Gongshow

Danielle, Holiday, and Taylor showed up at the arena. Audrey was sitting by herself in the stands. She was on her phone, ignoring the pucks being shot at her. Jack noticed Taylor walking in with the girls. He skated over to the door. He opened it and it slammed against the boards causing all four to jump. Taylor smiled at him.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“Jacob wants to eat Danielle’s ass so we had to come.” She rolled her eyes.

“She’ll probably let him.” Jack shrugged.

“No!” Danielle yelled.

“Can I get a kiss before the new coach kills my ass?” He grinned at Taylor.

“You’d probably let him.” Danielle mocked as Taylor walked over to him.

Jack leaned forward with his eyes shut and his lips puckered. Taylor didn’t lean in. She stood straight and looked any direction but forward. Audrey noticed the tension and awkward silence and slowly looked up from her phone. She saw her dad skating past the group with a scowl on his face. She shook her head at him and he gave her a toothy grin, lacking some teeth. She smiled a bit as he skated back to the bench. Jack looked at Audrey in panic.

“Is he gonna hate me now?” He frowned.

She shook her head. “No, but he’s about to wh,”

A whistle rang. Jack skated to the huddle and the first practice with the new coach of the new season starting. Phil and Jamie stood at Dustin’s side. His eyes trailed down the list of the players. He’d read a number and then look for the player. It made each guy nervous.Geno and Sid sat in the bench with Jagr. Crow was at one of the nets, scuffing the ice up. Dustin finished looking down the list on his clipboard before he handed it off to one of his assistants.

“So guys, here’s the deal, I’m coming in here new and I know a lot of you probably think you can just push me around and shit, which is cool to think but it’s not happening,” Coach Dustin began. “I’m here to help you and make you a better team and to do so, we need some mutual respect, boys.”

“What does that mean?” Michael asked in confusion.

“Idiot.” Griffin shook his head.

“It means, if you wanna be a dick, go for it but I don’t care if you’re the best on the team, I’ll bench ya. Understood?” Dustin finished, earning nods from the entire team. “Attend every practice, warmed up and ready when I am. If you can’t make a practice, I’m okay with it as long as you let one of us know.”

“So we should all just be chill with you and you’ll just teach us what you know?” Nathan quizzed.

Dustin nodded. “I mean, I think I know a bit. I’ve won a couple cups.” He shrugged.

“All of us have.” Jagr butted in.

The guys chuckled. Dustin instructed the guys to do separate drills. The offense did one, the defense did another, and Crawford worked with the goalies. Jamie worked with the defense while Phil worked with the offense. Dustin sat with the two trainers and athletic therapist. He was taking notes on all the kids. He read from his notes before looking up at Sid, he looked back down then looked up again.

“Why does nine have the C?” He asked, watching Nick skate around.

“Neal?” Sid questioned, sitting up. Dustin nodded. “He’s the only kid on the team that takes this thing seriously.”

“Good, I like it on him.” He said before going back to his clipboard. “What about the alts? Who are the last yearers?”

“Scheifele, Trouba, Reinhart,” Geno listed.

“Reinhart? That kid?” Dustin gasped, pointing to Sam instead of Griffin.

“No, that kid.” Jagr corrected, pointing at the 6’4 beast with Jamie.

“So Neal, Scheifele, and big Reinhart?” Dustin cocked a brow.

All three of the men beside him nodded. He added it to his notes by putting the letter beside each of their names. They’d worry more about that when it became closer to the season. First thing he needed to do was watch his players and figure out his lines and starters. He set his clipboard down and watched the players. This was a lot more than he wanted to take on.

Notes