Toronto GM Happy With Results Thus Far

[Devise 4,475]

We are slowly creeping up on the halfway point of the season, which if my math severs me correct would be at the 36 game mark. Most VHL teams have played 27 games, with the Toronto Legion and New York Americans being the only holdovers both having played 26 games. Within the next week of real world time we'll come up on the halfway point, and likely the trade deadline too if we are being honest. 

 

So with that, Toronto GM the very wordy Devise/Ryan Power had time to sit down and talk about expectations heading into this season, and how Toronto has been doing thus far. 

 

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We have absolutely been the benefit of a quality early schedule for us. At least in terms of match ups. it's no secret 12 of our 26 games have been played against the New York Americans, in an odd STHS scheduling situation. Furthermore the majority of our games against the Helsinki Titans are scheduled to be played near the end of the season. All things considered though, I'm happy with our results thus far. How can I not be? We were a wildcard contender last season and it was a bumpy off-season that ultimately saw us enter sleeper contender status for Season 64. I personally felt some people were sleeping on us this season for sure, and I do think not just our success from a points standpoint but how we have held up against the Continental Cup teams has been fine. We haven't been badly outshot, even outshot some of them in games. We've stolen points, and we've found ourselves in a lot of tight games. 

It's nice to head into this point of the season though and not have a lot of low points. Our biggest question mark was just how well Stopko and the Calgary group coming over here would adjust. I think Stopko struggled a bit out of the gate, but he has really settled and anchored in. A goalie of his caliber really gives us confidence night in and night out. But there have been just so many positives this season, positives not just for us this season but an outlook for the Legion as a whole. 

It probably all starts with Oyorra Arroyo honestly. We all knew coming into the season that Sebastian Ironside was a dealbreaker kind of player, and were lucky to be able to keep him for another season. But the chemistry between Arroyo and Ironside has been clutch for us. They currently sit tied for the team lead in points, and in battles for tops in points in the league, goals in the league for Arroyo. You name it, these guys are there. Ironside a hitting machine. But we've also gotten some great depth from the highly undervalued Evan R. Lawson. Despite being a second line center for us, a position Lawson is only somewhat familiar with, he's over a point per game with 15 goals for us. We've been super grateful and happy about the presence he's made on our team. He's also had some good chemistry with defender turned winger Adam Warlock, who's been steady for us as well.

On defense we've been getting a lot of Tzuyu, we really saw a defender ready to break out and thus far this season he's showing signs of that. Thrid in defender points, 2nd in goals among defenders with 12, Tzuyu is starting to find his skills as a quarterback on the power play, he's versatile and willing to join the rush. It's worked out very well with the three breakout forwards we've had and Stopko starting to reign it in. But that isn't to take credit away from Lew Bronstein or Luc-Pierre either, who have both been solid for us thus far this season. Luc has added some grit to the team, we've seen some more fights both from him and the rest of the roster. He's also second on the team in hits adding a physical edge. Bronstein is a great sand and paper defensive defender. Sitting 9th in shot blocks for a statistic that is generally reserved for struggling teams defenders, Bronstein helps round out and balance the defensive core. 

I think ultimately our group is showing that come playoff time we won't be an easy match up. We'll have a shot to take these series long and even steal them, so I think the term sleeper contenders for us makes good sense this season. We still have a lot of season left to go and lots can still happen. But our group is heading into games confident, maybe with a little chip on our shoulder. People I think feel we have something to prove, after a Threepeat this franchise has struggled for a while and I suppose that is the karma of the hockey gods? But we are looking to change that karma this season. 

 

 

818 words, using for Rift for PT week ending on the 13th of Jan.