Rookie Experience - Joel Castle

[animal74 1,821]

Joel Castle

Rookie Experience

 

Position: Goaltender

Nationality: Canada 

Drafted: 1st Round / 13th Overall / S86

Rookie Year: S87

Team: Toronto Legion 

 

 

I had a lot of different thoughts when I first landed in Toronto to join the Legion for the S87 season. I was excited to play in my home country again after two seasons away, even if I was going to be playing in the Eastern Time zone.  I knew coming into Toronto that the team was under new management and most likely rebuilding. I (thought I) knew that I would be the backup to the underrated Oskar Lindbergh, but that assumption dissolved when Lindbergh was traded to the Calgary Wranglers shortly after I arrived. That was a bit of a shock – now I was going to be the defacto starter! I was nervous but also thrilled as this was the opportunity that I had been working for my whole career.

 

My first game was against the Los Angeles Stars. I was super nervous and although I stopped four LA shots before allowing my first VHL goal at 4:07 of the first period on a power play. I was determined to shake it off and refocus and I did for the most part stopping 28 of 32 shots in a 4-2 loss.

 

My (and the team’s) first win didn’t come until the eighth game. We were playing the 5-2 Moscow Menace and I was feeling it that night. We were up 1-0 and I had stopped all 30 shots over two periods. We were pushing in the third but Nico Pearce was buzzing, had a few chances that missed and then snuck one by me. Tie game. Overtime solved nothing so we went to the shootout. Moscow’s first shooter was Nico Pearce. This time I stopped him. Then came Tomas Sogaard. I stopped him too. Then we scored. And the legendary Ronan Lavelle skated to center. He came at me with speed, did a head fake and snapped a shot – right into my glove. We had won! I had stopped three of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the shootout for my first career win and it felt awesome. I would get my second win two games later against Malmo where I saved 51 of 52 shots in a 3-1 victory. It was then that I knew I could play in this league.

 

Castle celebrates his first VHL win against Moscow.

 

I played 60 games during the season and won 19 games – 7 in either overtime or a shootout. I only got pulled three times although I did have some bad games. I cemented myself as one of the better 1-on-1 goalies in the league winning my last four shootouts (although I had lost the four before – three of those to Seattle). We also finished the season on a high note going 5-3 in the final eight games.

 

One thing that I appreciate the most about my rookie season with Toronto was the comradery in the locker room and the transparency management had with the team. Everyone on the team seemed to understand that it would be a rough season in the standings but we all just had fun with it and tried to instill a hard-working yet laid back culture where we could make mistakes and be helped up not beat up. I also am indebted to GM Nils Godlander @Moon for first of all drafting me, but then also including me in the leadership group even though I wasn’t a captain. And I am thankful to the captains (Kyle Peace @Peace, Mac Altas @v.2 , and CDS Leb @CDS_Leb) for letting me tag along and find my voice.

 

I’m looking forward to the next few seasons. I know there will be some challenges but I expect that the young core will grow together and build a long-term contender that will eventually bring a Cup back to Toronto.  

Edited April 4, 2023 by animal74