animal74

What a descent into averageness has befallen last season’s playoff MVP goalie Joel Castle of the Toronto Legion. One of the top goalies the last two seasons, Castle has not been playing up to his usual standards until recently and the stats show. He hasn’t placed in any of the Top-10 statistical lists for most of the season – at one point sporting a dismal 2.95 GAA with the Legion bouncing in and out of a play-in spot.
 
“I knew something had to change,” said Castle during yesterday’s post-game scrum after one of his better performances of the season, a 4-3 SOL to rival Los Angeles where he stopped 42 shots. “I talked to our goalie coach, we looked at some film from last season and made some tweaks to a couple of bad habits I’ve been getting into. Nothing major, just some stylistic changes and how I push off from the post. I’ve also changed some of my workout routine to maintain my flexibility after such a long season last year. And, I’m not getting any younger.”
 
The results, at least in net, have been positive as Castle is back to his stellar form. Over the last seven games he's posted a 1.84 GAA on 13 goals against, a 0.936 SV% and earned his first shutout of the season. Unfortunately, his better play hasn’t necessarily translated to a big boost in the standings as the Legion have only scored 16 goals in that span going 3-3-1. Even with an improved power play, they’re still ranked last in the VHL with the man advantage. They’ll have to do better then that to secure a spot in the playoffs to defend their championship.
 

1. If I am being honest, I am very disappointed in our season so far. Indeed, we won the Cup last season and now it is not even sure we will make the playoffs. I know we can, but we have to do better.
2. We can change the lines or the strategies. I don't think there is really more we can do.
3. It would be a good idea in my opinion to find a good second defensemen or a third forward.
4. Moscow! Last season they finished second-to-last and now, they are sixth in the league. They have a really young team and their rebuild is doing really good.
5. A couple of NHL teams tried the chrome helmet look, but for most of them it is pretty awful. So, chrome blue can look good, but matte blue is more of a safe choice in my opinion.
6. 1-New York Rangers, 2-New Jersey Devils, 3-New York Islanders, 4-Philadelphia Flyers.

@Members
 
Better late than never right? I promise we didn't forget about the holiday prize raffle! The draw will be taking place Sunday, January 28th, around 7pm EST. As previously mentioned the prize pool consists of 14 prizes spread over 4 tiers.
 
Tier 1 - 5 Winners
5 uncapped TPE
 
Tier 2 - 5 Winners
$15 donation equivalent (IE you get the reward choice of a $15 donation without donating, can be claimed even if you have donated this season.)
 
Tier 3 - 3 Winners
Video Game of your choice (up to a max of $90 CAD, on any system)
 
Tier 4 - 1 Winner
Nintendo Switch (OLED) console OR an NHL Jersey of the winner's choice.
 
The draw will be streamed to my twitch channel which can be found here: https://twitch.tv/beketov_vhl
 
The draw will be at random and the number of entries you have is based on the number of 12 days of Christmas threads you responded to. Everyone who responded to at least 1 day has at least 1 entry and everyone, staff included, are allowed to win. As usual if you win something and would prefer to receive the prize from the tier below you can do that. Additionally we will not exchange any prize for cash value but a difference in prize that costs the same or less can be negotiated under certain circumstances.
 
Good luck to everyone and I’ll see you all for the draw on Saturday!

The Toronto Legion won the S91 Continental Cup, defeating the Chicago Phoenix, Los Angeles Stars, and Helsinki Titans along the way. Each of the teams that they defeated vowed revenge against the Legion in the following season for ending their Cup bids, and so far this year they have done just that.
 
The Legion have faced those three teams a total of six times this season (2 against Chicago, 1 against Los Angeles, and 3 against Helsinki), and so far have gone a combined 0-6. Here's a breakdown of how those matchups have gone:
 
Toronto vs. Chicago
Game 9 - @ CHI - Phoenix win 2-1
Game 10 - vs CHI - Phoenix win 3-1
 
Toronto vs. Los Angeles
Game 5 - vs LAS - Stars win 4-1
 
Toronto vs. Helsinki
Game 13 - @ HEL - Titans win 3-1
Game 22 - @ HEL - Titans win 4-0
Game 24 - vs HEL - Titans win 5-3
 
Toronto has lost the 6 revenge games by a combined score of 21-7, showing that these motivated teams are handling their matchups with ease. Outside of the revenge games this season, the Legion are 13-5-2. They'll need to get a much better handle on these revenge games in order to move up the standings.

1. What do you think of the move to bring in Lattimer and Caufield Jr? I mean I'm Lattimer, so I think this is a huge W, haha. In all honestly, I'm pumped to be here and playing for a team that I think values me as a player and as a person.
2. What grade do you give your performance this season so far? B. I think the proof will be on how I perform on a real contender. I'm excited for the opportunity to contribute however the team needs and wants me to.
3. We currently sit at 11-11-2 with an uncharacteristic -9 goal differential. What not working for us? I think it's just a malaise. The trades will infuse life and energy into our team and into our skates.
4. Do you think we're suffering from Cup hangover?  I hope not! It's to be expected but perhaps that's thy the midseason trades were so important. Never settle for what's already in the rear view.
5. What song/album do you have on repeat right now? Swept Away by Avett Brothers
6. What is your best story about 40 degrees C (104 F) or -40 C (-40 F)? There are no good stories other than playing a doubleheader in baseball in 104 temp. 

1. Good to address the Bot situation on the roster, it definitely helps keep us more consistent with the players on the ice. Trading Caufield for Wallace helps upgrade that further.
 
2. I'd give myself a C so far. I haven't been able to progress offensively this season from my rookie year, but I've been steady defensively. Hopefully it starts to improve, maybe I need to focus more on improving my offensive attributes.
 
3. I think that we were getting caved in by our bots early on in the season. The bots were -6 and -7, so it definitely wasn't helping us defensively. The line without the bots is +3 or better, so it should balance out now that we're not playing bots.
 
4. No, I just think that we're finding our way. We lost some pretty key players in the off-season that contributed to our Championship last season, replacing them has been a process that continues.
 
5. I've been listening to the Blazing Saddles soundtrack lately, and also the Walk Hard soundtrack. Both are fantastic movies, and Walk Hard has a surprisingly good song base.
 
6. I don't really have a story about the extreme temperatures, but I can come close to the extreme cold. We went on a family trip in the middle of December years ago from Ontario to Florida. As you can imagine in the middle of December, it was very cold while leaving. We were still excited for the trip, so we all left the house in shorts to head to the airport. The people in Florida all looked at us like we were crazy because it was cold by their standards, so they were all wearing sweaters and jackets while we were wearing shorts and tees.

Glad to have you aboard @pugsood! Hopefully we can win again like we did with the JST Pickles! 🥒 

Glad I could help you out @Moon
 
@pugsood enjoyed our chats and you as a member. @Daniel Janser was not wrong   with where you are, just made sense to help ya win on a good team. Win/win/win imo. 

I don`t know why but my stupid brain just thought of a name for my new player:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ NowyouknowyourABCs!! LOL!!
 
Still doesn`t look as bad as holding down W for 10 seconds!! LOL!!
 
I guess I could also go with:
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!! What!!

Speaking of tampering, @rory your goalie name is going to be tampering with the goalie stats page layout for the next eight seasons. 😭

Speaking of tampering, @rory your goalie name is going to be tampering with the goalie stats page layout for the next eight seasons. 😭

Yup I love this and have been thinking about this but forgot to add it. Being able to add links to articles related to your player would be great - like an index. This would also potentially increase forum traffic. Also, the ability to add jersey numbers.

Yup I love this and have been thinking about this but forgot to add it. Being able to add links to articles related to your player would be great - like an index. This would also potentially increase forum traffic. Also, the ability to add jersey numbers.

@leandrofg All done!

Also, can there be a Career Task checklist so when we claim one on the portal, it ghosts it on the dropdown or there's a list that gets marked? I can't remember how many I've done most of the time and it's a lot of scrolling through the update log to find them.

Yup I love this and have been thinking about this but forgot to add it. Being able to add links to articles related to your player would be great - like an index. This would also potentially increase forum traffic. Also, the ability to add jersey numbers.

That's wicked!
Toronto renames the team to Legion of Angels...

“And the winner of the S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy, for leading the Toronto Legion to their first Continental Cup in 26 seasons, Joel Castle!”
 
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I slowly get to my feet and make my way to the stage. I get high-fives and a few hugs from my Legion teammates as I cross the floor. I’m in shock, my brain racing through the last five seasons. From my first start for the Legion in S87 to our first playoff game in S90 and the thrilling series win against Vancouver to the crushing defeat at the hands of Los Angeles. Knowing of all the adversity we faced this season, the struggle to get back into the playoffs but just having that confidence in one another and using the lessons learned the last few seasons to march through each series and finally finish our comeback in Game 6 of the Final. The memory of hoisting the Cup and skating around the rink followed by my Legion brothers is bright in my mind as I accept the beautiful Kanou Trophy from the presenter.
 
Emotion welling up inside, I simply say: “Thank you. Thank you. This is a dream come true, an honor and a day I didn’t know if it would ever come but I kept working toward it anyway. Thank you to our GM Moon for assembling us together and believing in us even when the critics didn’t. Thank you to our captain, Mac Atlas, who could be up here instead of me after his incredible run and breaking the Legion single playoffs points record. Thank you to all the rest of my teammates, Jimi – you were awesome and if Mac hadn’t broken the record, you would have. Dens and Tomas, you both fought until the bitter end and now you retire as champions! Bobby and Jimmy were solid all playoffs in the back end and Burnsy came up big when needed. Our Toronto Trio of rookies, Diego, Harry, and Walter – you guys played like vets – don’t ever forget these moments. And finally, but not least, my brother in pads, Evan you helped keep me focused and loose throughout the whole playoffs. You always kept cheering us on, pushing us to be better. And not to forget, a huge thank you to our fans in Toronto and around the world who have stayed with us for the long haul and now we’ve been able to bring a Cup to TO. You guys are the best fans in the VHL and we love you all! To all the goalies I faced this season – you guys made me push myself to be the best I could be. I look forward to facing you next season.”
 
I turn shake a few hands then grab the trophy and lift it to a round of applause. As I make my way backstage, the announcer says, “This is Joel Castle’s first Kanou trophy and the first individual trophy of his career.”
 
The rest of the night is honestly a blur. There are pictures, more hugs and handshakes, poses and parties. But I can’t stop thinking about the trophy shining in the lights and what it means. Now, I have to be ready even more for next season. We are the defending champs and everyone in the VHL will be gunning for us. And it’s a great feeling. I’m ready for it.
 
 

I ran with the wings, he isn't dead! @dstevensonjr
 

“And the winner of the S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy, for leading the Toronto Legion to their first Continental Cup in 26 seasons, Joel Castle!”
 
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I slowly get to my feet and make my way to the stage. I get high-fives and a few hugs from my Legion teammates as I cross the floor. I’m in shock, my brain racing through the last five seasons. From my first start for the Legion in S87 to our first playoff game in S90 and the thrilling series win against Vancouver to the crushing defeat at the hands of Los Angeles. Knowing of all the adversity we faced this season, the struggle to get back into the playoffs but just having that confidence in one another and using the lessons learned the last few seasons to march through each series and finally finish our comeback in Game 6 of the Final. The memory of hoisting the Cup and skating around the rink followed by my Legion brothers is bright in my mind as I accept the beautiful Kanou Trophy from the presenter.
 
Emotion welling up inside, I simply say: “Thank you. Thank you. This is a dream come true, an honor and a day I didn’t know if it would ever come but I kept working toward it anyway. Thank you to our GM Moon for assembling us together and believing in us even when the critics didn’t. Thank you to our captain, Mac Atlas, who could be up here instead of me after his incredible run and breaking the Legion single playoffs points record. Thank you to all the rest of my teammates, Jimi – you were awesome and if Mac hadn’t broken the record, you would have. Dens and Tomas, you both fought until the bitter end and now you retire as champions! Bobby and Jimmy were solid all playoffs in the back end and Burnsy came up big when needed. Our Toronto Trio of rookies, Diego, Harry, and Walter – you guys played like vets – don’t ever forget these moments. And finally, but not least, my brother in pads, Evan you helped keep me focused and loose throughout the whole playoffs. You always kept cheering us on, pushing us to be better. And not to forget, a huge thank you to our fans in Toronto and around the world who have stayed with us for the long haul and now we’ve been able to bring a Cup to TO. You guys are the best fans in the VHL and we love you all! To all the goalies I faced this season – you guys made me push myself to be the best I could be. I look forward to facing you next season.”
 
I turn shake a few hands then grab the trophy and lift it to a round of applause. As I make my way backstage, the announcer says, “This is Joel Castle’s first Kanou trophy and the first individual trophy of his career.”
 
The rest of the night is honestly a blur. There are pictures, more hugs and handshakes, poses and parties. But I can’t stop thinking about the trophy shining in the lights and what it means. Now, I have to be ready even more for next season. We are the defending champs and everyone in the VHL will be gunning for us. And it’s a great feeling. I’m ready for it.
 
 

“And the winner of the S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy, for leading the Toronto Legion to their first Continental Cup in 26 seasons, Joel Castle!”
 
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I slowly get to my feet and make my way to the stage. I get high-fives and a few hugs from my Legion teammates as I cross the floor. I’m in shock, my brain racing through the last five seasons. From my first start for the Legion in S87 to our first playoff game in S90 and the thrilling series win against Vancouver to the crushing defeat at the hands of Los Angeles. Knowing of all the adversity we faced this season, the struggle to get back into the playoffs but just having that confidence in one another and using the lessons learned the last few seasons to march through each series and finally finish our comeback in Game 6 of the Final. The memory of hoisting the Cup and skating around the rink followed by my Legion brothers is bright in my mind as I accept the beautiful Kanou Trophy from the presenter.
 
Emotion welling up inside, I simply say: “Thank you. Thank you. This is a dream come true, an honor and a day I didn’t know if it would ever come but I kept working toward it anyway. Thank you to our GM Moon for assembling us together and believing in us even when the critics didn’t. Thank you to our captain, Mac Atlas, who could be up here instead of me after his incredible run and breaking the Legion single playoffs points record. Thank you to all the rest of my teammates, Jimi – you were awesome and if Mac hadn’t broken the record, you would have. Dens and Tomas, you both fought until the bitter end and now you retire as champions! Bobby and Jimmy were solid all playoffs in the back end and Burnsy came up big when needed. Our Toronto Trio of rookies, Diego, Harry, and Walter – you guys played like vets – don’t ever forget these moments. And finally, but not least, my brother in pads, Evan you helped keep me focused and loose throughout the whole playoffs. You always kept cheering us on, pushing us to be better. And not to forget, a huge thank you to our fans in Toronto and around the world who have stayed with us for the long haul and now we’ve been able to bring a Cup to TO. You guys are the best fans in the VHL and we love you all! To all the goalies I faced this season – you guys made me push myself to be the best I could be. I look forward to facing you next season.”
 
I turn shake a few hands then grab the trophy and lift it to a round of applause. As I make my way backstage, the announcer says, “This is Joel Castle’s first Kanou trophy and the first individual trophy of his career.”
 
The rest of the night is honestly a blur. There are pictures, more hugs and handshakes, poses and parties. But I can’t stop thinking about the trophy shining in the lights and what it means. Now, I have to be ready even more for next season. We are the defending champs and everyone in the VHL will be gunning for us. And it’s a great feeling. I’m ready for it.
 
 

“And the winner of the S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy, for leading the Toronto Legion to their first Continental Cup in 26 seasons, Joel Castle!”
 
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I slowly get to my feet and make my way to the stage. I get high-fives and a few hugs from my Legion teammates as I cross the floor. I’m in shock, my brain racing through the last five seasons. From my first start for the Legion in S87 to our first playoff game in S90 and the thrilling series win against Vancouver to the crushing defeat at the hands of Los Angeles. Knowing of all the adversity we faced this season, the struggle to get back into the playoffs but just having that confidence in one another and using the lessons learned the last few seasons to march through each series and finally finish our comeback in Game 6 of the Final. The memory of hoisting the Cup and skating around the rink followed by my Legion brothers is bright in my mind as I accept the beautiful Kanou Trophy from the presenter.
 
Emotion welling up inside, I simply say: “Thank you. Thank you. This is a dream come true, an honor and a day I didn’t know if it would ever come but I kept working toward it anyway. Thank you to our GM Moon for assembling us together and believing in us even when the critics didn’t. Thank you to our captain, Mac Atlas, who could be up here instead of me after his incredible run and breaking the Legion single playoffs points record. Thank you to all the rest of my teammates, Jimi – you were awesome and if Mac hadn’t broken the record, you would have. Dens and Tomas, you both fought until the bitter end and now you retire as champions! Bobby and Jimmy were solid all playoffs in the back end and Burnsy came up big when needed. Our Toronto Trio of rookies, Diego, Harry, and Walter – you guys played like vets – don’t ever forget these moments. And finally, but not least, my brother in pads, Evan you helped keep me focused and loose throughout the whole playoffs. You always kept cheering us on, pushing us to be better. And not to forget, a huge thank you to our fans in Toronto and around the world who have stayed with us for the long haul and now we’ve been able to bring a Cup to TO. You guys are the best fans in the VHL and we love you all! To all the goalies I faced this season – you guys made me push myself to be the best I could be. I look forward to facing you next season.”
 
I turn shake a few hands then grab the trophy and lift it to a round of applause. As I make my way backstage, the announcer says, “This is Joel Castle’s first Kanou trophy and the first individual trophy of his career.”
 
The rest of the night is honestly a blur. There are pictures, more hugs and handshakes, poses and parties. But I can’t stop thinking about the trophy shining in the lights and what it means. Now, I have to be ready even more for next season. We are the defending champs and everyone in the VHL will be gunning for us. And it’s a great feeling. I’m ready for it.
 
 

There are two special members of the Toronto Legion who announced their retirement shortly after the team’s Continental Cup win: Dens Oden @Snussu and Tomas Sogaard @Brandon.
 
Sogaard had a remarkable career, retiring as one of only 35 players in VHL history with at least 650 points and at least 1500 hits. He was a part of some strong Moscow teams that won the Victory Cup in S84 and S89. He had his best season in S88 leading the league with a career-high 51 goals which earned him the Brooks (Goals Leader) and Funk (Most Improved) Trophies. He scored 30 or more goals in seven straight seasons (every one except his rookie season) finishing with 288. He also made the playoffs each of his eight VHL seasons scoring 78 points in 79 playoff games including 9 game-winners. His best playoff showing was Toronto’s S91 Cup run where he posted 22 points and a team-leading 12 goals. He led the team with 61 hits and tied for the team lead with 4 game-winners including the team’s only two overtime goals. He will forever be remember for his post-season heroics. His Toronto totals are 66 goals and 134 points in 144 games. In the playoffs he posted 19 goals and 32 points in 29 playoffs games.
 
Oden was a late bloomer and despite being drafted in S83, he bounced around a few organizations before finally finding a home in Toronto and played his first VHL game in S87. He has bled blue ever since. The slick forward may not have been the most talented but he was as consistent and unselfish as they come. He even switched to defense in his final season – a move that undoubtedly helped put Toronto on the path to their Cup win. He scored a career-high 28 goals in S90 and then a career-high 59 points as a defenseman last season. As proof of his leadership and versatility, he had won the team’s Unsung Hero, Most Energetic and Most Gentlemanly awards. Always a positive voice in the locker room, his steady and reliable presence will be missed. He finishes his Legion career with 107 goals and 246 points in 360 games and 22 points in 29 playoff games.
 
Thank you to Dens and Tomas for your contributions to Legion hockey. Enjoy retirement!
 

“And the winner of the S91 Daisuke Kanou Trophy, for leading the Toronto Legion to their first Continental Cup in 26 seasons, Joel Castle!”
 
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I slowly get to my feet and make my way to the stage. I get high-fives and a few hugs from my Legion teammates as I cross the floor. I’m in shock, my brain racing through the last five seasons. From my first start for the Legion in S87 to our first playoff game in S90 and the thrilling series win against Vancouver to the crushing defeat at the hands of Los Angeles. Knowing of all the adversity we faced this season, the struggle to get back into the playoffs but just having that confidence in one another and using the lessons learned the last few seasons to march through each series and finally finish our comeback in Game 6 of the Final. The memory of hoisting the Cup and skating around the rink followed by my Legion brothers is bright in my mind as I accept the beautiful Kanou Trophy from the presenter.
 
Emotion welling up inside, I simply say: “Thank you. Thank you. This is a dream come true, an honor and a day I didn’t know if it would ever come but I kept working toward it anyway. Thank you to our GM Moon for assembling us together and believing in us even when the critics didn’t. Thank you to our captain, Mac Atlas, who could be up here instead of me after his incredible run and breaking the Legion single playoffs points record. Thank you to all the rest of my teammates, Jimi – you were awesome and if Mac hadn’t broken the record, you would have. Dens and Tomas, you both fought until the bitter end and now you retire as champions! Bobby and Jimmy were solid all playoffs in the back end and Burnsy came up big when needed. Our Toronto Trio of rookies, Diego, Harry, and Walter – you guys played like vets – don’t ever forget these moments. And finally, but not least, my brother in pads, Evan you helped keep me focused and loose throughout the whole playoffs. You always kept cheering us on, pushing us to be better. And not to forget, a huge thank you to our fans in Toronto and around the world who have stayed with us for the long haul and now we’ve been able to bring a Cup to TO. You guys are the best fans in the VHL and we love you all! To all the goalies I faced this season – you guys made me push myself to be the best I could be. I look forward to facing you next season.”
 
I turn shake a few hands then grab the trophy and lift it to a round of applause. As I make my way backstage, the announcer says, “This is Joel Castle’s first Kanou trophy and the first individual trophy of his career.”
 
The rest of the night is honestly a blur. There are pictures, more hugs and handshakes, poses and parties. But I can’t stop thinking about the trophy shining in the lights and what it means. Now, I have to be ready even more for next season. We are the defending champs and everyone in the VHL will be gunning for us. And it’s a great feeling. I’m ready for it.