animal74

Thanks @Spartan ! That was fun!

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. With four games left we are two points off last season's total (49 to 51). Will we get three points and be able to say we've improved this year? 2. To what to you attribute our slight improvement over last season? 3. With no shot at making the playoffs, if you could golf any course, where would you tee off? 4. Who is your pick for most improved Legion player this season? 5. Rookie Jimi Jaks @kelvi is now 2nd in rookie scoring, one point behind the leader! Can he take over top spot by the end of the season? 6. What is your favorite thing about springtime?

He doesn't play anymore...

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. Legion legend Kyle Peace @Peace has been traded to the Vancouver Wolves. What parting words do you have for him? 2. Are you happy with your progress so far this season? What stat to you hope to improve the most? 3. We're just over halfway through the season and we have 14 wins in 42 games. How many wins will we end up with? 4. Who is your pick for team MVP at this point in the season? 5. Rookie Jimi Jaks @kelvi is among the Top-10 in rookie scoring with 19 points. Can he crack the Top-5 by the end of the season? 6. Who is the biggest surprise player in the NHL playoffs? @v.2 @Oatex @CDS_Leb @Snussu @kelvi @axtron @Vice @jasplunds @Trunkxolotl @Firekiss @Baby Boomer @Timmy30 @shaun1979 @Tbeez99 @Je Barbaslov @ryf87 @Tuchy @Greg Hickman @Cyrxlian @ThatCanadian @Gmoneyman52 @Swinsola @Stroheim @Gage2 @QcjetsQc @Vkobe-v @CODENAMEJIMMY @Eb14 @Zetterberg @WildKnight @Beaviss @DrunkMonkey23

The Toronto Legion faithful thank you for everything you've done for the franchise @Peace! Good luck in Vancouver!

What exactly are you looking for? All the historical documents are here: https://vhlforum.com/forum/77-vhl-hall-of-fame/

Nice concept, sick execution!

I don't know how I just discovered this thread. smh Recently finished the first book in Anthony Ryan's new series Covenant of Steel, The Pariah. The prose, dialogue, and pacing kept me going. Everything else was fine but didn't really grab me. In some ways seemed like a redo of his first book, Blood Song. It was still a good read though. Also finished The Story of Santa Claus by Joseph A. McCullough. It was an enjoyable, concise collection of history and tales behind everyone's favorite red-suited chimney diver. Also, I'm on Goodreads if anyone else is.

I haven't really heard of StoryGraph (I probably had at some point but forgot) but I'm on Goodreads. How do you like SG compared to GR?

Castle back in net with a vengeance going 1-2 a 1.67 GAA and 0.965 SV% stopping 137 of 142 shots!

I can never keep my reviews to 75 words, lol

Game 101 Review: Las Vegas Aces vs. Saskatoon Wild At first glance, one might see just a game against the two bottom teams in the Western Conference, the Saskatoon Wild and the Las Vegas Aces. But in reality, both teams have been playing fairly well and it’s a battle for a playoff spot even this early in the season. With the season series split evenly 2-2 and every game won by one goal (and one decided in a shootout), Saskatoon decided it was time to change the narrative. In the Wild’s best offensive game thus far (and Las Vegas’ worst defensive performance of the year), Saskatoon jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Vegas got one late in the second period and the game would end in a 7-3 victory for the team from the prairies tying them with 21 points in the standings. Otis Boudreaux Jr @Otis Boudreaux Jr and Volt Sparks @Vo1t each had four points for Saskatoon and Montgomery Burns @LastOneUp continued his hot start scoring his team-leading 11th goal of the season and adding an assist. Goalie Joseph Reed @BrutalBoost picked up his 10th win stopping 24 of 27 shots. Tarro Tsujimoto @Taro Tsujimoto potted two goals and an assist for the Aces in the losing cause.

More like cup run away...

No worries! Thanks!

@Beketov Could this jersey please get added to the Malmo rafters? Thanks!

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. Through 14 games, we have a record of 5-9-0 but with four one-goal losses and only a -10 goal differential. What do you attribute our ability to keep more games close to? 2. Kyle Peace is now 5th among all-time Legion goal-scorers. He needs 9 for 4th and 28 fo 3rd. How high will he end up on this list? 3. Who are your three choices to start our next shootout? 4. It's early but we are only three points out of a play-in spot. Can we make it to the post-season? 5. Rookie Alex Bridges III has yet to score his first VHL goal. Predict which game he'll score it in and how. 6. NHL playoff teams are set (with some seeding yet to solidify). Who do you think will win the Stanley Cup?

The Hits Keep Coming: Detroit breaks VHL all-time hits record, Lamb reaches 2000 Well, another VHL record has fallen, this time one not so old as some. Congratulations to Vinny Detroit @dasboot, who broke Druss Deathwalker’s @animal74 recently set VHL record for all-time hits in New York’s fifth game of the season against my new team, ironically, the Toronto Legion. With his seventh hit of the game, Detroit surpassed Deathwalker’s total of 2882 hits and finished with the new VHL record of 2885 after dishing out a season-high 9 hits. Four games later against D.C., Detroit became the only player in VHL history with 2900 hits. Vinny Detroit breaks VHL all-time hits record vs. Toronto Other milestones the American power forward will reach shortly is 500 points as he is currently sitting at 492. He will become the 28th player in VHL history to reach 500 points and 2000 hits. Vasile Lamb @dlamb just recently became the 27th player to hit those marks (and first since Deathwalker’s former teammate Taylor Mourning @scoop in S86) when he became the 41st player to reach 2000 hits. When he reaches 500 points, Detroit will also become just the 15th player in VHL history with 500 points, 1000 penalty minutes and 2000 hits. Despite breaking the all-time record, Detroit still trails Deathwalker and HOFer Brennan McQueen @Jamie for career hits-per-game average although that might change. The other feat that Detroit has yet to accomplish (although he has come close), is to reach 400 hits in a season which Deathwalker did twice (one of only four VHL players to ever record 400 hits twice). Now, let’s look to the future: Which current players have the drive and recklessness to join the 2000 hit club? Here are five that VHLers should keep an eye out for: Brian Payne @Scurvy Warsaw’s award-winning defenseman is currently the safest bet to reach 2000 hits and if he does, he’ll become only the 4th full-time defenseman to do so. He reached 300 hits for the first time last season and if he continues on his career average of 3.57 hits per game, 2000 will be but a formality. Cobalt Burns @Ledge Burns has the highest hits/game average of all on this list having already dropped over 800 hits in his three-year career. Averaging 270 in those three seasons including reaching 311 last season, Burns is well on his way to hit the 2K milestone. Igor Molotov @Dom Being a teammate of Deathwalker’s must have rubbed off on this former Nighthawk. After a couple of low-hit years to start his career, Molotov has averaged 265 in each of the last three seasons. If he continues at that pace, he’ll have a very good shot at 2000. Mo Probert @Yahtzee A Malmo prospect coming through the pipe during Deathwalker’s final season, Probert must have seen how much fun hitting is as he’s been doing a lot of it. He had 312 hits last season and is among the hits leaders again this season. He’s still young but he’s off to a good start. Molly the Cat @JCarson Another young player who likes to score as well as hit, Molly the Cat’s current career average is right on the cusp of getting to 2000 hits during their career. Keep them hits coming! Joey Coaster @FANTEIGE And a quick shout out to Malmo’s newest thug sensation! Coaster currently ranks second in the league in hits as a rookie and is on pace for just shy of 300. If he keeps that up during his career, he may be the next one to challenge Detroit’s new record! Will any of these players get close? Zach Parechkin’s @DollarAndADream record stood for 30 seasons, Druss Deathwalker’s only lasted 3. How long will Vinny Detroit’s record last once his career has finished? All we know is, in the VHL, the hits will just keep coming. Congrats again to Vinny Detroit and Vasile Lamb on their milestones! You will be remembered for all the pain you’ve doled out over the years.

Game 91: Congrats to Vasile Lamb @dlamb on becoming the 41st player in VHL history to reach 2000 career hits! (More on that HERE!) Game 93: Congrats to Kyle Peace @Peace on moving into sole possession of 5th place on Toronto's all-time goals list with your 251st!

Congrats to Vinny Detroit @dasboot on setting the new VHL all-time hits record! (Read more about this feat HERE!)

Toronto Legion S88 Preview After finishing 15th in the VHL in S87, this season doesn’t look to bring much more than hope to Legion fans. Knowing that the rebuild would continue, Toronto traded some veterans and let some find other homes in free agency. There was also the unexpected retirement of defenseman Babushka @BrutalBoost. Since they had been holding a few extra players on the roster anyway, the Legion didn’t sign anyone on the market, instead filling the vacant roster spots with prized rookies Jimi Jaks @kelvi and Alex Bridges III @Oatex at forward and newly acquired Tater Tottingham @Trunkxolotl on the backend. The rest of the team is the same as last year with veteran Kyle Peace @Peace looking to climb up the Legion all-time stats lists in his final season and S87 1st overall pick Mac Altas @v.2 aiming to improve on his solid rookie year. Dens Oden @Snussu and CDS Leb @CDS_Leb provide essential secondary scoring and grit. On the blueline, Quinn Clark @axtron will quarterback the powerplay after leading all S87 rookies with 10 power play goals. Veteran returnees Cadmael Ixazaluoh @Vice and Harry Hagel @jasplunds will provide a physical presence while chipping in offensively. The goaltending duo also remains the same from last season with sophomores Joel Castle @animal74 and DJ Fire Dragon @Firekiss set to stop as many pucks as possible. The pre-season predictions haven’t looked favorably on this season’s editon of the Toronto Legion, but Nils Godlander's @Moon team is hyped for the new season and ready to prove the doubters wrong!

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. S88 has begun! What do you think will be biggest stat difference for the team this season (Wins, GF, GA, etc.)? 2. We were shutout in our first game. Who will score the Legion's first goal of S88? 3. What are your thoughts on the roster changes this year? 4. What advice would you give to the new prospects we recently drafted? 5. What will be the biggest change in your game this season? 6. What is your favorite Easter-themed candy?

Claim 2/2 (1000+ words)

G - Art Vandelay F - Nezuko @scoop

He's retired.

Joel Castle Rookie Experience Position: Goaltender Nationality: Canada Drafted: 1st Round / 13th Overall / S86 Rookie Year: S87 Team: Toronto Legion I had a lot of different thoughts when I first landed in Toronto to join the Legion for the S87 season. I was excited to play in my home country again after two seasons away, even if I was going to be playing in the Eastern Time zone. I knew coming into Toronto that the team was under new management and most likely rebuilding. I (thought I) knew that I would be the backup to the underrated Oskar Lindbergh, but that assumption dissolved when Lindbergh was traded to the Calgary Wranglers shortly after I arrived. That was a bit of a shock – now I was going to be the defacto starter! I was nervous but also thrilled as this was the opportunity that I had been working for my whole career. My first game was against the Los Angeles Stars. I was super nervous and although I stopped four LA shots before allowing my first VHL goal at 4:07 of the first period on a power play. I was determined to shake it off and refocus and I did for the most part stopping 28 of 32 shots in a 4-2 loss. My (and the team’s) first win didn’t come until the eighth game. We were playing the 5-2 Moscow Menace and I was feeling it that night. We were up 1-0 and I had stopped all 30 shots over two periods. We were pushing in the third but Nico Pearce was buzzing, had a few chances that missed and then snuck one by me. Tie game. Overtime solved nothing so we went to the shootout. Moscow’s first shooter was Nico Pearce. This time I stopped him. Then came Tomas Sogaard. I stopped him too. Then we scored. And the legendary Ronan Lavelle skated to center. He came at me with speed, did a head fake and snapped a shot – right into my glove. We had won! I had stopped three of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the shootout for my first career win and it felt awesome. I would get my second win two games later against Malmo where I saved 51 of 52 shots in a 3-1 victory. It was then that I knew I could play in this league. Castle celebrates his first VHL win against Moscow. I played 60 games during the season and won 19 games – 7 in either overtime or a shootout. I only got pulled three times although I did have some bad games. I cemented myself as one of the better 1-on-1 goalies in the league winning my last four shootouts (although I had lost the four before – three of those to Seattle). We also finished the season on a high note going 5-3 in the final eight games. One thing that I appreciate the most about my rookie season with Toronto was the comradery in the locker room and the transparency management had with the team. Everyone on the team seemed to understand that it would be a rough season in the standings but we all just had fun with it and tried to instill a hard-working yet laid back culture where we could make mistakes and be helped up not beat up. I also am indebted to GM Nils Godlander @Moon for first of all drafting me, but then also including me in the leadership group even though I wasn’t a captain. And I am thankful to the captains (Kyle Peace @Peace, Mac Altas @v.2 , and CDS Leb @CDS_Leb) for letting me tag along and find my voice. I’m looking forward to the next few seasons. I know there will be some challenges but I expect that the young core will grow together and build a long-term contender that will eventually bring a Cup back to Toronto.