It's time to talk about Tommy Sleeves

[Victor 11,143]

I think it's time to talk about Tommy Sleeves. A rookie during Helsinki's last run to the finals in S91, he has gone through his prime as the Titans have gone through a long and painful rebuild. Sleeves' loyalty has been rewarded in the history books though as his physical, defensive style has benefited from playing on one of the league's worst teams.
 

A rough-playing defenceman, Sleeves has racked up the PIM in the last 3 seasons with the tallies of 290, 294, and 336 respectively all in the top 14 highest PIM totals in a single season. That latest mark of 336 is particularly notable as it allowed Sleeves to break the stranglehold that Da'Brickashaw O'Neal has held on the record for over 80 seasons. Sleeves now has the second highest total of all time and finished just 20 PIM off O'Neal's record in S96.

 

With 1,540 PIM in his career, Sleeves is currently in 9^th place on the all-time leaderboard and only 318 away from Peter Payne's long-standing record set when he retired in S15. With two seasons to play, it seems inevitable that record will fall unless referees stop penalising Sleeves completely.

 

Sleeves has also been racking up the hits with two 400+ hit seasons landing him in the top 25 of single season records. His latest entry of 411 in S96 was 50 away from Gabriel McAllister's record although it will take a monumental effort to improve on that mark. On the career rankings, hits is probably out of reach but he could feasibly land in the top 15. In any case, that's a record already held by @dasboot's previous player, Vinny Detroit.

 

Finally, Sleeves got first entry on the top 25 most shots blocked in a season, with 272 in S96 placing him 13^th of all time. He's 443 SBs away from David Jokinen's record of 1,513, which is doable if he keeps up his S95-S96 pace and is arguably more impressive as he'll have beaten it in an 8-season career rather than 9.

[Banackock 8,318]

No thank you as a GM but taking home some solid records! I like it. 

[Daniel Janser 2,269]

Judging by the punishment his body takes they probably have to roll him out on a gurney on his retirement day.

[Victor 11,143]

4 hours ago, Daniel Janser said:

Judging by the punishment his body takes they probably have to roll him out on a gurney on his retirement day.

The only punishment being taken is by those being flattened by Mr Sleeves

[Daniel Janser 2,269]

6 minutes ago, Victor said:

The only punishment being taken is by those being flattened by Mr Sleeves

While I hold that both bodies involved in a check suffer to a certain degree, I was more referring to serving as a back stop for high velocity hard rubber discs (aka Shot blocking)...

[Victor 11,143]

S97 update (with 1 sim to go).

 

Sleeves is the all-time defenceman leader in PIM!  Needs 21 more to beat Peter Payne's overall record which has stood since S15. Just 5 fights Tommy and you've done it.

 

Edwin Encarnacion is the only man standing behind Sleeves and the all-time defenceman hits record. Less than 300 hits in it, a mark Sleeves has cleared in each of the last 4 seasons.

 

Blocked shots will be difficult. Another 200 (which Sleeves has done twice in a season) would put him 2nd, but still 51 short of David Jokinen's record. So he'll nearly need to match his career best of 272 from S96 which is a tall order. But he should comfortably end up the leader among 8-season players.