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Grapehead · 11-10-2022, 07:53 PM

The Toronto North Stars are looking stronger than ever heading into S68, and I'm here to show off this star-studded roster that will be fighting hard for that Challenge Cup. The team is made up mostly of returning members from last season, with a few new faces that will certainly increase expectations over what was a very talented roster in S67. We'll take a quick look at the departures from last season before diving into the new roster.

- Departed Players -

Shane Duffy Jr.
Shane Duffy Jr was moved to Los Angeles in the offseason, in part for Rock Strongo, despite seeing a nice jump in offensive production last season. Duffy Jr. was a solid contributor for the North Stars, and is a nice piece for the Panthers to bring back to try and fill the hole left by Rock Strongo, while gathering some picks. While it's always hard to see teammates leave, this move actually sets Toronto up nicely heading into S68. Hopefully Shane will continue to bring that fan favourite physicality he added to his game in the last few seasons, because if so then the crowd in LA will be even louder.

Ville Kurri
Ville Kurri was brought over from the New Orleans Specters last offseason, in exchange for a 2nd round pick, and saw a nice uptick in his scoring. 19 goals with the Stars last season, which would be good for more than double his previous career high (9), and 51 total points for a new career high as well. Kurri seemed to add a bit of an edge to his game while playing in Toronto, seeing his PIMs jump from 16 in S66 to 48 in S67. During this offseason Kurri unceremoniously made the trip back to New Orleans, and will look to bring scoring depth to the Specters for S68. Best of luck to Ville!

Yuuto Kira Cloudera Jr
Yuuto Kira Cloudera Jr hung up the skates at the end of S67, after posting another season solid as a rock. YKCj led the SHL with a +70 rating last season, and provided the Stars with a calming presence on the ice, knowing that YKCj had their back. Cloudera Jr has been a staple on the North Stars blueline for 8 seasons, and it will certainly look very different without YKCj in the dressing room before every game. Here's hoping retirement treats YKCj very well!

- S68 Toronto North Stars Roster -

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Harry Carpet
It's amazing that Harry Carpet is still playing at the top of his game, but with a McBride Trophy nomination in his pocket for S67 (hardly his first either) it's obvious that Carpet will have to be dragged into retirement kicking and screaming. The Toronto North Stars goal has been protected by Harry for almost 20 seasons now (since S49), and I think fans will unanimously agree that it will be quite surreal when Carpet is no longer between the pipes, but for at least one more season we will all be treated to another world class performance from one of the greatest goalies to ever stack 'em up in the SHL.

[Image: Liljestrom.png]

Magnus Liljeström
Liljeström is returning for his 4th season with the North Stars, and the aging defender still has plenty of gas in the tank despite a dip in offensive production the last two seasons. The North Stars will count on him to continue bringing a reliable defensive game that helps get the puck up the ice as quick as possible. Liljeström will hit the ice as Toronto's oldest defenseman, and he'll be a great influence on a couple of young defenders on the Stars roster.

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Ryosuke Sato
Sato put together one of his most productive seasons in S67, and the North Stars will be praying that Sato can bring another effort like that for S68. Ryosuke has opted to throw fewer hits the last two seasons, but that has only seemed to make him an even better overall defender. Sato continues to fend off regression, as he spends lots of time in the gym, so the North Stars can rest assured that he'll be arriving to training camp in excellent shape as per usual.

[Image: Strongo.jpg]

Rock Strongo
Rock Strongo was brought in via trade this offseason, with Shane Duffy and picks going back to Los Angeles. Strongo is a proven winner, and brings with him a stellar resume that includes winning a Challenge Cup with the Panthers in S65. Strongo has already made a positive impression on his teammates, and there's already been some good humoured arguing over who gets to skate on a line with him. Wherever he slots in, his addition to the roster creates one of the deepest groups of offensive wizards the SHL may have ever seen.

[Image: Maple.png]

Dogwood Maple
Dogwood Maple led the Toronto North Stars in scoring last season with 102 points, which put him among the highest scorers in the SHL last season. He was tied for the 2nd most points to be exact, and it's a huge relief for the team to bring Maple back for S68. While the coaching staff calls on Dogwood to hit the ice in almost any situation, Maple is always at his best when he can work his offensive magic. Fans made it clear how much he means to the city of Toronto with the incredible surge in Maple jerseys sold over the offseason months.

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Videl Valor
The SHL's reigning Jay McDonald Trophy holder is already hungry to surpass the 59 goals put up in S67. While it's evident that Valor is growing tired of coming up short in the playoffs, the North Stars forward will be hoping to write a different end to S68, and if that's going to happen then Videl will need to keep shooting the puck like S67.

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High Haschdi
Haschdi is another player heading into their 4th season with the North Stars, and if the first 3 seasons were any indication, then the North Stars will have yet another offensive tool at their disposal. Haschdi didn't set a career high in points in S67, since he'd done that the previous season with 65, but he took steps to improve his overall game and become a more complete player. I wouldn't be surprised to see Haschdi bust out with a new career high in points in S68.

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Jimmy Larkin-Conway
JLC has been a mainstay in the North Stars forward group, and a permanent fixture on the powerplay, for several seasons now, and heading into his 5th in Toronto he's hoping to see that trend continue. Jimmy will be facing lofty expectations this season, and surely he's already feeling that pressure heading into training camp.

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Stan Din'desque
Stan Din'desque came to Toronto via a 4-way trade between Winnipeg, Baltimore, Edmonton, and Toronto. I'm seriously not going to bother trying to figure out what exactly the Stars gave up in that trade, but needless to say the North Stars got the best player in the end. Stan went on to post a career high 73 points in his first season in Toronto, and surely the North Stars are hoping to see more of that in S68. Din'desque was a big part in the improvements Toronto was able to make on the powerplay, and he earned a lot of time there as a result. As long as Stan Din'desque can bring the same compete level as last season, he'll be a major factor in the North Stars success.

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Ty Murphy
Since the start of S66 Ty Murphy has been one of the most productive forwards in the entire SHL, and there's no reason to believe we won't see more of the same from Ty in S68. After breaking the 100 point milestone, it would perhaps be foolish to expect even more from Murphy offensively, but I believe we'll see him hungry to prove me wrong there. If the North Stars are going to go all the way, then you can bet Ty will be driving the wagon the whole way there.

[Image: Jones.jpg]

Jaeger Jones
The newest addition to the North Stars roster has yet to even arrive in the city of Toronto, but we're all thrilled to know he's on the way. With one of their top d-men retiring, it was key for the Stars to bring in someone to fill the gap. Not only did they fill the gap, but look to have improved the overall quality of the team, and this trade could very well be the finishing touch on a championship caliber roster. This will be Jones' 4th season in the SHL, and he's proven so far that he's a smart and reliable defender that can bring a little physicality when needed too.

[Image: OByrne.png]

Connor O'Byrne
O'Byrne took a big step forward offensively in S67, going from 35 points in S66 to 56 points last season. O'Byrne's average ice time has decreased a bit over his 3 seasons, but he's also seen his point production increase with each season. With so many offensive threats already on the ice for Toronto, O'Byrne just adds to the headache for opposing teams trying to decide which lines to try and shutdown. As long as he keeps hitting the ice with the same intensity as last season, we'll surely be seeing more of him on the highlight reels.

[Image: Der.png]

Ben Der
One of several rookies for the North Stars last season who stepped into a big role and handled it well. While Ben Der doesn't project as an all-star defenseman necessarily, his development is still a crucial factor in the North Stars keeping their competitive window open longer. Right now the coaching staff has to be careful with the assignments they give this young defender, but over time we'll hopefully see Der grow into a steady force on the depth chart.

[Image: Hunziker.png]

Luca Hunziker
Another rookie for the North Stars last season, Hunziker posted a more than respectable rookie season, providing much needed consistency in a time of transition for the Toronto defensive group. Luca has much loftier expectations on him this season than someone like Ben Der, but Hunziker is wise beyond his years and surely brings a level of maturity that is refreshing for veteran players of the league. Could we see Hunziker hit 50 points this season? I'm not sure, but I know the North Stars would love to see that.

[Image: Zile.png]

Toms Zile
Harry Carpet isn't done just yet, but when he does decide to call it quits the North Stars are more than prepared. Toms Zile played the backup role for Toronto last season, and looked rather inconsistent at times, but that's to be expected of a young goalie. Harry Carpet has time to mentor Zile, and with a mentor like that you can bet we'll see steady improvement from Zile over the coming seasons.

[Image: StMartin.png]

Louise St. Martin
Last but not certainly not least we have Louise St. Martin, who didn't put up quite as many points as Hunziker but arguably had just as much positive influence on the team's success, and as a rookie what more could the team ask for? St. Martin will continue to learn and grow with the organization, and should be expected to be a major contributor to any championship run this team makes.

Many fans will be expecting to see high-flying, fast-paced hockey from the North Stars again this season, and I think it's safe to say that with the additions made to the roster, and the work put in by the younger players over the offseason, the fans in Toronto can be sure they'll be entertained at every game they attend. As we know, anything can happen in hockey, but the Toronto North Stars should not be taken lightly by any opponent this season.

***ValorX77*** · 11-10-2022, 08:44 PM

***Wally*** · 11-10-2022, 09:15 PM

@Grapehead media is always amazing! Time to get the Jimmy cannon fired back up!

*Carpy48* · 11-11-2022, 02:21 AM

Go Stargang! Stars

G2019 · 11-15-2022, 11:46 AM

Zile literally goated

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