Toronto Legion

[Will 4,660]

The S9 Toronto Legion

In Toronto, hockey is seen as much more than just a game. It is a religion in a city of die-hard fans who bleed blue and white. For the people of Toronto, hockey is right up there with god and family, and the fans have grown to love their hockey clubs in a way few other cities have embraced their local franchises. Hockey is a past time that fans of Toronto will share with their children, so one day their children can share their love for hockey with their children. Through all the highs and lows, the fans will always be their to share in the glory and also the failures, supporting their teams through thick and thin. And while the Maple Leafs haven't given the fans much to celebrate since 1967, the Toronto Legion have always been their for the people of Toronto, Ontario.

The Legion are not only one of the longest tenured teams in the VHL today, but the franchise is one of the more decorated and highly touted teams to grace the VHL. With 4 Continental Cups, 7 Victory Cups, 11 North American Conference Championships in their trophy case and 15 Hall Of Famers calling Toronto their home at one point in their careers, the Legion's history in the VHL is best summed up by one word, illustrious. The Legion have become a staple in the VHL through its members' hard work and dedication and nothing better represents the Legion way of life than the Toronto Legion team of Season 9. Through hard work and dedication, general manager Mike Szatkowski was able to not only assemble one of the greatest teams to ever touch the ice in the VHL, with six of their eleven players being named to the All-Star Game and 5 of those players destined to be enshrined into the VHL Hall Of Fame, but also brought Toronto their first Continental Cup in their glorious 42 season history.

S9 was one for the record books for the Toronto Legion. Not only was it their first franchise Continental Cup victory, but they iced one of the strongest line-ups to ever play in the league. Six of the eleven players who donned the blue and white were named all-stars, and there was almost no hardware won that season that didn't belong to the Legion. Add in the fact that five of the members of this squad would go on to become Hall of Fame inductees (Brooks, Snelheid, Szatkowski, Walser and Gegeny) and it's easy to see that this is possibly one of the best teams to ever hit the ice.

S9 Toronto Legion Lines

Wolfgang Stein – Kevin Brooks © – Branden Snelheid (A)

Kered Jones – Mike Szatkowski – Dany Ribody

Jochen Walser (A) – Ilya Kliment

Markus Sedin – Alex Kachur

Alex Gegeny

S9 Toronto Legion Hall Of Famers

Mike Szatkowski - C
Birthplace: Buffalo, USA
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 207 lbs
Jersey Number: 7
Drafted: S3 AVN (1/2)
Username: Mike

Season 9 was a big one for the Toronto Legion and a lot of it was due to yeoman's work put in by the one and only, Mike Szatkowski. Mike was traded to the Legion before the beginning of S9 where he became the GM of the team and lover of many players, or at least loved by the players.. but let's not get into that. His trade from Vasteras (now known as Stockholm) saw Szatkowski, an established star player, become a league executive which many wrote off as a mistake due to his potential just playing the game. How would he handle double duty? Coming off of a 159 point season, Szatkowski was arguably the best player in the VHL but was still missing that Continental Cup which he craved (like the cupcake).  He came close in season 8 but lost to Riga in the finals and once he became GM in Toronto, he knew this may be one of his last chances at getting the Cup. Szatkowski wanted to win badly, he would do anything to win, so he decided to take matters into his own dirty hands. The power of GMing was getting to his head at the time, I can still recall the first words he spoke to the team as he addressed the public,

Bow down to your new GM.

A frightening image was painted by Szatkowski but this fear powered his team to a tie for first in the North American conference. The players followed his every order and placed their inability to rebel, better known as trust, in Szatkowski's broad shoulders. He was managing his role as player and executive quite well. His own production dipped slightly, Szatkowski still scored 116 points but the important thing was that he helped the team get to the finals against the Reign. The same team that crushed his dreams only a year earlier. Would history repeat itself? Tune in next week Nay, this time the Legion would come out on top as Gods among men in the VHL. The Continental Cup was home.

Making the all star game, having awards.. to some that means everything, means more than winning the cup itself. To the true athlete, they know what little those accomplishments mean at the end of the day. So what does matter to a proven winner like Szatkowski? He is quite proud of not only winning the cup, but managing the team the way he did. When asked about his accomplishments Mike said,

I'm not being an agent again till I take over as a GM somewhere.  Anyone I touch is pretty much too good to be drafted.

We know Szatkowski is joking, but no one may ever come close to being as good as he was as a player. But definitely no one will ever manage a team as brilliantly as he did in Season 9, which indeed was too good.

C Kevin Brooks

Birthplace: Westbrook, USA

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 186 lbs

Jersey: 26

Drafted: S6 TOR (1/3)

If anyone had to choose the star of the Toronto Legion's first Continental Cup winning team, chances are it would be Kevin Brooks. His selection at third overall was a catalyst for a successful build that would culminate in a Season 9 Continental Cup. Kevin Brooks made a strong impact in the VHL, especially for the Toronto Legion, from the moment he set foot in the league and will be remembered as on of the greatest players to don a Legion jersey.

After suffering early exits to the Calgary Wranglers in both Season 7 and 8, the Legion were desperate to win their first championship, something the five different franchises had already accomplished by the end of Season 7. Kevin Brooks was developing into a dominant player, winning the Bossy Trophy to be named the top rookie in the VHL in Season 6 only to be followed up by two consecutive 100 point campaigns. The Legion had an incredible core up to that point but the question remained: could captain Kevin Brooks put it all together to achieve more than regular season success and finally bring excitement to Toronto?

Well, if anyone questioned the Legion's ability to overcome the Wranglers, it would be hard to argue with their regular season performance in Season 9. Kevin Brooks put together his best season to date, picking up 128 points and 63 goals, both top marks in the league. Not only did he win the Lemiuex Trophy as the league's top point scorer and the Joe Malone Trophy, which would be named after Brooks in Season 32, as the leading goal scorer but he put together an MVP caliber season, helping the Legion become a Continental Cup Favorite. In fact, he picked up the Gretzky Trophy as the league's most valuable player as the Legion finished the season with the North American Conference's top record.

In the playoffs, Toronto was, for the third consecutive season, pitted up against the rival Wranglers who had beaten them in each of the previous two playoff matchups. This time, something was a little different as the Legion came into the playoffs on fire. Led by Kevin Brooks, they absolutely dismantled the Wranglers, sweeping them to advance to the finals against the Riga Reign, another team seeking its first Continental Cup. The two teams played a hard-fought series all the way through the seventh and final game. In fact, it took overtime in the final game to decide a winner, with the Legion winning their first VHL championship and solidifying their place in the VHL.

Brooks was not only the best player for Toronto in this cup-winning season but he was very clearly the top player in the entire league. Brooks will always be looked upon as a model in Toronto for not only being an immensely talented player but for being an exceptional leader. Some may say that the Season 43 Legion have as good a chance at the Continental Cup as they've had in seasons and it would be a shame if they didn't look to the Season 9 Legion team as the standard for how they should play and approach a season in which anything short of a cup would be a major disappointment.

RW - Branden Snelheid
Birthplace: Bern, Switzerland
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 183 lbs
Jersey Number: 40
Drafted: S5 HSK (1/2)
Username: Quik

After starting his career off as a member of the Helsinki Titans organization, Banden Snelheid would be traded to Toronto in S8 to continue Hall Of Fame career as a member of the Legion. A generally underrated player for most of his stint in Helsinki, it was only until he came to Toronto that Snelheid would be recognized for his greatness.

A former Continental Cup Champion and a one time All-Star for the Titans, Snelheild was a forced to be reckoned with on the offensive side of the ice. But going into his third season as a pending free agent, Helsinki was looking to move the young, offensively gifted winger before he potentially hit the market. That is where the Legion would come in. Looking to add another threat to their offense to complement future Hall Of Famers Scotty Campbell and Kevin Brooks, Toronto would pull off a blockbuster to acquire the young forward out of Switzerland. Surrounded by elite talent, Snelheid would instantly click as a member of the Legion, breaking the fifty goal mark on his way to 103 points in the S8 campaign. Unfortunately, the Legion would fall short of their Continental Cup dreams, as Toronto was knocked out of the playoffs by the Calgary Wranglers in six games. Snelheid would struggle against the Wranglers, only posting up two assists and a minus three over the six game series, but this would only light a fire under not only the young swiss forward, but the Toronto Legion as a whole.

In S9, the Legion would make it back to the playoffs behind a strong offensive showing for Snelheid, who would eclipse the 100 point mark for a fourth straight season. Even without arguably the best player of all time in Scotty Campbell by his side, Snelheid would score 57 goals and tally 57 assists as the Toronto Legion would go on to tie the defending champion Calgary Wranglers for best team in the league with 116 points in the S9 campaign. While the Wranglers would find themselves with home ice advantage in their bout with the Legion, but it wouldn't faze Toronto, as the Legion would get their revenge by sweeping Calgary in four straight games. But the matchup against the EU Conference Champs, the Riga Reign, wouldn't go so smoothly as the two team battled it out in a seven game series that would go down as one of the best series in VHL history. Down 3-2 in the closing minutes of game seven, Snelheid would show why he was so highly sought after by the Legion the previous season. Snelheid would tie up the game with seven minutes left in the third, sending the game into overtime, where once again, the young winger would play a huge role for the Legion. Two minutes into the sudden death overtime, Snelheid would fire a shot on net which was deflected by teammate Jochen Walser, thus sealing the victory and first ever Continental Cup for the Toronto organization.

Snelheid would go on to be named to the All-Star game in S9 and would play out the rest of his six year career with the Legion. S9 cemented his legacy with the team, not only making Snelheid a fan favorite throughout Ontario, but also made him one of the greatest players to ever don the blue and white in the VHL. His hard work, dedication, and never die attitude helped the Legion kick off their illustrious history and without the young winger, might have had to wait even longer to give their fans what they deserved the most, something to be proud of in the city of Toronto.

D - Jochen Walser
Birthplace: Hamburg, Germany
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220 lbs
Jersey Number: 2
Drafted: S5 VIK (1/1)
Username: marshall_22

Jochen Walser was already named to the All-Time Toronto Legion team of our generation, and he returns in a big way in our coverage of the S9 Toronto Legion. Walser joined the Legion in S6 and would proceed to be a big leader and performer on the squad for the next few seasons. His play would elevate the Legion to a top tier team and eventually a Continental Cup champion.

Walser's performance in S9 was the best to date for his career and award-worthy. He was a determining factor in the Legion pushing for first in the North American Conference and was their best player in the post-season. Walser tallied 99 points in the regular season, with 30 goals and 69 assists. Those numbers would put him at the top of the list in defensemen scoring and third in the league in assists. In the post-season he found another gear and posted 17 points to help lift the Legion over the Calgary Wranglers, who had eliminated them in the last two seasons, and then the Riga Reign.

Walser's performance in S9 would not only earn him a berth on the NA All-Star Roster for the fourth time, but would also help him win the Howe Trophy for playoff MVP, the Orr Trophy for top defenseman and the Messier Trophy for top leader.

Daisuke Kanou Trophy (formerly Howe Trophy) – Jochen Walser would take this home for leading the Legion not only on the bench and in the locker room, but also in scoring through the playoffs. His 17 points and +8 rating were a huge reason for the Legion emerging victorious.

Sterling Labatte Trophy (formerly Orr Trophy) – Walser would take home the honours of being the top defender in the VHL for S9. His 99 points coupled with 89 hits and 109 blocked shots were nothing short of elite and he was a clear cut winner for the hardware.

Grimm Jonsson Trophy (formerly Messier Trophy) – Walser took charge on the ice and in the locker room, and the league took notice and rewarded him by naming him the top leader in the league. Walser was always one to make his teammates raise their level of play by raising his own, and this award went hand in hand with his Daisuke Kanou Trophy.

S9 was the first time the Toronto Legion won a Continental Cup and Jochen Walser was one of, if not the biggest, reasons they were able to put together a run to the finals. Walser was a true leader and elite talent on the team and his presence on it helped shape the Legion into a legitimate team. Walser and his teammate's performances in S9 showed the league that Toronto was a team that could hold his own, and that's why we feel the S9 Toronto Legion were the team that changed the franchise.

G - Alex Gegeny
Birthplace: Windhoek, Namibia
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190 lbs
Jersey Number: 32
Drafted: S5 HAM (3/22)
Username: Pominville29

Alex Gegeny started his career as a member of the Legion and would be the brick wall behind the solid team in front of him. He was a multiple Tretiak Trophy winner and put up his best numbers in S9 en route to a Continental Cup. Another elite player who was a key cog to the Cup win for the Legion and is an inspiration to young goalies even today.

Gegeny improved on his S8 totals by posting 51 wins and 11 shutouts in a season where the top defenseman put up 99 points and the top forward put up over 110. His 1.80 GAA and .935 save percentage were superb numbers and propelled the Legion to a tie with the Wranglers for first in the North American Conference. His play in the playoffs didn't taper off and he was a big reason for their sweep over the Wranglers. His antics in game seven of the series with Riga are legendary, and he stopped 38 of 41 shots to seal the deal in overtime.

Gegeny's regular season performance sealed his Tretiak Trophy and another berth as a NA Conference All-Star. His all-star appearance was another first-team appearance for the elite netminder, his second and last time he would receive the honor.

Aidan Shaw Trophy (formerly Tretiak Trophy) - Gegeny posted 51 wins out of 65 starts and collected points in 58 games. Of those 65 games he totaled an astonishing 11 shutouts. His sub-2.00 goals against average and .935 save percentage were elite level numbers and made him a clear cut winner.

Alex Gegeny was the keystone to a Toronto Legion team that came together over a short few seasons to capture the team's first championship in his history. Without him it's likely they would have never made their run, and we wouldn't have this part of Toronto's rich history. Based off the Hall of Fame caliber players, it's a clear case to sell that S9 was the season that changed the franchise.

S9 Toronto Legion Trophy Case

Continental Cup – It took seven games for Toronto to do it, but they would eventually overtake the Riga Reign to bring home the prize.

Devon Marlow-Marta Trophy – The Legion swept the Calgary Wranglers 4-0 to move onto the Continental Cup Finals against the Riga Reign.

Scotty Campbell Trophy – Kevin Brooks was the recipient of a lot of hardware, but this was arguably the most impressive piece. A phenomenal season led to an easy decision to name him the VHL's MVP for S9.

Mike Szatkowski Trophy – Brooks would take home the trophy that would later be renamed for his elite teammate. His 128 points was the lowest total to win the award, but was the best in the league and he deservedly added this to his mantle.

Kevin Brooks Trophy – The Legion's sniper was the top goal scorer in addition to being the top point getter in S9. At the time this was named the Joe Malone Memorial Trophy, but Brooks prowess for tickling the twine over his career was enough to earn the great honour of having this award renamed for him.

Daisuke Kanou Trophy – Jochen Walser would take this home for leading the Legion not only on the bench and in the locker room, but also in scoring through the playoffs. His 17 points and +8 rating were a huge reason for the Legion emerging victorious.

Sterling Labatte Trophy – Walser would take home the honours of being the top defender in the VHL for S9. His 99 points coupled with 89 hits and 109 blocked shots were nothing short of elite and he was a clear cut winner for the hardware.

Grimm Jonsson Trophy – Walser took charge on the ice and in the locker room, and the league took notice and rewarded him by naming him the top leader in the league. Walser was always one to make his teammates raise their level of play by raising his own, and this award went hand in hand with his Daisuke Kanou Trophy.

While it was a tough decision to pinpoint one team or event to describe the organization, the S9 campaign is the best representation of the historic Toronto Legion franchise. Through hard work, dedication, and a bit of help from an array of big time players, the S9 version of the Legion not only put Toronto on the map in the VHL, but kick started the franchise on their way to becoming one of the longest tenured teams in the league today.

Players who come to the Legion see the hard work that was put into the franchise throughout the seasons and want to work that much harder to make the historic franchise that much more prestigious. It is a contagious feeling and most members of the Legion feel the need to push a bit harder and work a bit longer to keep up with the standards set in Toronto by the legends that came before them.

Without the S9 season, Toronto might have suffered the same fate as Vasteras or heard the constant slandering like the Seattle organization. But, with a bit of luck and some good old, blue collar labor, the Legion were able to cement their name amongst the more successful franchises that have been in the VHL throughout our seven year stretch.

[Munk 1,298]

Oh noes da "tune in next week" is supposed to be striked out u dun goofd graper ur making whoever wrote it lewk bad

[Victor 10,940]

I wouldn't give Mike too much credit, he made all of one addition to the team haha. Though it is pretty cool how he's only had GM players since, even after coming back from like 15 seasons off.

Great choice of season, brave but gets the nostalgia flowing. This team was awesome round when I joined.

[boubabi 4,725]

Great graphics

[Phil 5,119]

The graphics really win this for me. The are phenomenal. Out of interest how did you guys get the stats for this season? The Index from the invisionfree thread is broken If there is a trick to accessing it I would love to know. 

 

More great work here. The line-up for the Legion that year was ridiculous. I loved the intro, how it talked about the fan-base in Toronto and smoothly linked reality to reality of the VHL - all Toronto teams suck except for this one haha. Bios were great and a perfect length imo. Some very hard work and meticulous research clearly put into this project.

 

Well done

[Victor 10,940]

The graphics really win this for me. The are phenomenal. Out of interest how did you guys get the stats for this season? The Index from the invisionfree thread is broken If there is a trick to accessing it I would love to know.

All the profiled players are in the HOF so stats in their articles.

[Phil 5,119]

All the profiled players are in the HOF so stats in their articles.

 

Okay- i thought I was missing some fantastical way to check stats from back in the day *breathe a sigh of relief..... and then sadness*

[Mike 708]

Okay- i thought I was missing some fantastical way to check stats from back in the day *breathe a sigh of relief..... and then sadness*

 

On the STHS forum there is a way to merge the files together but I was just under the impression we dont have the original finals all together.