Hall of Fame

It was finally the first skate of the season, and it was easy to see that the guys were more than thrilled to be back on the ice. Today Coach was taking an easy, a few skating and passing drills before the guys took turns shooting pucks. It was nice seeing the guys in their natural environment. They all seemed more relaxed now to, and I took that as a relief that their physicals were now over.
We would be leaving later today for “Cowtown”, because tomorrow training camp would start. I would get my own hotel room, Coach was very insistent on that, but even if I had to share a room with one of the guys I don’t think I would have turned down the offer. I loved to travel and I kind of liked staying in hotels so he really wouldn’t have taken too much convincing to get me to go with.
Once practice was over and we all boarded the bus I slipped my head phones in, soaking in as much energy as I could before we got to “Cowtown” because I knew once we got there it was going to crazy, fun, but also very crazy.
* * *
As I predicted, there wasn’t much rest once we got to the hotel. Once arriving at the hotel just after 2, we had a team meeting, going over the groups for tomorrows practice and the happening of tomorrow’s festivities. At three tomorrow the team would hold there annual Dallas Stars Cowtown Kickoff, which would include bounce houses and slap shot cage for the younger fans. Then at seven, there would be a question and answer session with some of the guys.
After the team meeting concluded, there was a team dinner, held in one of the banquet halls of the hotel. It was odd seeing the guys outside of the rink and workouts; it was weird to think that they were actually human too. They sat around just eating, and talking about normal things like their families, and their childhood.
At around 8, the guys started to file out one by one. About an hour later I bid my good byes and made my way to the elevators, tomorrow was going to be a long day.
* * *
I watched from the bench as Group B finished up the passing drills before Coach Ruff called them over.
“Alright boys, grab a quick drink and then let’s meet at center ice. We have one more drill before we leave.” Coach informed the boys, who received a chorus of groans, and I figured that was because Group A informed the boys of what they did early today, but little did they know I had a different drill in mind for them.
Coach nodded at me as he followed the boys over to the benches and I stood up, that was my cue. I skated to center ice, thankfully skating was similar to riding a bike, and once you learn that you don’t forget.
“So am going to need you guys to split into 2 groups,” I informed the guys once they were all gathered around center ice. “I need 5 forwards on one side, and then 2 defenseman over there, and the other 3 over there.” I told them as I pointed to the side of the ice that they needed to be on.
This drill, I explained to the boys would work like capture the flag, and unlike the drill Group A did, this drill involved more strategizing and talking, whereas the first drill focused more on teamwork.
For this drill there was a puck placed in each net, and the object was for one team to collect the puck and bring it back to their side, without getting caught by the other team. The only catch was that they had to work fast, because they only had 5 minutes.
* * *
It was just after the four minute mark when team 2 successfully retrieved the puck from the other side. After a little celebrating and much bragging from team 2, the boys started to clear the ice.
“Caleb,” I smiled at the young defense as I passed him in the changing room after practice. “Is everything okay?”
He shrugged, his dirty blonde hair falling in his face and I could see the frustration in his blue eyes as he stripped off his pads.
I sighed, because I knew how he felt. He was one of the young new defenseman on the team, in an origination that already had most of the defense was already set. I sat down next to him, this was my job after all, right? “Caleb, why are you here?”
He looked up at me slowly, his eyebrows pulled together, “because I want to play in the NHL.”
“And why do you want to play in the NHL?”
I watched as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “It’s my childhood dream.”
I smiled, that was the typical answer that I usually heard, but my job was to dig deeper than that, “so why hockey?”
“I love hockey,” he looked at me as if there was no other answer. “I tried playing baseball one summer,” he shrugged, “it just wasn’t the same.”
“Okay,” I nodded, “so then what was so special about hockey?”
He smiled at me as he told me all about the first time he skated and got his first stick, the way he felt so in control when he was skating. As he talked I could tell how much he loved hockey, I could see it in the glimmer in his eyes, and the way his face lit up when talking about scoring his first goal.
“Caleb,” I asked once his finished. “Do you think you could do me a favor?”
He shrugged, “Depends.”
“When you’re out on that ice, rather for practice, or game in the AHL or NHL, can you just remember why you like playing so much. Don’t worry about who you need to impress, or what team your are.”
He nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Okay,” I smiled as I stood up, hoping that he would really listen to what I said, because I really liked the kid and I knew that if he play the way I’ve seen him play the past couple days then he would have no problem playing in the NHL.
As I predicted, there wasn’t much rest once we got to the hotel. Once arriving at the hotel just after 2, we had a team meeting, going over the groups for tomorrows practice and the happening of tomorrow’s festivities. At three tomorrow the team would hold there annual Dallas Stars Cowtown Kickoff, which would include bounce houses and slap shot cage for the younger fans. Then at seven, there would be a question and answer session with some of the guys.
After the team meeting concluded, there was a team dinner, held in one of the banquet halls of the hotel. It was odd seeing the guys outside of the rink and workouts; it was weird to think that they were actually human too. They sat around just eating, and talking about normal things like their families, and their childhood.
At around 8, the guys started to file out one by one. About an hour later I bid my good byes and made my way to the elevators, tomorrow was going to be a long day.
* * *
I watched from the bench as Group B finished up the passing drills before Coach Ruff called them over.
“Alright boys, grab a quick drink and then let’s meet at center ice. We have one more drill before we leave.” Coach informed the boys, who received a chorus of groans, and I figured that was because Group A informed the boys of what they did early today, but little did they know I had a different drill in mind for them.
Coach nodded at me as he followed the boys over to the benches and I stood up, that was my cue. I skated to center ice, thankfully skating was similar to riding a bike, and once you learn that you don’t forget.
“So am going to need you guys to split into 2 groups,” I informed the guys once they were all gathered around center ice. “I need 5 forwards on one side, and then 2 defenseman over there, and the other 3 over there.” I told them as I pointed to the side of the ice that they needed to be on.
This drill, I explained to the boys would work like capture the flag, and unlike the drill Group A did, this drill involved more strategizing and talking, whereas the first drill focused more on teamwork.
For this drill there was a puck placed in each net, and the object was for one team to collect the puck and bring it back to their side, without getting caught by the other team. The only catch was that they had to work fast, because they only had 5 minutes.
* * *
It was just after the four minute mark when team 2 successfully retrieved the puck from the other side. After a little celebrating and much bragging from team 2, the boys started to clear the ice.
“Caleb,” I smiled at the young defense as I passed him in the changing room after practice. “Is everything okay?”
He shrugged, his dirty blonde hair falling in his face and I could see the frustration in his blue eyes as he stripped off his pads.
I sighed, because I knew how he felt. He was one of the young new defenseman on the team, in an origination that already had most of the defense was already set. I sat down next to him, this was my job after all, right? “Caleb, why are you here?”
He looked up at me slowly, his eyebrows pulled together, “because I want to play in the NHL.”
“And why do you want to play in the NHL?”
I watched as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “It’s my childhood dream.”
I smiled, that was the typical answer that I usually heard, but my job was to dig deeper than that, “so why hockey?”
“I love hockey,” he looked at me as if there was no other answer. “I tried playing baseball one summer,” he shrugged, “it just wasn’t the same.”
“Okay,” I nodded, “so then what was so special about hockey?”
He smiled at me as he told me all about the first time he skated and got his first stick, the way he felt so in control when he was skating. As he talked I could tell how much he loved hockey, I could see it in the glimmer in his eyes, and the way his face lit up when talking about scoring his first goal.
“Caleb,” I asked once his finished. “Do you think you could do me a favor?”
He shrugged, “Depends.”
“When you’re out on that ice, rather for practice, or game in the AHL or NHL, can you just remember why you like playing so much. Don’t worry about who you need to impress, or what team your are.”
He nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Okay,” I smiled as I stood up, hoping that he would really listen to what I said, because I really liked the kid and I knew that if he play the way I’ve seen him play the past couple days then he would have no problem playing in the NHL.

Notes