Part 3 before and since: S64 & S65 Toronto Legion

[ROOKIE745 571]

Hello and welcome to part 3 of before and since with the S64 and S65 Legion, we've covered all the over lapping players between the two cups now it's time to look at the players who were only there for one of the cup wins. I had to make a choice on how to go about this and well I decided to go by forwards, defense-men and then goalies, in this post I'll be looking at the two forwards that just played on the S64 roster and in the next post the three S65 forwards. In this case I'm gonna split the forwards up, the two from S64 in this one and the three from S65 in the next post. The next two after will be on the four D-men and the three goalies. Let's get started now shall we?

 

S64 Forwards

Sebastian Ironside

VHLM: Ottawa Lynx

Alright so this is a first time but I could not find where Ironside was drafted at, I checked the S59,S60 and even the S61 drafts but couldn't find him, maybe it has something to do with him being a GM player? Either way we do have his VHLM stats, playing the one season in the M for Ottawa Ironside put up good totals, 11 goals, 42 assists for 53 points. He also landed just shy of 100 hits. In the post season the Lynx would push all the way to finals where they would loose to the Saskatoon Wild, he would put up 19 points in 13 games, 9 of them goals. For this he won the Skylar Rift trophy as playoff MVP.

 

VHL: Toronto Legion, Seattle Bears, Calgary wranglers

Now we move onto the real meat of his career. Again I am unable to find draft position so I once again assume it's because he's a GM player. He would spend his first four seasons in Toronto. In his rookie season he 13 goals, 29 assists for for 42 points, not to bad at all. His shots and hits are also very high through out his career, for this season they were 196 shots and 212 hits. No post season action in his rookie season. Season two saw him reach above a point per game with 21 goals, 53 assists for 74 points, 277 shots and 226 hits. Again no post season. In lucky season number three he would hit some career highs, his first and only season above 50 goals with 56, 59 assists for 115 points. Follow that up with 501 shots and 310 hits and you have a guy who won three awards in S63, the Scotty Campbell trophy, the Kevin Brooks Trophy and the Dustin Funk Trophy. Goals, points and shots were all career highs for him in this season. Two post season games with two points split evenly. Going into the big season of S64 Ironside would still put up fantastic totals, another season above 100 points with 108, 34 goals and 74 assists, 480 shots and 313 hits. 74 assists and 313 hits are career highs. In the playoffs he scored 18 points in 12 games, 8 of them goals. 73 shots and 45 hits, while he got no individual awards the team won the cup and that's what matters most.

 

Following the cup win though Ironside would find himself on the move, I don't know if it's for cap reasons or a FA choice, or maybe something to do with being a GM player but he would find himself in Seattle for one season. 43 goals, 66 assists for 109 points, 446 shots and 222 hits. While his hits took a big dive it was seemingly a good fit in Seattle as they would win the Victory cup for most points in the regular season. Playoff wise only 6 games and two points, again split evenly. Despite a good season Ironside was on the move again, this time to Calgary which would be his home for his final three seasons. In his fourth and last 100 point season he netted 36 goals and had 64 helpers for 100 points. 372 shots and 257 hits. In the post season 7 games, 2 goals, 7 assists for 9 points. Season 67 would be his last above 30 goals and a point per game with 77 points, 33 goals, 44 assists. Shots 313 and 267 hits. Another 7 games in the playoffs this time only 4 points, 3 of them goals. In his final season 61 points, 27 goals and 34 assists, 275 shots and 246 hits. In his last post season appearance he played 11 games and 8 points, 5 goals and 3 assists. The last three season were rough playoff wise but Ironside was still one hell of a player, 263 goals, 423 assists, 686 points, 2860 shots, and 2053 hits.

 

Lavar Ball

VHLM: Ottawa Lynx

drafted 5th by Las Vegas in season 57, he would never play for his draft team, instead he would play for the team he played for before he was drafted, that being the Ottawa Lynx. In 24 games in season 56 he scored 4 goals and had 6 points, playoffs he got 7 points in 11 games, 3 goals and 4 assists. After the draft he ended back up in Ottawa I presume via trade, 70 games in S57 44 goals, 38 assists for 82 points, 271 shots on net that season. Post season 10 games played, 3 goals and 2 assists. Heading into his final season in the M and with Ottawa he played his best hockey yet, 71 goals, 83 assists, for 154 points, 515 shots on net. Despite all of that no awards, that's kinda shocking until you remember that Adam Warlock was on his team that same season, you know the guy that scored 255 points? 101 more than Ball managed. Probably carried by his teammate in that regard in the post season he had 17 points in 10 games, 8 goals and 9 assists. With a cup win he moved up to the big leagues like Warlock did.

 

VHL: Quebec Meute, New York Americans, Riga Reign, Toronto Legion, Calgary Wranglers

  As you can gather from above Ball moved around the league a lot, never spending more than two seasons with one team. Wait though, aren't we missing something? Well much like Ironside I can't find Ball in any VHL draft, I checked S57, 58 and S59 but couldn't find him, I think he would have been mostly likely in the S58 draft but I am unsure. His rookie season in S59 he scored 8 goals and 18 assists for 26 points. I imagine this left Quebec wanting as he did just come off a 154 point season in the M, however he wasn't going anywhere yet, S60 he made improvements scoring 22 goals and getting 36 helpers for 58 points. Despite improved play he would be on the move to New York. In his first and only Season with New York he had his best season in all three categories, 33 goals, 39 assists for 72 points, his only point per game season in his career as well as the only time he had positive +/-. He would also see post season action for the first time, going 11 games deep and netting 6 goals, 7 assists for 13 points. Despite the success his stay in NY was short, moving to Riga for season 62. Now on his third team already Ball would have another solid season, 32 goals, 29 assists for 61 points while also putting 403 shots on net that season, 30 more than last season and only the second time above 300. Seeing the post season again he scored 4 points split evenly in 3 games, hey he tried his best out there.

 

Once again despite some success Toronto came calling would be his home for the next two seasons, worthy of note is that he got to reunite with Adam Warlock in Toronto. However this did not guarantee success, in his first season with the Legion he scored 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points, in the post season no points in two games. I imagine the Legion were willing to keep him around so he remained. S64 he scored 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points, in the playoffs he would score at a point per game pace, 12 points in 12 games, 8 assists and 4 goals. As we know they won the cup that season. Sadly Toronto didn't want to keep Ball around so he was shipped off to his fifth and final team. In 73 games played meaning he was traded mid season or at least near the start, he would score the same exact totals as last season, this time though no post season action, and so that was the end of the career for Lavar Ball. If I can say anything about him is that he was a playoff proformer, in 28 playoff games he had 29 points, 12 goals and 17 assists. He was at or above a point per game pace in 3 of his 4 playoff appearances. Take away those 2 games from S63 and he has 29 points in 26 games. His regular season production may have left you wanting more in most seasons but this guy came up big when it mattered most, in the playoffs.

 

(word count 1566)

Edited September 26, 2021 by ROOKIE745

[ROOKIE745 571]

claiming for first time Aug 8th.

[ROOKIE745 571]

claiming for second time Aug 15th

[Baby Boomer 564]

8/10

Wow! i can clearly see that you did a lot of research and that you put a lot of effort. It is nice to know every players career and how they did during these one.

Maybe space a little bit your text so it won't be big walls of word. It will be easier to read, but your text is very well written. 

 

[ROOKIE745 571]

claiming for third and final time August 29th