dstevensonjr

Fantastic reference.

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. Jimi Jaks has picked up right where he left off last season with 13 points in the first 8 games of the season. Will he finish the season as our scoring leader again? 2. We've got two players shooting the lights out over 14% right now (Jaks and Toms), and eight players who have been unlucky shooting under 8% (everyone else). What do we need to do to get the struggling skaters going? 3. What is your favourite meal to cook? 4. Despite our shooting woes, we still have the sixth best points percentage in the league. Are we poised for some positive regression in the standings once our shooting normalizes? 5. The talk around the league during the off-season was that we were in trouble in net this season. Through 9 starts, Toddly Bobbly has a .932 save percentage and a 2.27 goals against average. Should that be enough to shut some people up about our goalie? 6. Which tv show has your favourite series finale?

@animal74 Opening night for S95 is here, and there is no better time to announce the retirement of the #74 to honour the career of long time Toronto Legion goaltender and franchise icon Joel Castle. This pre-game ceremony is one that was much anticipated by fans, teammates, and friends of Mr. Castle. Before we get to the folks who have come to speak about Joel Castle's career in the VHL, it's time to take a look back at the statistical accomplishments that accumulated over his time in Toronto. Joel Castle spent eight full seasons in Toronto from S87 to S94, and over that time he started in goal for more than 500 regular season games and more than 60 playoff games for the Legion. Castle finished his career ranked second in team history in regular season starts, and first in playoff starts. It's one thing to be a fixture in net for a team, but it's quite another to take advantage of those starts and carry the team to success. That longevity in net left Castle ranked second in Legion regular season wins and first in playoff wins. He also topped the Legion career charts in saves, save percentage (more than 300 starts), playoff shutouts, and playoff saves. That placement on Legion career stats lists is a large part of the reason that we're here tonight to celebrate this future hall of famer. While Castle's career had several shining moments, there is no doubt that his crowning achievement came in S91. The fifth season of his career, S91, saw Castle carry the Legion on his back to win the first Continental Cup in more than thirty seasons for the franchise. Posting a 12-3-0 record in the playoffs with a .939 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average, it was obvious to everyone in the league who the worthy winner of the Daisuke Kanou Trophy as playoff MVP was. Castle would almost pull the feat off again in his swan song season in S94, taking the Legion all the way to the Continental Cup Final before losing to Moscow in Game 6. On-ice success has been obvious for a long time for the Legion tender, but his off-ice work has flown largely under the radar for too long. Castle's time spent as a Legion Assistant General Manager has been exceptional, and his work in the locker room with the team and the offices with the staff has been top notch. As we'll hear from those who have played with, played against, and worked with Joel Castle, his work has definitely not gone unnoticed by those who have been fortunate enough to interact with him. We'll start the proceedings tonight with some folks who had the pleasure of being draft rivals in net with Joel Castle. Our first speaker of the night is Ash Sparks, who was drafted 6th overall in the S86 draft with Castle. Sparks: "Castle and Sparks entered the league at the same time and were a part of a group that would be known as the “Heavenly 7”. There were 7 maxed out goalies for the VHLM draft including Castle and myself, but only 4 of us played out our full careers and made it to their final season in the VHL. We all retired roughly around the same time last season, but I personally never got to spend much time with any of them except for Joel Castle. Ash and Joel were drafted to the Geneva Rush together as a 1-a / 1-b goalie tandem, so we spent the season together as teammates. We became good friends and rivals! Both Joel and myself have always cheered for the other’s VHL success, and we both managed to become some of the best goalies our franchises have ever seen. Joel Castle and myself were blessed with the chance to retire together. It’s really nice to know that our friendship will continue even into our retirement." We now turn to another goalie from the S86 draft, Lachlan Summers, who was drafted 12th overall in that draft. Summers: "It’s been a pleasure to compete against Joel and the rest of the goalies that came out of our draft class, especially with how tight the battles were. He’s always been a fierce competitor and for him to become one of the most successful goaltenders in Toronto’s history is an impressive feat! Plus a Cup and a Playoff MVP is nothing to brush off. He’s always been consistent and that’s something I’ve admired about his game, as well as being one of the most level-headed and humble people out there." Lastly, we'll hear from Fuukka Rask, who was taken 14th overall in the S86 draft. Rask: "In the S86 draft, Castle was drafted 13th, and I was drafted 14th. The competition amongst the goalies in this draft class was very strong. Castle has had a phenomenal career and I respect him a ton. Now that we are both retired, I think I will invite him for a beer and we can catch up." Thank you to the goalies from the S86 draft for their kind words tonight, it was awesome to hear from the folks who have all had similar career trajectories with each other. Next up, we'll hear from some former teammates of Castle from his time in Toronto. First up to speak from this group will be Siyan Yasilievich, who played on the Legion blueline in front of Castle during S90. Yasilievich: "Joel Castle was one of the best goalies I had ever played with. When you needed that extra save, that extra boost to swing the momentum, he was always able to deliver. An extremely good goalie on the ice and a great person off the ice. Congratulations on a fantastic career and I wish him the best moving forward!" Next in our group of former teammates is Tomas Sogaard, who played with Castle for two seasons in S90 and S91, which included the Continental Cup winning season. Sogaard: "Joel was a pillar of the Legion, one who set the standard of what hard work and dedication looked like. The S91 playoff run was a testament to his relentless spirit. He was always the first one to the ice in the morning and the last one to leave. As a goalie, he set the bar high, and as a person, he was admired by all. His leadership, both on and off the ice, inspired everyone around him. Joel's legacy in Toronto will be remembered not just for his incredible saves, but for the heart and soul he brought to the team every single day." The last of the former teammates that we'll hear from is a fellow Legion goaltender, one who shared the crease with Castle in Toronto for three seasons from S90 to S92. That included backing up Castle for the S91 Cup win. Give it up for Evan Bihler! Bihler: "Joel was a hell of a teammate. I chose to forego a guaranteed starting job my final season to back him up and push for another ring. He was a leader and he kept us in just about every game my 3 years in Toronto. Sad to see a legend go." Thanks to all the former teammates who stepped forward with their lovely words for Joel Castle, it was great to hear from them. The next group are all members of the team from Joel Castle's final season in S94 that were last season for the Cup push that finished just shy of the ultimate goal. The first teammate to speak from last season will be James MacAvoy, who spent the one season in Toronto with Castle. MacAvoy: "It’s been a pleasure to play alongside him for his final year here and I’m honoured I got to share that with him. He’s one of the greatest goalies Toronto has ever had so it’s unfortunate to see him leave. The team won’t be the same without him." The next teammate to speak will be Nils Andersson, who also spent one season in Toronto with Castle in S94. Andersson: "He was a very fun locker room guy and always there if you needed anything, and a monster in net. Great guy to have on your team." Next up is another teammate from last season, Diego Machado. Castle and Machado played together for the last four seasons in Toronto, beginning with the Cup year in S91. Machado: "Women love him and men want to be him." Truer words were never spoken! The next player to speak is defender Bobby Bob, who has spent his entire six season career as a teammate of Joel Castle from S89 to S94. Bob: "Joel was already a veteran in the league when I joined the team and I always looked at him like a real role model. Indeed, he is an awesome teammate and an incredible leader on and off the ice." The final teammate from last season that we'll hear from is Jimi Jaks, who has spent all eight seasons in the VHL as a teammate with Joel Castle, beginning in S87. Jaks: "We never would have won our championship without Joel, and there was a reason why he was MVP. He’s also been our MVP for the S94 playoff push. To me, he is the centrepiece of this Legion core. A future Hall of Famer, I wish him the best in his retirement." Thank you to all the members of the team from Castle's last season who came forward with their thoughts and feelings on this Legion legend, it's been a pleasure hearing from all of you. The last group of folks to speak tonight have spent their time in the organization as both teammates and members of the front office. The first person to speak will be Harry Callahan, who joined the Legion as a player in S91 for the Cup run, and joined Castle in the Toronto front office prior to S93. Callahan: "Joel Castle has been a great teammate for a long time, and an even better person. His career in Toronto leaves no doubt that he belongs in the Hall of Fame, and on the Mount Rushmore of Legion goaltenders in team history. We were fortunate to have his competitive spirit in net for as long as we did, and he helped lead us to the holy grail. I'm thankful to have his help off the ice to help learn the ropes of how to be an AGM, and I wish him all the happiness and success on and off the ice moving forward in his life." Our next speaker has been a teammate of Castle's for his eight seasons in the VHL, and has been with Castle in the front office for almost that same length of time. Legion fans know that this player needs no introduction, it's Captain Mac Atlas! Atlas: "Castle has been nothing short of spectacular for us during his time with the Legion. A lengthy and sound career filled with class, leadership and poise. It has been a pleasure to play in front of him my whole career!" The final speaker of the night is reserved for the person who has worked closest with Joel Castle during his time in Toronto. The only person to be a member of the Legion organization for the entirety of Castle's tenure with the team, whether it was in the front office as GM from the start, or as a player joining the roster in the Cup winning year of S91. Here is the team's General Manager, Walter Fitzroy Jr.! Fitzroy Jr.: "Where do I start...Joel Castle, arguably the greatest goaltender in Toronto Legion history (not biased at all). Joel was hands down the foundation of the Toronto Legion during his career alongside Jimi Jaks, Mac Atlas and many others. Joel Castle was one of the big reasons why the Toronto Legion was able to secure a Cup in S91. I want to wish Castle the best of luck with retirement and hope to see Joel Castle reincarnated soon!" That will do it for our speakers here tonight. Thank you to everyone for coming out to speak on Joel Castle's behalf, and to the fans of the team for their support! I'm pleased to announce that the number of a franchise legend is now officially retired, and will hang from the rafters in its rightful place for a long time to come. Long live #74. ----------------------------------------------- Thank you to the contributions from @DarkSpyro @kirbithan @Jubis @badcolethetitan @Brandon @Eb14 @Enraged @Viper @Dadam30 @Baby Boomer @ke1vi @v.2 @Moon

The hours upon hours of training camp work is complete. From the on ice drills that were run ad nauseum to the dry land training that the team must go through, I don't think that any of the players are going to be sad to see training camp come to a close and the real stuff ready to begin. It was an off-season of change for the Toronto Legion, one that will see the team begin the season with a new starting goalie in net for the first time in almost a decade, along with two rookies set to make their VHL debut and a new forward added to the offensive group. Following the loss in the Continental Cup Final last season, the Legion players and management were aware that changes were coming. In a cap world, it's impossible to keep the same team together year over year, and now the task of getting back to the Final again this season begins in earnest. The Legion returnees hope to see the season end around the same time as it did last season, but with a much happier conclusion. The rookies and new additions hope to be the ones who can push that boulder up over the mountain top to help the team win it all. One thing is for sure, the eve of a new regular season is always one of the best times of the year.

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. The season is upon us! If you could pick one team to open the season against, who would it be? 2. Do you play Fantasy Football at all? If so, how many leagues are you in each season? 3. If you could take any NHL player (past or present) and drop them into our lineup for this season, who would it be and why? 4. Seen any good movies this summer? In theatres or otherwise. 5. What is one statistical goal that you'd like to hit for this season with your player? 6. Would you rather be book smart or street smart?

Thank you to Calgary for making this trade! To the draft picks traded, thanks for nothing, you barely made an impact for the team last season.

1000+ words Week 2.

Here is the follow up to Part 1 of this article! Toronto Legion Four times: S21, S29, S48, S50 The Toronto Legion were the sixth of the original eight franchises to do the double dip. They came close in S10 after winning the Victory Cup, but lost in a seven game heartbreaker in the Continental Cup final. The Legion would win the Victory Cup again in S17 before finally pulling off the double in S21. Following a 58-11-3 regular season, the Legion would close out Davos in five games to complete their first double. Toronto would claim the VC in S22 and S24 again before winning both trophies in S29. The Legion went 50-15-7 in the regular season to capture the VC, and then defeated Davos again in six games to win the CC. Nearly twenty seasons later (including a failed attempt in S36 that saw a VC and a seven game loss in the CC), the Legion would double down again. S48 saw the Legion go 55-16-1 with 111 points to win the VC, and then defeat Helsinki in five games to add the CC. One season later the Legion would miss out on the VC by two points before winning the CC, and then S50 saw the Legion do it right again, claiming the double for the fourth and final time. The Legion went 56-11-5 with 117 points to add another VC to their trophy case, and followed that up with a seven game series victory over Davos to win the CC. Vasteras Iron Eagles One time: S26 The Vasteras franchise was in the VHL from S1 to S57 under four different names: Vasteras IK, Madrid Thunder, Vasteras Iron Eagles, and the Stockholm Vikings. Their run in the VHL under the Iron Eagles brand came from S21 to S40, and in that time they managed to make the Continental Cup Final one time, and only won one Victory Cup. Those two events both came together to happen in S26, when the Iron Eagles went 58-10-4 in the regular season, stacking up 120 points. In the playoffs that season, they beat the New York Americans in five games to clinch their only double dip in franchise history. Helsinki Titans Five times: S34, S45, S46, S55, S66 The second of the two teams who have double dipped five times, the Titans did it all five times in a 33 season span. The first 33 seasons for Helsinki saw them win the Victory Cup once (S33), while picking up four Continental Cups (S6, S15, S22, S27). In S34, they opened up an era of dominant seasons. S34 saw the Titans go 55-12-5 with 115 points to win the VC, and they followed it up with a tight seven game series win over Calgary. Just over a decade later, Helsinki doubled up on a double up, going back to back in S45 and S46. In the S45 regular season, the Titans went 52-15-5 with 109 points, and then finished it off by defeating Calgary in seven games again. The following season, S46 saw Helsinki improve to 54-12-6 with 114 points. They also defeated Calgary again, this time in five games, to win the CC and complete their third double dip. Helsinki would win the Continental Cup again in S54, but it would be one more season before they double dipped again. S55 had Helsinki go 58-12-2 with 118 points to win another Victory Cup for the franchise. In the playoffs that season, they would defeat Quebec City in seven games to win the CC. Just more than a decade later (including a CC in S60), the Titans notched their fifth and final double to date. The S66 regular season was a 55-14-3 effort for Helsinki with 113 points, and the playoffs saw them sweep Vancouver to win another title. Quebec City Meute/Vancouver Wolves Four times: S35, S80, S81, S82 Another franchise that has split time in two places, the current Vancouver Wolves were the Quebec City Meute from S31 to S64 before changing cities. The first 49 seasons in franchise history were solid for Quebec City and Vancouver, as they won six Victory Cups (S35, S42, S44, S49, S69, S71) and four Continental Cups (S35, S56, S67, S74). That run included the double dip in S35. In that regular season, Quebec City went 55-14-3 with 113 points to capture their first Victory Cup in just their fifth season. The playoffs ended for them in a six game victory over the Helsinki Titans, capping the fifth season with the first Continental Cup and first double dip. With all due respect to those accolades listed above, the true run of dominance came for Vancouver from S80 to S82. The only franchise in VHL history to accomplish the trifecta of double dips in a row is the Vancouver Wolves, showing a run of dominance that still remains unmatched to this day. The S80 regular season saw Vancouver go 57-11-4 with 118 points, before winning a tight seven game series against Moscow to capture the Continental Cup. The following season had the most wins of this stretch, as the Wolves went 58-12-2, another 118 point season. The CC final brought a familiar foe, and Vancouver closed out Moscow in six games to once again hoist the Cup. In S82, Vancouver capped the trio of doubles with a 53-15-4 record in the regular season. The 110 points was the lowest mark of the three seasons, but it ended up being the quickest playoff finish, as the Wolves swept Moscow aside in four games to defeat them for the third season in a row. Three straight double dips had been unheard of to that point, and seems likely to never be repeated again. Moscow Menace One time: S70 Moscow entered the VHL in S65, and it only took them six seasons to earn their first of six Victory Cups (S70, S74, S76, S83, S84, S89), as well as their first of two Continental Cups (S70, S94). In the regular season in S70, the Menace lived up to their name by going 50-17-5 with 105 points to claim first place in the VHL. They capped off the franchises first and only double dip by defeating the Calgary Wranglers in six games to win their first Continental Cup. Malmo Nighthawks One time: S79 Malmo joined the season following Moscow in S66, and in just their third season (S68) they won the Victory Cup, the first of their four VC's (S79, S92, S93). In that same season, Malmo made it to the Continental Cup final, but couldn't complete the double. A decade after their inception, the Nighthawks won their first Continental Cup in S75. Four seasons later, the Nighthawks accomplished their franchises lone double dip. A regular season that saw them go 53-19-0 with 106 points was followed up by a six game defeat of Seattle to win the Continental Cup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for reading Part 2 of my article! I was really hoping that the S94 Legion could join this list, but it was still a fun article to research!

I had all three medal teams correct, and all in the wrong order lol.

Opening the fifth season of his VHL career, S95 will be one for Harry Callahan that he's not accustomed to. The first day of training camp began today, and Callahan has found himself in a new place: active TPE leader in the VHL. Following the depreciation for the veteran players in the league, along with retirement of others, Callahan now leads the VHL with 1370 active TPE, 20 more than the next highest player (Axle Gunner - 1350). Callahan has been knocking on that door for a while now, and following Leonard Triller's retirement at the end of last season, it became official. This has mostly gone unnoticed, as multiple articles previewing the Toronto Legion last season failed to even mention Callahan despite leading the team in active TPE all season. It is up to Callahan now to have a season that can't go unnoticed, and to ensure that he contributes to Toronto's success as both ends of the ice. With this being the swan song season for Mac Atlas and Jimi Jaks in Toronto, the torch will pass to Harry Callahan and Diego Machado to be the leaders of the forward group.

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. The VHL Draft goes tonight (Monday), and the Legion are picking at 15. Would you draft for positional need at that pick, or just take the best player available? 2. With the talk of new contracts in pro sports in a world of increasing salary caps, if you were one season away from free agency, would you rather take the sure money ahead of that season or chance a bigger payday the following off-season? As an example, the Dallas Cowboys are trying to extend Dak Prescott for current market value ($50m-$55m per season), but it seems like Dak wants to wait until next off-season for a new deal when QB salaries may eclipse $60m per season. 3. After losing Joel Castle in the off-season to retirement, can Toddly Bobbly carry the load in the crease and pick up where Castle left off? 4. With Robert Downey Jr. being revealed as the casting choice for Victor von Doom in the MCU, which other actor/actress would you like to see come out of retirement to re-join a franchise in a different role? 5. Now that VHL Free Agency has opened, which team has improved the most so far for next season? 6. Have you played any of the Grand Theft Auto games? If so, which ones, and are you hyped for GTA VI coming out next year?

After losing in the Continental Cup Finals to the Moscow Menace, the Toronto Legion had to turn their focus to the off-season work before S95 begins. Not having games right now means that it's difficult to wash the taste of the final loss of the season out of their mouths. It was a successful regular season for the Legion, and a primarily successful post-season for the team as well, but it's hard to take solace in the successes when the reminder of the failure at the end is still so strong. Until the new season gets rolling, the focus will have to go to the draft and to roster construction. The Legion will likely see prospects graduate to the VHL level, and see some turnover with the players that were already at the VHL level. The biggest change will come in the crease, as the netminder that has held the starting job for the last eight seasons has retired. In my opinion, the worst part about not being the last team standing at the end of the season is the missed opportunity with the group that you have. No matter what happens each season, it's usually a unique group for that one year. After the season ends, changes come due to retirements, free agency, and trades. Part of that comes from cap issues, and part comes from need for improvement. Missing the chance to win with a group that works well together and gets along is disappointing, and just hurts that much more.

Transaction ID: 4BW68460CX666561H $1m Player Cash Doubles Week 5 Uncapped TPE

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. We lost the Continental Cup final in 6 games. How do we move on from that loss and get focused on the new season coming up? 2. If you could play one sport during the hockey off-season, what would it be? 3. NFL training camps open this week. Who is your Super Bowl favourite this upcoming season? 4. What attribute(s) are you focusing on training during the off-season? 5. With the recent run of "legacy sequels" in Hollywood, which older franchise would you like to see get a new installment? 6. What do you think would a fun field (ie. Astronomy) to learn as a hobby? (I say Astronomy because that's what I'd like to learn more about).

It has been an honour and a pleasure to work and play with you. Joel Castle is a Legion legend, and deserves to go out a Champion.

Week 2 (1000+ words)

With the Legion looking to become the first team since S82 to win both the Victory Cup and the Continental Cup in the same season, I thought that I'd take a look back at the teams who have done so since the league's inception. The list is sorted by the first time that the team accomplished the feat chronologically. Here are the teams: Calgary Wranglers Four times: S3, S8, S19, S62 The Wranglers were the first team to double dip on the big trophies in the same season, but it wasn't for a lack of trying that it didn't happen earlier. Calgary won the Victory Cup in S1 before losing in the Continental Cup Final in six games to Vasteras. The following season in S2, the Wranglers missed out on the Victory Cup, and ended up winning the Continental Cup over Vasteras in a four game sweep. In S3, they put it all together, going 61-6-5 in the regular season to win the VC, before defeating Helsinki in a seven game series to win it all. A handful of seasons later, the Wranglers did it again, posting a 57-12-3 regular season to win the VC with 117 points. They beat Riga in six games in the final to win the S8 CC. Calgary won the VC in S9, along with the CC in S18, but it would be S19 that would see them combine both in the same season again. A 56-14-2 regular season locked up the VC, and a four game sweep of Davos would crown them as CC champs in S19. A more than forty season gap would follow before Calgary won both in the same year again, a gap that included three VC's (S31, S51, S61) and three CC's (S23, S30, S44). In S62, the Wranglers did both again, finishing the regular season at 60-9-3 and 123 points to capture the VC, and followed it up by beating Quebec City in a seven game CC final. Seattle Bears Four times: S4, S5, S28, S73 Seattle must have been inspired by Calgary's dominance in S3, because a season after the Wranglers did it, it was the Bears turn. The Bears went 53-14-5 in the S4 regular season, not quite as many points as were required the previous season to win the VC. The Bears then cruised to a five game CC win over the Stockholm Rams to win their first title. A year after their first time winning either trophy, the Bears were right back at it in S5. This time around, it was a much more dominant regular season, as Seattle went 63-7-2 to capture the VC with 128 points. In the CC Final, they met up with Helsinki, where they dispatched the Titans in a five game series to go back to back. Seattle would win VC's in S6 and S27, as well as CC's in S12 and S17, but it wouldn't be until S28 that they doubled up again. Following a 57-14-1 regular season to clinch the VC, Seattle bested New York in six games to claim the CC as well. 45 seasons later, the Bears had won four VC's (S52, S53, S64, S65) and five CC's (S43, S59, S68, S69, S71) without doing both in the same season. In S73, those came together again, with a 49-18-5 regular season to clinch the VC at 103 points and a six game victory over Helsinki to win the CC. Avangard Havoc/HC Davos Dynamo Five times: S7, S11, S13, S20, S25 One of only two teams to double dip five times, the Avangard/Davos combination comes with a small asterisk due to the franchise name change, but I'll include them together. The Avangard Havoc were around from S2 to S10 before becoming the HC Davos Dynamo, but in that short run they managed to double up in S7. A 57-11-4 regular season of 118 points was enough to clinch the VC, and a six game series win over Calgary notched the CC in that season. In the first season under the rebranded Dynamo in S11, they proceeded to go 59-7-6 with 124 points to win the VC. Another six game series win, this time over Seattle picked up their second franchise double. Only two seasons later, the Dynamo did it again, going 59-10-3 in the regular season for 121 points, and beating New York in seven games to clinch the CC. There was a bit longer gap until the next time, as a whopping seven seasons had passed when Davos did it again in S20. A regular season record of 56-12-4 and 116 points locked up the VC, and a seven game series win over Toronto picked up the back half with the CC. Davos would win the VC in S23 and the CC in S24 before doubling up in S25. Finishing the regular season at 47-17-8 and 102 points, it paved the way for a five game victory over New York to mark the final time to this point that the Havoc/Dynamo would win both in the same season. New York Americans Four times: S14, S39, S41, S47 New York made their first Victory Cup and their first Continental Cup special, as they picked up both in S14. A record of 50-17-5 and 105 points was tops in the VHL in the regular season to secure the VC, and a six game win over Helsinki in the finals added the Americans first CC. A quarter of a century later (along with VC's in S15, S38 and a CC in S32), New York double dipped again. S39's regular season saw the Americans put up 114 points with a record of 54-12-6 to win the VC. A tidy five game series win over Davos allowed the Americans to complete the double that season. That VC was part of four in a row for New York, as they won it again in S40, but it wasn't until S41 that they doubled again. At 59-10-3, New York had 121 points with their VC, and a seven game nailbiter against Riga won them another double. Six seasons (and a movie) later, the Americans would do it once more, their fourth time in franchise history. S47's regular season saw New York put up 119 points and a record of 57-10-5 to win the VC. The playoffs ended with a five game victory over Stockholm to mark the last time that New York would double down. Riga Reign Four times: S16, S57, S58, S63 The Stockholm Thunder/Rams became the Riga Reign in S8. The Stockholm franchise didn't win either a Victory Cup or a Continental Cup in the seven seasons that they were in the league, only making it to one CC final that didn't end in victory. As Riga, the franchise had far more success, winning the VC in S12, and a CC in S10. They pieced together their first double in S16, compiling a record of 53-15-4 (110 points), and their second VC. The playoffs saw them defeat Toronto in a seven game series to accomplish their first franchise double. Almost a half century later, and following three VC's (S16, S32, S56) and three CC's (S33, S40, S51), the Reign doubled dipped on a double dip. S57 saw Riga go 60-7-5 in the regular season for 125 points and the VC. The playoffs wrapped up with a six game win over Quebec City to finish up the first part of their double. S58 was much of the same, as Riga was 56-11-5 in the regular season, posting 117 points and another VC. The CC Final saw them face Seattle this time, winning in six games as well. Five seasons later, and Riga added another double to their list. A 110 point season at 51-13-8 saw them clinch the VC during the regular season, and another six game series win over Calgary wrapped up the last double for the Reign. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for reading Part 1 of my article! Part 2 will be up soon!

Happy Birthday VHL!!! A large party must be had for the league and its members!

Some great seasons by some great players. Happy to see two members of the Legion up there this season, they've both earned it!

The Continental Cup Final matchup is set, and S94's Championship will see the Moscow Menace take on the Toronto Legion. The regular season series between these two teams was incredibly close, with both teams winning 2 games in regulation each, 1 at home and 1 on the road. The combined score in the 4 games was 12-12, and the shots were 161-152 for Toronto. If the Final series maintains that level of closeness, we're in for a dandy of a Final. Here's a breakdown of how the regular season series went: Game 121 Toronto 2 (38 SHT) Moscow 4 (42 SHT) First star: George Richmond (MOS) - 2 G, 6 SHT, 2 HIT Game 137 Toronto 3 (32 SHT) Moscow 2 (30 SHT) First star: Mac Atlas (TOR) - 1 G, 1 A, 10 SHT, 2 HIT, 2 SB Game 227 Moscow 3 (38 SHT) Toronto 2 (53 SHT) First star: Jimi Jaks (TOR) - 1 G, 1 A, 8 SHT, 4 HIT, 1 SB Game 329 Moscow 3 (42 SHT) Toronto 5 (38 SHT) First star: Mac Atlas (TOR) - 1 G, 3 A, 4 SHT, 1 HIT, 2 SB ------------------------------------------- The important note is that these teams haven't played each other since mid-season, so the changes to rosters and lineups that the teams have made over the back half of the season haven't been shown head to head. Moscow leads the playoffs with 11 wins (11-4 overall), having won their opening round Wildcard series against Warsaw 3-1, and following it up with a stunning sweep of London 4-0. Continuing their team of destiny vibes, the Menace fell behind Riga 3-1 before a remarkable comeback to win the series in 7 games. The strength of Moscow's playoff run has been the offense, as they are averaging just over 4 goals a game, and they currently have the top 7 point getters in the playoffs. Moscow's offense has also seen balance, having 8 players average better than a point per game so far. Not to slight the goaltending, as Olober Syko has the third best goals against average in the playoffs at 2.63. Toronto's game in the playoffs has been vastly different from Moscow's. The Legion strength has been in net as Joel Castle has the highest save percentage (.943) and lowest goals against average (1.78) in the league. The Legion have won 8 games in the two rounds that they've played (8-1 overall), after sweeping Vancouver 4-0 and defeating Seattle 4-1. The Legion offense has been a little more top heavy than Moscow's has, with the Legion having 6 players averaging better than a point per game so far. The series will possibly come down to special teams, and Moscow holds the advantage in these playoffs so far. The Menace powerplay is running at a VHL best 22.39%, while the Legion have struggled to a third worst 11.11%. The penalty kills for each team are very close, with Moscow at 83.33% and Toronto at 83.72%. Hopefully we're in for a fun Final!

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. The Legion need 4 more wins to win our second Continental Cup in four seasons. What's it going to take to beat Moscow or Riga? 2. Did you see the original Twister from 1996, and will you be seeing the new Twisters "sequel"? 3. Joel Castle is looking like the early favourite for Legion Playoff MVP. Can anybody else catch him? 4. Any big plans for the off-season coming up? 5. Moscow or Riga, who are we going to face in the Cup Final? 6. What is your favourite Mel Brooks movie? If you don't have one, you've got to get on that.

What a special regular season in Toronto this year. The Legion finished the regular season with the franchise's highest points total (111) since S67 (113), winning the Victory Cup. The focus now shifts to the postseason, but it's important to acknowledge the regular season highlights before the real stuff begins. Here's a look back at the highlights of this regular season: Toronto Tops the Leaderboards Legion players led the league in the following statistical categories this season: - Points (Jaks: 131) - Goals (Jaks: 62) - Assists (Bob: 92) - Shots (Callahan: 634) - Forward Points (Jaks: 131) - Defense Points (Bob: 111) - Plus/Minus (Jaks: +55) - Game Winning Goals (Jaks: 15) - Hat Tricks (Jaks: 4) Castle Sets Career High in Wins Joel Castle has had five straight seasons with 32 wins or more, but in his final season in the VHL, he set a career high of 43 wins. He also moved into second place all time in regular season wins for the Legion, a testament to his spectacular career and longevity in the blue and white. He now sets his sights on becoming the winningest playoff goalie in Toronto history. Stellar Rookie Season For Dukat Gul Dukat made the jump from the VHLE to the VHL this season, and it was a spectacular season to kick off his career. Dukat topped the 50 point mark as a defender, finishing one point back of the lead for rookie defenders. Dukat led the Legion in hits by defenders, penalty minutes, and finished second in shot blocks, providing solid defense all season. This is the start of a bright career in the VHL for Dukat. Jaks and Machado Make Magic Jimi Jaks and Diego Machado joined together for Game #21 of the season this year, and what followed was a massive season of offensive production. Both players set career highs in Goals, Assists, Points, Plus/Minus, Shots, Hits, Game Winning Goals, and Powerplay Goals. It was an incredibly impressive season, on that the Legion will need to continue in the playoffs to achieve the goal of winning it all.

Toronto Legion Press Conference (2 TPE for answering all six questions) 1. The playoffs are here, and we've got Vancouver in the first round. Who is the biggest threat that we have to shut down on their roster? 2. What did your player do during the break between the end of the regular season and the start of this round? 3. What are you happiest about your players regular season? 4. Who is an actor/actress that you'll watch pretty much anything that they show up in? 5. Diego Machado just signed an extension with the Legion, becoming the latest player to extend all the way until retirement. How special is it that we have so many good players willing to stay together for the long haul? 6. What are your favourite pizza toppings?

Awfully happy that you're still here in Toronto!! Go Legion!

The Cage 90's action trifecta of The Rock, Face/Off, and Con Air is legendary.