Toronto Makes Big Splash Early In Off-Season

[Devise 4,475]

Things did not go the way the Toronto Legion wanted in regards to the lottery, as the season concluded and the league spent it's time congratulating the Riga Reign on their Season 63 Continental Cup Championship. Toronto didn't have their own S64 draft pick and instead traded last off-season to acquire Helsinki's. It was a season long gamble that wound up paying off the first half, and not paying off the Legion and their General Manager Ryan Power. Coming into the Legion without his own S64 1st in a tough spot deciding to retool/rebuild or compete, Power wound up taking half measures last season. It was clear that Toronto wanted one of the top two players in the Season 64 draft, either Ryan Sullivan Jr or Elias Dahlberg. And while Toronto was able to secure the wildcard spot and thus ensure they had a 30% chance at first overall it wound up being New York, with the Toronto pick that Power did not have when he took over the team, winning the lottery. Because Toronto did make the wildcard that pick dropped all the way down to a 10% chance. It would seem even with improving his odds of getting a better pick, irony and fate would have other plans as Toronto's Helsinki pick would drop all the way down to 4th, basically securing the team with the same value of the pick they would of earned manually had no lottos or trading been done. Given the hard circumstances they were in following the lotto, the pressure was on to finally pick a clear direction and Toronto's GM did just that. Power had some words following the lottery, and it was these words that were the sign of things to come.

 

Quote

Yeah, rough lottery. I made my bed last season for us, we have a couple of really good and underrated young players. Tzuyu obviously leading the charge but Chace Trepanier as well is a solid steady guy for us and will be in the line up next season. But we made our bed and had to sleep in it. We wanted that 30% chance at the lottery and we got it, and it wound up being the pick that I had no chance of keeping that got it. I wanted one of those two top players, and had I went into the season with my own pick I'd of probably also still traded to get that Helsinki one to be honest. If your gunning for one of two top players in a draft having two lotto's regardless of the math is a good way to secure that chance. New York were the ones to win that though and we have to live with it. It certainly may force my hand one way or the other when it comes to whether to draft or trade. I've been looking at that draft board and honestly while I think it has a lot of quality players, I just don't know if it'll fit in with the direction we need to head in. We'll see though, as always, we'll see. 

 

Of course, in typical "Devise" fashion we wouldn't have to wait that long to see. Power was involved in the first trade of the off-season, as negotiations happened fast and furious in the lead up to the off-season. Power said he had several deals in principle just lingering and once he lost the lottery he was able to quickly negotiation a deal with the Calgary Wranglers to amplify and change the initial parameters of their deal, only this time now including the S64 HSK 1st, 4th overall. Utlimately Calgary and Toronto did finalize that trade, and submit it as the first trade of the off-season.

 

Toronto receives:

Keaton Louth

Norris Stopko

Oyorra Arroyo

 

Calgary receives:

Aksel McKnight

S64 HSK 1st

S64 TOR 2nd

S66 TOR 3rd

 

Calgary wound up receiving a boat load of picks, including two very solid ones for their future rebuild in Season 64. McKnight is an obvious cap dump in this situation as Kesler is long since inactive, although there absolutely is some poetic irony to this player being involved in this trade. We mentioned earlier how Toronto did not have their own 1st in S64, and ironically that first wound up winning the lottery. Well it was Keslers Aksel McKnight, a highly touted prospect who was scheduled to a top flight offensive player and play during previously projected Ironside prime, that was acquired from New York for that 1st. With this trade Toronto puts in the past all the baggage from the previous run, as the team progresses forward. 

 

This trade also signals a clear cut direction for Toronto. While the trade is only the "rights" to Keaton Louth, who still may test free agency to determine where he will play for his final season, Stopko and the S61 underrated forward Oyorra Arroyo give Toronto one of the top goalies in the league, and a high caliber forward to push the pressure and get the scoring going with Ironside. It also signals the rebuild of Calgary, with Toronto likely to slot in as one of the top 3-4 teams in it's place. There is still a lot left to happen this off-season, drafts, free agency and one has to imagine even more trades. But with teams tight at the cap, finding trade partners hasn't been an easy bargain. When deals do seem to fit for both teams, the trigger seems to get pulled a lot faster than in previous seasons. Again though, lots of teams have a lot of holes filled, and the reality of GMing in this era is more about trying to find a deal that makes sense for both parties than simply trying to make moves based on only perceived value. Toronto's GM did speak to media following the trade and heading into the rest of the off-season. He seemed pleased, but here is what he had to say.

 

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Welcome to our bed this season. Ideally a bit more cozy a bit more comfortable eh? Haha, yeah I'm happy with these moves. I'm not going to deny the sting of losing that lottery to the pick I didn't have stung. But you move on. We were a wildcard team last season with a weaker goalie and one star power forward. Whether I like it or not the Wranglers were rebuilding and Stopko wasn't finding a home. It seemed like a no brainer to me. Shawn Broduer or dutiful netminder from last season who shared the nets with Johnny Cairson has been begging to me to let him retire since I signed him. Now he has that opportunity, the ball is in his court because we went out and acquired the guy who will be our starter this season. I'd like to see Cairson get some more starts this season, maybe 15 or 20? But we'll see what shakes out there. 

The other pick part about this is the rights to Louth and Arroyo. I'm really excited to get Arroyo. People look at him and think "old" but the guy still has 4 seasons left to play in the VHL and it's our job to try to make sure he's happy playing all of them with the Legion. We have him signed for the next two seasons here while we compete, and we really feel he can be a difference maker for us. He'll be a first line player, playing with Ironside who had a stellar Season 63 for us and seems ready to peak in 64. 

As for Louth, I'm hard at work trying to get Louth to sign an extension but that may carry over into free agency. Louth has, rightfully so I might add, some options on the table. Louth worked a career to get a chance to sign a deal with anyone and see what his value is worth so we respect the players and their agents discretion on this matter. That said, the plan with this signing was to rock Arroyo - Ironside - Louth, as a top line to be dominant in this league. To go with a top goalie, and a stout defensive core we feel it'll give us the best chance to win. Forwards was really the area we struggled with last season and this trade, and hopefully the addition of both Arroyou and Louth should ease that issue for now. 

 

 

As with everything, the "for now" tag at the end of the GM's words are probably the most telling thing. After all Louth is in the final season of his career, and so is Stopko. And while with every move Power is fixing some of the holes long term and plugging others up short, it seems next off-season yet again more work will have to be done to keep the Legion not just as a competitive team, but to continue to try and be an impactful club with a clear enough direction that fits. For now, Season 64 looks like one in which the Legion could have a chance to do some damage. We'll have to wait and see to find out. 

 

 

1526 words. Using for Rift for the following 3 PT weeks (Dec 10-16, 17-23, 24-30)

[Victor 10,534]

Not gonna lie, I think Helsinki played both you and Boychuk last off-season with the draft pick swaps and is gonna be a real force very soon. Then the Davos trade... I mean you were dealt a tough hand but not sure that was the right response to that hand especially given what you have left just a season later.

 

Anyway, long story short Toronto currently has the longest cup and finals drought in the league and it's creeping up the all time list - not sure that'll change because basically you've got one season to change it? Far be it from me to doubt your GMing but this doesn't seem to be vintage Devise to me.

[Beketov 8,642]

2 hours ago, Victor said:

long story short Toronto currently has the longest cup and finals drought in the league and it's creeping up the all time list

The price that is being paid for that three-peat.

[BladeMaiden 1,807]

This trade definitely changed what I thought Toronto would be drafting this season. It will be interesting to see how this effects tomorrow night. 

[Victor 10,534]

19 hours ago, Beketov said:

The price that is being paid for that three-peat.

Deserved for sure.