Toronto Legion Season 83 VHL Draft Recap

[Doomsday 4,130]

 

 

After being hired as the new general manager of the Toronto Legion, Thomas Landry II faced his first big test as GM with the Season 83 VHL Entry Draft. Off-season developments, such as trading goaltender Boris Tsezar @comrade cat to the HC Davos Dynamo and acquiring Paul Atreides @Mr_Hatter and Aurelien Moreau @Frank from the Moscow Menace set Toronto up with a strong roster to compete with in Season 83, while also providing the team with seven picks in a Season 84 VHL Entry Draft anticipated to be loaded with talent. But before Landry II could look too far ahead, the Season 83 VHL Entry Draft loomed, in which Toronto still had three selections, including seventh overall. With the loss of promising prospects such as Otto Numminen @Otto Numminen to sudden retirement, along with the activity of Harkat Mulds @hylands and George Sanderson @SpicyGecko dropping off, hitting on their first round pick would be absolutely essential to any future success for the Toronto Legion. 

 

However, Landry II had gotten himself a nice head start on preparations. As the assistant general manager, he had started with scouting and interviewing prospects more than a week before officially being named the general manager of Toronto, leaving nothing to chance. With early priorities seeming to lean towards selecting a forward, Toronto was tied to top forward prospects such as Scotty Sundin @fromtheinside, Igor Molotov @Dom, Leandro Goncalves @leandrofg, Ivan Retoslav @eagle_3450, and Tomas Sogaard @Brandon, with Landry II quite pleased with each interview. However, with the activity of George Sanderson dropping off, resulting in Aurelien Moreau coming over in a trade, the need for a blue liner for the future ramped up, and Landry II needed to take a harder look at defense prospects.

 

Despite interviewing Hammer Voss @BUM, Ryuji Sakamoto @der meister, and AirRig GoodSunBrand @Rhynex Entertainment, it initially seemed like Siyan Yasilievich @badcolethetitan would be the one available at seventh overall, and after an interview that left Landry II convinced this was the right pick and fit for the Toronto Legion, the matter seemed sealed. However, Yasilievich had similarly endeared themselves to Alex Johnston @Alex and the HC Davos Dynamo, who went slightly off the board and selected Yasilievich fourth overall. With GoodSunBrand going fifth overall to the Calgary Wranglers, it ensured that either Hammer Voss or Ryuji Sakamoto would drop to Toronto at 7th overall. With Frank Funk @Rayzor_7 unable to resist letting Hammer Voss drop any further, all the guesswork was removed for Landry II and the Toronto Legion, as there was no hesitation on their selection: Ryuji Sakamoto. A defensive defenseman that isn't afraid to play the body, this is the type of blue liner that Oskar Lindbergh surely can't wait to have protecting the net. 

 

 

Having satisfied the pressing need for a blue chip defenseman prospect, Toronto's next pick would not come until the 25th overall pick in the second round. Having scouted prospects such as PJ Daniels @xNJDevilsFanx and Justin Adolfsen @NJDevils24, there was little chance at them falling to 25th, and it did not happen. However, there was one prospect that Landry II had been eyeing all along: Calen McKay, represented by legendary VHL builder @Kendrick. With a vast pedigree of success in the VHL, McKay's work ethic and promise made him an attractive option for Landry II. Amazingly, McKay made it all the way to 25th overall for Toronto, and again Toronto did not have to hesitate to make the selection, and the Legion added another quality talent to their prospect pool.

 

Waiting from 7th to 25th was a long ordeal, but it paled until their next selection: 55th overall, in the fourth round. Late round selections are all about finding value and potential, and despite the fact that Season 84's draft is being touted as the deeper class, there were still several gems waiting in the final round of the Season 83 VHL Entry Draft. While Toronto was hoping to acquire a back-up goaltender after moving Boris Tsezar earlier in the off-season, Zack Gagnon @InstantRockstar had the same idea, selecting Cory Evans @Spaceium to the Los Angeles Stars' prospect pool at 54th overall, just one selection before Toronto. However, Landry II was prepared, and had another prospect in mind: forward Alexandre Forgues @Alex99. Despite not taking the ice in Season 82, Forgues continued to work on improving themselves, and became the fourth round selection for the Toronto Legion, along with a seventh round selection by the Geneva Rush of the VHLE. Forgues was drafted by the Ottawa Lynx in the Season 83 VHLM Dispersal Draft, and will be reporting there to officially begin his VHL career. But if his appearance at team facilities this week is any indication, this is a prospect that's going to continue to work hard and take aim at reaching the VHL one day. Not bad at all for a fourth round selection at all.

 

Even after the VHL Draft was over, however, there was more work to be done. Team scouts had informed Landry II of a prospect to keep an eye on in the fourth round, however, it turned out this player went undrafted, and was available as an undrafted free agent. Despite going undrafted, the player returned to practice, perhaps the reason they had gone unnoticed to begin with, and it was all the motivation that Toronto needed to make their move. Once free agency discussions officially began, Landry II contacted Brodie Landry III @Brodie_Landry (no relation), and an agreement was quickly reached. Although he wasn’t drafted, Brodie Landry III became the fourth Season 83 prospect to join the Toronto Legion, which in my eyes counts enough as a draft addition. Slated to play with the San Diego Marlins of the VHLM in Season 83, Landry III now has the opportunity to continue to work on his skills while working their way towards reaching the VHL with the Toronto Legion.

 

 

With uncertainty in Toronto's future, it was imperative for Landry II to deliver with the Season 83 VHL Entry Draft, and early signs are very promising. Ryuji Sakamoto is a player that Toronto was thrilled to get at seventh overall that should make a big impact both on and for the team in upcoming seasons. Calen McKay is a player with a lot of potential, and with Paul Atreides not getting any younger, he could wind up being an important piece of the puzzle in the Legion's future. Alexandre Forgues and Brodie Landry III are both players who fell deep (or in Landry III's case, off of) the draft board, but still could factor into Toronto's long-term plans if they stick with it. All in all… it's an off-season to be happy with for Toronto.

 

Jethro Novacek is an award-winning writer for the MSFL Times, an esteemed and quality purveyor of simulation sports news. He enjoys a good pretzel, binge-watching Mythbusters, and multi-week claims.

Edited April 11, 2022 by Doomsday

[eagle_3450 278]

Igor!!!!?!!?!?!?!?!?!???!?!

[BOOM 8,760]

Helsinki blinked first and will probably regret it. You lucked out! 

[leandrofg 1,163]

7 hours ago, eagle_3450 said:

Igor!!!!?!!?!?!?!?!?!???!?!

 

Dooms be sleeping

 

But "Leon" will be my second nickname, for sure!!

[eagle_3450 278]

2 hours ago, leandrofg said:

 

Dooms be sleeping

 

But "Leon" will be my second nickname, for sure!!

OMG he did it twice?

[leandrofg 1,163]

38 minutes ago, eagle_3450 said:

OMG he did it twice?

In a row!! Igor and Leon are going to be a great tandem in Vasteras!

[Doomsday 4,130]

5 minutes ago, leandrofg said:

In a row!! Igor and Leon are going to be a great tandem in Vasteras!

 

I don't know what you're talking about.

 

Claiming for week ending 4/17 - 2/2

[leandrofg 1,163]

1 hour ago, Doomsday said:

 

I don't know what you're talking about.

 

Claiming for week ending 4/17 - 2/2