, and I can't use an opioid based painkiller as it conflicts with other medication I'm now on to combat this damn thing. It's on the back of my neck, top of my head, around and inside my ear, not to mention it's now tormenting my vision with my right eye. What is the culprit? @Renomitsu might have guessed it just by reading the description. It's god damn shingles. The same virus that gives us chickenpox as children [or adults] apparently goes inert inside the nerves, and when the virus reactivates... let's just say my experience with this never ending pain of open blisters and rashes means that chickenpox got the last laugh. How did this affect my VHL activity? I wasn't around, at all, since Monday morning as I retreated back to the small town I once lived in.

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