S70 TOR vs. S71 TOR: An underdog recap!

[Peace 1,562]

Before we begin, I think it is important to understand how the Toronto Legion were organized last season compared to this season. There have been many comments on Discord that simply weren't true, and I'm here to debunk them. One of the larger ones is the claim that Toronto had more depth, therefor a more competitive roster last season than the one we are fielding this season. Sure, Toronto had a ton of inactive players, but hardly any of them played any significant amount of ice time. I used the typical 6F-4D-1G setup like Toronto is using this season and prioritized active players over inactive depth strength, which means that a rookie 280 TPA Chad Magnum and a 310 TPA Edu Stava were both playing between 26-30 minutes a game each. 

That is supported by Miniti and his lackluster TOI. 

The next big thing that was stated at the beginning of the season was Toronto's top six was better last season than it was this season, and I disagree, because 'officially' on the lines we submitted used had Dissanayake, Magnum, Scoringson, Nielsen, Shackleford and May. We started this season with Killinger, Magnum, Scoringson, Nielsen, Shackleford and Hextall. The TPA improvement wasn't much, but certainly stronger, as both Magnum and Killinger combined had more TPA than Dissanayake and Magnum of S70, Nielsen banked over 100 TPE and came back stronger this season than last, and Hextall was almost exactly the same as May was at the season start of S70. The only thing different was Shackleford regressing, but the TPA added offset the TPA lost by it.  

I get it though. Top six is a measurement of your three best forwards, your top two defenders and your starting goalie. In our case the Legion I fielded last season wasn't measured that way, which is why I disagree that Toronto was stronger last season than this season. Obviously now that's not the case as the Legions' active players continue to earn TPA, and I'd argue we're twice the team we were last season. 

[SIM 1]

GAME 1:
This season: NYA 4 - 3 TOR (0-1-0)
Last season: TOR 2 - 1 SEA (1-0-0)

GAME 2: 
This season: MOS 6 - 1 TOR (0-2-0)
Last season: TOR 2 - 1 SEA (2-0-0) 

 

In the seasons first set of sims, Toronto had a completely different outlook, in fact they were totally opposite from one another in direct comparison to each other. S70 Toronto defeated Seattle twice with a score of 2-1, much to Bana's utter dismay on Discord -- followed by a rant about STHS -- fueled by the thought Toronto was supposed to be a trash team. Meanwhile the S71 Toronto fell to New York and Moscow, starting the season 0-2-0 instead of 2-0-0. It seemed like S71 Toronto was struggling to find some chemistry using the lines I had submitted, but the S70 Legion didn't have that problem as they shut down a team that should have beat Toronto twice. 

 

[SIM 2]

GAME 3:
This season: TOR 6 - 2 DCD (1-2-0)
Last season: VAN 3 - 0 TOR (2-1-0)

 

GAME 4:
This season: TOR 5 - 4 SEA (SO) (2-2-0)
Last season: TOR 4 - 1 MAL (3-1-0)

In the second sim S71 Toronto climbed back to their objective: .500 hockey or better. They defeated DCD 6-2, and Seattle 5-4 in the shootout, which also caused Bana to once again take to Discord and mutter some choice words about the sim. I can't remember Enorama's reaction on Discord, I was more focused on trolling Bana, but I felt bad since SEA since they never really controlled the game and I already knew what was going to be said. I just watched the short STHS rant after Devise posted the sims and did my 'Toronto, Toronto, Toronto!' chant. 

S70 Toronto on the other hand improved their record to 3-1-0 after being shutout by Vancouver, and then defeating Malmo.
 

 

[SIM 3]

 

GAME 5:
This season: TOR 1 - 0 VAN (3-2-0)
Last season: CGY 4 - 2 TOR (3-2-0)

 

GAME 6:
This season: DCD 5 - 2 TOR (3-3-0)
Last season: TOR 3 - 1 MAL (4-2-0)

 

After the third sim, looking back thanks to this comparison, Toronto really did start off stronger in 70 than 71 and it's a bit surprising. It wasn't entirely just with their record, but their sims were better (generally) as well I'd argue. I think I can attribute that to the stronger defense Toronto had last season, and we were playing a 1-3-1 or 1-4-0 style of game. S71 Toronto was all about the offense, and this sim was the third time I had sent new lines in, and I believe these were set to 0-0-5... so seeing a 1-0 TOR win over Vancouver was equally surprising. 

But the records were exact after the fifth game, and S70 Toronto climbed ahead 4-2-0 over 3-3-0.

 

 

[SIM 4]

 

GAME 7:
This season: TOR 5 - 4 SEA (4-3-0)
Last season: VAN 4 - 2 TOR (3-4-0)

 

GAME 8:
This season: CGY 7 - 4 TOR (4-4-0)
Last season: VAN 4 - 1 TOR (4-4-0)

Well after the fourth sim, both Toronto rosters ended up being 4-4-0. S71 TOR defeated Seattle -- again -- with the same score as their previous victory. I didn't check the Discord this time, in fact I believe this is the one Viperhawk (McDagg) posted the scores to Toronto's Discord since I wasn't around until later that night. In S70, Vancouver kicked Toronto down twice with two four goal victories, meanwhile Calgary wrangled up themselves a Legion of Toronto players in a 7-4 CGY win. 

Nothing to really be said, honestly, other than this was my forth time changing Toronto's lines in an attempt to find some balance.

 

 

[SIM 5]

 

GAME 9:
This season: TOR 4 - 3 CGY (5-4-0)
Last season: VAN 5 - 1 TOR (4-5-0)

 

GAME 10:
This season: PRA 5 - 1 TOR (5-5-0)
Last season: SEA 2 - 1 TOR (4-6-0)

 

We start to differentiate a little here in regards to the records between S71 Legion and S70 Legion. S71 TOR finished day five 5-5-0, going 1-1-0 on the sim, while S70 TOR had picked up an additional loss. It was a revenge story for S71 Toronto, too, showing a Calgary team that just defeated them 7-4 that it was a one time deal by beating them 4-3 in regulation. They went on to get defeated by Prague 5-1, but that's another story. The S70 Legion, unfortunately, begun a dive right around this time. Loosing their third game in a row to Vancouver, then Seattle getting a revenge win, meant they finished a sim 0-2-0 for the first time in S70. It wouldn't be the last... spoiler! 

 

 

[SIM 6]

 

GAME 11:
This season: TOR 4 - 3 DCD (SO) (6-5-0)
Last season: MOS 6 - 2 TOR (4-7-0)

 

GAME 12:
This season: VAN 1 - 0 TOR (6-6-0)
Last season: MAL 3 - 1 TOR (4-8-0)

 

Sixth day of simming wasn't to kind to Toronto in S70, but in S71 they managed to pull off another 1-1-0 sim to maintain a .500 record. The important thing about these set of sims is Toronto's 4-3 shootout win over the Dragons. At this point in the season, Toronto was still surprising people regarding their position in the standings, and it would be until Toronto's back to back games later in 71 they were 'hot on the heels' of the Dragons. Had they gone 2-0-0 one or two more sims, it's reasonable to assume the Legion would be at least tied for first in their division. Sadly that never happened, and there is no story to tell with the S70 Toronto roster as they fall to 4-8-0.

Oh and that 1-0 TOR win over Vancouver. Hextall was remarkable that game! 

 

 

[SIM 7]

 

GAME 13
This season: TOR 3 - 1 NYA (7-6-0)
Last season: TOR 3 - 2 SEA (5-8-0)

 

GAME 14
This season: NYA 4 - 2 TOR (7-7-0)
Last season: TOR 4 - 1 DCD (6-8-0)

 

S70 Toronto really enjoyed these set of sims, pulling a 2-0-0 for the first time since beating Seattle twice to start the season off. Of course it's only natural S70 Toronto defeated Seattle in one of those games, so it was obviously meant to be. One season added, the Legion faces the Americans twice and split their set of games 1-1-0 to level their own curve and failed to seize the opportunity to go up 9-7-0 against a team they've had relative success against. 

 

 

[SIM 8]

 

GAME 15
This season: CGY 5 - 1 TOR (7-8-0)
Last season: SEA 3 - 2 TOR (SO) (6-8-1)

 

GAME 16
This season: CGY 2 - 1 TOR (OT) (7-8-1)
Last season: TOR 4 - 3 VAN (SO) (7-8-1)

The records are even across the board once again... exactly even, in fact. Both teams at the end of the eighth day of sims were respectfully at 7-8-1. The different is S70 TOR is climbing back from a 4-8-0 record just a few days ago, meanwhile the S71 Toronto team is suffering from a frustrating three game slide and fell to 7-8-1 when they could have reasonably been at 9-9-0 had they win a few key games. Sims are sims, though, and the reality was pointing S71 Toronto in direction a weaker roster went last season.   

 

 

[SIM 9]

 

GAME 17
This season: HSK 2 - 0 TOR (7-9-1)
Last season: TOR 5 - 3 DCD (8-8-1)

 

GAME 18
This season: TOR 4 - 2 RIG (8-9-1)
Last season: VAN 3 - 2 TOR (8-9-1)

S71 Toronto got blanked by Helsinki before recovering in their game against Riga, which ended a four game loosing streak that upset the European GM on Discord, but they had fallen behind the .500 record they were trying to maintain before the season started. Meanwhile, the S70 Toronto roster is showing a ton of character here by defeating the Dragons and remaining competitive with Vancouver to end the ninth day of sims 8-9-1. Both teams shared that record, actually, but it's the S70 Legion that climbed out of a 4-8-0 record quite remarkably! 

 

 

[SIM 10]

 

GAME 19
This season: PRA 3 - 2 TOR (SO) (8-9-2)
Last season: VAN 3 - 2 TOR (8-10-1)

 

GAME 20
This season: TOR 5 - 4 RIG (SO) (9-9-2)
Last season: TOR 2 - 0 SEA (9-10-1)

Overall this was a really good sim for both Toronto rosters. S71 TOR went 1-0-1, allowing them to claw back to that .500 hockey goal, while S70 TOR fought a superior Vancouver team similarly to their last set of sims and blanked the Seattle Bears for yet another win against the coastal city. Bana was very upset this time, and I witnessed his massive STHS rant on Discord and left a very amusing 'what a joke' comment in the game thread. 

 

 

[SIM 11]

 

GAME 21
This season: NYA 2 - 1 TOR (SO) (9-9-3)
Last season: MAL 3 - 2 TOR (9-11-1)

 

GAME 22
This season: CGY 4 - 3 TOR (9-10-3)
Last season: MAL 4 - 1 TOR (9-12-1)

At this point the difference between S70 TOR and S71 TOR is -- quite simply -- S71 Toronto's ability to push a game into overtime or the shootout, indicating they're a bit more competitive than the previous incarnation of the Legion. Both clubs share the same wins, but S71 Toronto has two additional OT or SO losses instead. Sadly for both rosters, this sim was another unkind one, as both teams failed to earn a W. NYA defeated S71 TOR 2-1 in the SO, then fell in another one goal game 4-3 to S71 CGY. S70 TOR lost to Malmo twice, but there really wasn't much to say about those games. 

 

 

[SIM 12]

 

GAME 23
This season: TOR 5 - 2 PRA (10-10-3)
Last season: MOS 4 - 0 TOR (9-13-1)

 

GAME 24
This season: MOS 4 - 3 TOR (SO) (10-10-4)
Last season: MOS 4 - 3 TOR (9-14-1)

 

Wait... Prague isn't Moscow? 

Sim twelve featured a lot of Russians... a lot. S71 Toronto managed to take them to the shootout from a Herculean effort from Hextall and Killinger after a 5-2 victory over Prague, while S70 Toronto just couldn't compete with the eventual champions. There's really not much else to say, but you can see the records starting to spread apart now. 10-10-4 for the S71 Legion was within acceptable margins, that's the .500 hockey goal believed to be attainable. Meanwhile, after an impressive comeback from 4-8-0, the S70 Toronto roster starts an eventual irrecoverable free fall in their record. 

 

 

[SIM 13]

 

GAME 25
This season: SEA 4 - 2 TOR (10-11-4)
Last season: SEA 3 - 1 TOR (9-15-1)

 

GAME 26
This season: TOR 6 - 3 DAV (11-11-4)
Last season: TOR 6 - 2 MOS (10-15-1)

 

Seattle owns this one on Toronto, that much they are able to hold over both variants of the Legion roster, and there is nothing I can say about it -- both regulation losses that hurt both clubs position in the standings, especially the S71 Legion who remained in striking position of the Dragons' first place position in the division. S70 Toronto got revenge on Moscow in their fourth straight game against the Russian team by squashing them 6-2 in an uncharacteristic offensive display, while the S71 Toronto brushed aside the Dynamo 6-3. 

S71 Toronto maintained a .500 record, ending the sim at 11-11-4 while S70 stabilized their fall slightly with a 10-15-1 record. 

 

 

[SIM 14]

 

GAME 27
This season: TOR 2 - 1 DAV (12-11-4)
Last season: MAL 4 - 3 TOR (SO) (10-15-2)

 

GAME 28
This season: TOR 5 - 4 PRA (SO) (13-11-4)
Last season: HSK 4 - 3 TOR (10-16-2)

 

S71 Toronto earned themselves a 2-0-0 sim by defeating a newly adjusted Dynamo roster that was surprisingly competitive, and then winning in the skill competition against Prague, where 'TOR RW1' was dubbed the first star of the game by observers. In reality that Prague win was all Hextall -- or at least the majority of it was -- as I personally doubt our backup would have stolen a victory from Prague in that game. With a 2-0-0 sim, it meant for the first time this season S71 Toronto Legion were above .500 hockey.

S70 Toronto went 0-1-1, dropping to 10-16-2. 

 

 

[SIM 15]

 

GAME 29
This season: TOR 2 - 1 MAL (14-11-4)
Last season: TOR 2 - 1 PRA (11-16-2)

GAME 30
This season: DCD 3 - 2 TOR (SO) (14-11-5)
Last season: ROG 4 - 2 TOR (11-17-2)

 

Toronto's 2-1 victory over Malmo was surprising to some -- a few even chiming in 'MALMAO' on Discord and the game thread -- but I expected a W from this one honestly, and I'm not being egotistical here. I was absolutely confident we'd get a win here, and not because STHS is an awkward sim engine, but because our history against Malmo in S70 was 'warmer' than other teams. It's just predicting a close game or a Toronto win against Seattle, we just 'have their number'. 

S71 TOR went 1-0-1, while S70 TOR went 1-1-0. The OT loss helps the S71 roster out -- obviously -- but the 14-11-5 record still speaks for itself. 

 

 

[SIM 16]

 

GAME 31
This season: RIG 4 - 2 TOR (14-12-5)
Last season: NYA 4 - 1 TOR  (11-18-2)

 

GAME 32
This season: TOR 2 - 1 HSK (OT) (15-12-5)
Last season: TOR 4 - 2 HSK (12-18-2)

 

We're getting close to the end here, and it's been a pretty interesting journey. I've looked at every box score, seen how competitive (or not) my roster has been against particular teams, and overall I'm actually very impressed by the S71 Toronto Legion. While technically both rosters went 1-1-0 this sim, with both victories coming at the cost of Helsinki loosing a rare game against Toronto, the arguably self-claimed 'vast improvement' I've seen in the present Legion roster is actually irrefutable I'd say.

15-12-5 vs. 12-18-2 

There's not much of an argument to be made anymore, and the teams Toronto are facing aren't considerably weaker than they were last season.  

 

 

[SIM 17]

 

GAME 33
This season: DCD 3 - 2 TOR (SO) (15-12-6)
Last season: TOR 2 - 1 HSK (SO) (13-18-2)

 

GAME 34
This season: DCD 6 - 1 TOR (15-13-6)
Last season: RIG 3 - 2 TOR (SO) (13-18-3)

Whew! Sadly this is where the Dragons completely decimated Toronto's opportunity to climb into a playoff position in season seventy one, and it's quite unfortunate too. Prior to these sims, the Legion had had moderate success against the US capital team, but it seemed to have fallen apart when it mattered the most. I might be able to blame a line change, but honestly I don't think I submitted one for these set of sims. Simply put: Toronto got beat. 

I've seen Enorama's 'ELO sheet' he posts on Discord every once and a while, and while Toronto is 10th overall (bottom 3), we're still playing .500 hockey... above it, actually. 

My goal was to not award a lottery pick to Davos in the trade that brought Toronto all their core prospects. Sadly, since Toronto is still a non-playoff team, it appears as if Davos might still get a lottery pick after all since DCD drained the steam Toronto had while chasing the top spot in the division. It really shouldn't be a roster pick as the Legion hold a healthy point lead over Helsinki, but a weaker EU conference will give it to the Dynamo. 

I'm going to kill someone if it turns out to be first overall. 

 

 

[SIM 18]

 

GAME 35
This season: TOR 2 - 1 MAL (16-13-6)
Last season: TOR 4 - 2 PRA (14-18-3)

 

GAME 36
This season: HSK 5 - 3 TOR (16-14-6)
Last season: PRA 4 - 2 TOR (14-19-3)

 

We're at the halfway mark of the season, and both clubs went 1-1-0 in the eighteenth day of sims. 

16-14-6 vs. 14-19-3. 

Like I said before, it's obvious why S71 Toronto has a slightly above .500 record, and that is their ability to extend a game into sudden death or a skill competition. Toronto has been a more competitive roster this season, and Corco wrote an article about Toronto's higher successes in the OT/SO not long ago and it really is the reason why Toronto is better. Sure, two extra regulation wins aren't much, but when you win an extra two games, lose five less in regulation, it really does paint a moderately brighter picture. 
 

 

[SIM 19] 

 

GAME 37
This season: TOR 5 - 0 NYA (17-14-6)
Last season: RIG 4 - 3 TOR (SO) (14-19-4)

 

GAME 38
This season: VAN 4 - 3 TOR (17-14-6)
Last season: VAN 5 - 2 TOR (14-20-4)

So here we are. 

All caught up. 

Difficult sim for Toronto in general, but the 5-0 shutout over the Americans was enjoyable. 

S71 TOR is ten points above New York for last place in the NA Conference, and remains six points ahead of Helsinki as well. I thought I'd throw that in. I'm kinda upset that Helsinki will make the playoffs in the EU conference, but I guess I feel Esso's pain when the New York Americans should have been in there last season as well when both Helsinki and Prague were below the Americans point total. 

If Toronto is going to make the playoffs, and we're only five points behind the Dragons, we're going to have to rely a lot on the top for NA teams beating the absolute shit out of each other while the EU Conference chips in some help. I'm not going to lose hope, but overall I'm actually satisfied with Toronto's performance this season. 

 

 

3, 302 words. 

I'd claim for six weeks... but I don't think I can.

[Peace 1,562]

Week 2

[Shaka 228]

Holy hell that's a lot of content. 

 

[Quik 4,113]

On 4/13/2020 at 1:58 AM, Peace said:

I'd claim for six weeks... but I don't think I can.

Correct

[Peace 1,562]

Week 3

[Peace 1,562]

Final claim