Brooding

[der meister 3,247]

Ryuji Sakamoto and the Toronto Legion are struggling. Actually, that's a massive understatement. The Legion are officially the VHL's bottom team in either conference, with the league's worst offense, and have now surrendered the second-most goals against. I have not heard Sakamoto speak in three days, and he scowls like a 14-term Congressional Republican presented with a bill to protect the rights of America's trans youth. His diet has changed to one largely of convenience, save for his morning protein shake. The hours he spends out of the apartment, in the weight room, are quickly becoming borderline obsessive. The team's -22 goal differential rates as the worst in the league, a fact that I know rankles the young Japanese defender.

 

Sakamoto's individual stats aren't up to his standards, either. With just a single goal and 5 assists in 14 games, he's on pace to match last season's point total of 31. Defensively, he's registered 40 in both hits and blocked shots, which puts him on pace to eclipse the 200 milestone in both categories. For comparison's sake, Sakamoto ended last season with 159 hits and 102 blocked shots, so there is certainly a noticeable improvement in his own zone. His 40 blocked shots are good for second in the league, trailing Riga's Nils Tallinder, who has 45, while the hit total places him firmly outside the top 10.

Perhaps the Legion management are treating this as a developmental year, giving young players like Sakamoto, centers Tyler Busser and Calen McKay, and winger Cole Caufield Jr and opportunity to develop as the Legion's new core. Unfortunately, those 4 players have combined for only 11 points to go along with a combined -21 on the season.

 

In terms of the veteran presence, centers Armani Calamari and Matty Fire lead the team offensively, with 13 and 11 points respectively. Defenseman Sting Chameleon, who is from the same draft class as those center, is the team's leading offensive threat from the blueline with 10 points so far this season. Goaltender Oskar Lindbergh, again from that same Season 80 draft class, has a 0.902 save percentage and a 3.40 goals against average.

 

Sakamoto burst into the townhouse while I was looking up statistics, throwing his bag carelessly onto the living room floor. There is no greeting, no acknowledgement of my presence. I can hear him move to the refrigerator and pull out a glass container of leftovers. He doesn't bother to heat it up before eating, which he does quickly and in silence. Moments later I hear the container being slammed into the dishwasher before he stalks upstairs to the small gym he has assembled. Within moments, I hear the telltale clanging of iron. The time it takes to get from the practice rink to home is barely more than 30 minutes. Add in the 5 minutes, generously speaking, that Sakamoto spent eating, and he's still well under an hour from his previous workout.

 

This is a determined young man. Of this, I have never doubted. Now, however, I begin to question if his determination is getting the better of him. I hope, for his sake, the fortunes of the Legion turn around soon.

 

A rare, silent moment for the home gym

[nurx 914]

6 minutes ago, der meister said:

he scowls like a 14-term Congressional Republican presented with a bill to protect the rights of America's trans youth.

nice