The Season
The Team
I followed Brad through the door, into the dressing room. It was huge. There were doors leading to different rooms and hallways all over the room. It had a massive shower area with about 20 showers, the door to the coaches room, the door to the trainers room, and many more doors which I didn't know the purpose of.
Brad led me to a stall in the middle of the room, marked #8 - BELANGER. It was in between the stalls of Patrice Bergeron, and Tyler Seguin. I was amazed. I opened the locker, and found it full of tape, wax, and other useful things. I glanced back at Brad.
"Do all of the new players get this?" I asked in awe.
"Every player gets this and more every single day. Our staff is awesome! What else can I say?" Brad replied. "You also have about 30 sticks that have been customized for you in the equipment room, and your very own custom made Boston Bruins official hockey equipment and bag. You will find more and more stuff that is yours, but I will let you find out on your own. If you see anything down here that you want, it's yours. We're all one big family here."
I thanked Brad, and he walked across the room, knocking on the coaches door to let Claude Julien know that I was here.
I was fiddling nerbously with my lilac colored tie, when a player that I recognized immediately walked up to me. It was Patrice Bergeron.
"How you doing?" He asked casually.
"Fine thanks!" I managed to reply. "I can't believe this! You are my favourite NHL player!"
"Really? Aw, thanks!" He returned my smile. "I guess we're sittin next to each other here in Boston!"
"Yeah, I guess so!" I said.
"We can hang out. I'll help you get used to the organization." Bergeron said. "We can also sit next to each other on the road, and on the plane. I watch movies and TV shows during the travel. Care to join me?"
"Of course! I would love to!" I replied, almost breathless.
What a perfect day this was turning out to be.
Bergeron and I exchanged cell numbers before he headed to a private video replay meeting in the next room.
I walked over to the stick rack by the door to the hallway. I searched, and found 5 sticks with my name on them. They had just the right curve, and no tape yet. I grabbed 2 of them, and started to walk back to my stall. Adam McQuaid stopped me.
"Are you the new guy?" He asked me.
"Um, yeah. That's me. Jake Belanger." I told him.
"Welcome to the organization!" He said brightly. "What position do you play?"
"I played Center for my last team, but I can play pretty much any position exept Goalie." I replied.
With a few more words, I headed toward my stall. Why is everybody so friendly here? I thought to myself. It's like heaven. I love this organization already.
Brad led me to a stall in the middle of the room, marked #8 - BELANGER. It was in between the stalls of Patrice Bergeron, and Tyler Seguin. I was amazed. I opened the locker, and found it full of tape, wax, and other useful things. I glanced back at Brad.
"Do all of the new players get this?" I asked in awe.
"Every player gets this and more every single day. Our staff is awesome! What else can I say?" Brad replied. "You also have about 30 sticks that have been customized for you in the equipment room, and your very own custom made Boston Bruins official hockey equipment and bag. You will find more and more stuff that is yours, but I will let you find out on your own. If you see anything down here that you want, it's yours. We're all one big family here."
I thanked Brad, and he walked across the room, knocking on the coaches door to let Claude Julien know that I was here.
I was fiddling nerbously with my lilac colored tie, when a player that I recognized immediately walked up to me. It was Patrice Bergeron.
"How you doing?" He asked casually.
"Fine thanks!" I managed to reply. "I can't believe this! You are my favourite NHL player!"
"Really? Aw, thanks!" He returned my smile. "I guess we're sittin next to each other here in Boston!"
"Yeah, I guess so!" I said.
"We can hang out. I'll help you get used to the organization." Bergeron said. "We can also sit next to each other on the road, and on the plane. I watch movies and TV shows during the travel. Care to join me?"
"Of course! I would love to!" I replied, almost breathless.
What a perfect day this was turning out to be.
Bergeron and I exchanged cell numbers before he headed to a private video replay meeting in the next room.
I walked over to the stick rack by the door to the hallway. I searched, and found 5 sticks with my name on them. They had just the right curve, and no tape yet. I grabbed 2 of them, and started to walk back to my stall. Adam McQuaid stopped me.
"Are you the new guy?" He asked me.
"Um, yeah. That's me. Jake Belanger." I told him.
"Welcome to the organization!" He said brightly. "What position do you play?"
"I played Center for my last team, but I can play pretty much any position exept Goalie." I replied.
With a few more words, I headed toward my stall. Why is everybody so friendly here? I thought to myself. It's like heaven. I love this organization already.
