The Best is Yet to Come

Nicole's P.O.V.

Shortly after the season ended Shero was fired. You never say you want a guy to get canned but I think we all as it coming. I mean you can only go so many years coming up short before some changes need to made.

I never really agreed or disagreed with the decision but I understood it.

I was just getting of my plane from Pittsburgh to Toronto when my phone buzzed with a new message from Mario.

It said that Dan along with other guys for the coaching staff had been fired.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't surprising, I just hoped that wasn't gonna happen.

I was in Toronto to do a photo shoot and commercial for women's hockey. It wasn't strictly Canadian but I was being filmed in Canada.

I got to the hotel and was happily surprised when I found I was rooming with Caroline Ouellette.

"Hey sweetie." She came and hugged me, "I'm sorry you guys got knocked out of the playoffs."

"Hi, it's ok." I hugged her back, "You know shit happens."

"Ya. You excited for the off season though?" She asked.

"Kinda. I'm just happy it's busy you know. Then hopefully it'll go faster." I smiled.

The commercial and photo shoot went very smoothly.

Basically the photo shoot was about how girls hockey is just as important as men's hockey. It was such an epic concept and execution.

It was the same concept as the speech I had to write for the NHL awards. Which were coming up soon.

While I was in Toronto I decided I would fly down to London to watch some Knight games, and see Olli.

I made my way down to London and surprised Olli at his hotel.

I knocked on the door at around 7pm on the night I arrived.

"Hey lover." I smiled as he opened the door.

"Oh my god!" He smiled pulling me into a hug and spinning me around, "what are you doing here?"

"What? I can't surprise my sexy boyfriend." I ran my hands down his chest.

"Well, I mean you can. I just wasn't expecting it." He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist.

"I missed you." He breathed in my ear.

"I missed you too." I kissed along his jawline.

He kissed me and there was no going back.

"Olli, the bed." I panted.

He mumbled a response and carried me to the bed, and threw me onto the mattress.

"You don't know how much I love you." He said lifting my shirt off.

"I love you too." I undid the button of his jeans, "so much."

***

I arrived in Las Vegas for the NHL awards and I was nervous as hell. I had to talk not only in front of not only all the people that were at the event but also everybody who was watching it on TV.

The night of the event I got dressed in my short, tight black T-shirt dress and some black converse.

I made my way to the event and was immediately ambushed with cameras and reporters. I had gotten used to the constant publicity and reporters, and it was helping me overcome my anxiety.

I remember the first time I freaked out. I ran and hid in the bathroom until Olli came and found me.

"Ms. St. Claire, what's it like to be nominated for the Calder?" That was probably the most common question.

"It's truly an honor. There were so many amazing rookies this year and it's crazy to be considered on of the best." I answered.

I made my way to my seat and saw I was sitting right behind Sid.

"God, I just can't get away from you!" I joked.

"Oh zip it." He laughed, "Nic, I'd like you to meet Taylor."

I reached my hand out and sook it with the girl sitting next to Sid. I gave him a look of you got a girl.

"Taylor's my sister." He clarified.

"Oh, well it's nice to meet you Taylor." I smiled.

I took my seat and the show started. It was really cool and half oh the speeches and videos sent chills up my spine and goosebumps down my legs.

When they started announcing the nominees for the Calder, I got extremely nervous. I knew that if I won or not I had the speech coming up in less than 5 minutes.

"And the winner of the 2013-2014 Calder trophy is, Nathan Mackinnon."

The crowd cheered and he went up did a (thankfully) quick speech and walked off stage.

They cut to commercial and I made my way to the stage and back to the behind the scenes stuff for final touches before I went out and gave my speech about women's hockey.

I took one final breathe before they announced my name and I walked out onto the stage and under the hot lights.

I decided just to jump right into the speech and not be up there longer than I had to be.

"Girls have goals too. We check as hard as you. We skate as fast as you. And we win better than you. We may have pink laces and pink tape too, but we're just as good as you. We're goalies, centers, left wingers, right wingers, and defenseman, and we're girls. Hockey is not just a boys sport anymore, it's ours too. Just because we are girls doesn't mean that we're different than you- We skate on the same ice as you, we score in the same nets as you, we wear the same skates and helmets as you, and we use the same sticks. We train as hard as you. We want to win as much as you. We want to play in the NHL just like you do. So what if were girls? Does that even make a difference anymore? We talk puck you. We swear like you. We aren't afraid to fight just like you. We have the same dreams as you, the same goals. We look up to the same players as you do and hope to be just like them. We have the same courage, strength, will, and success as you. We breathe the same frozen air you do every time we walk into the rink and step onto that ice. We pray to win as much as you do. We get hurt as much as you do. We believe as much as you do. Hockey? It's our game too. It's our passion just like it is yours. Together, as girls who play hockey, we unite on frozen ponds, in the streets, at the local rinks and in our living rooms to showcase to the world that the sport we live, love, and breathe is hockey. Together we show the world that this is our sport too. Hockey is in our hearts, in our minds, and in our souls just like it is yours. For us behind every athlete that we've become, is that little girl who laced up her skates and never looked back. We play for her and we will never look back."

I walked off stage and got a standing ovation, which was about the last thing I expected.

***

Draft day wasn't as awesome as it always turns out to be.

James got traded and it just so unexpected that I think the rest of us feared for our jobs.

July first was about the only day I didn't want to see Mario's name pop up on my screen.

And thank fully I made it, I had made free agency day and so did Olli.

On July 4th I was sitting on my balcony with Olli, watching the fireworks go off over the rivers. I was so happy. We were cuddled up and drinking beers, it was perfect.

And to end the perfect night, we found ourselves making love.

The next morning I woke up to my phone vibrating. I went and checked it careful not to wake Olli.

I had missed the call and I had a message. It was from Mario and it said to come to Consol. I figured since free agent day was over this was going to be about a contract.

I went to the arena and we discussed some things I went back to my apartment.

"Hey, sweetie." Olli greeted me. He not only had woken up he also made breakfast.

I didn't respond I just started bawling.

"Nic! What's wrong? Where'd you go? What happened?" He asked in concern.

"Olli, I got traded." I looked him in the eyes.

Notes