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***sköldpaddor*** · 02-19-2019, 11:53 AM

Blog Post 1: February 19

LETHBRIDGE, AB --- It’s just after 5am, and I’m sitting in a bed in a hotel room in Alberta. I’ve been here for the past few days for the prospect showcase tournament, and today we play the Vipers for the whole thing (I don’t know if we get a trophy, but I’m hoping we at least get a sticker or something). Then I guess we’re all headed back across the Atlantic for the draft, where we’ll all go our separate ways.

This is the farthest away from home I’ve ever been. And it is so cold, I checked this morning and it was thirty-something degrees below zero. We have cold winters in Luleå, where I grew up, but never quite this cold. But I’ve been keeping warm because I’ve been playing so much hockey. I’m playing with guys I never met before this week, and I’m having the time of my life. We’re all from different places, but one of the things I love most about hockey is that it’s sort of like its own language. Even if you’ve never met somebody before, even if you grew up speaking different languages in totally different countries playing with completely different people, the ice gives you something in common.

I guess I was worried at first, that somehow things would be different here, that I’d get out there and realize that everyone is just a hundred times better than I am, that I wasn’t prepared at all, and I’d end up embarrassed beyond belief. But it’s gone better than I could ever have hoped for. Me and Joey (that’s Joseph Laraque and I don’t know if he actually goes by Joey but I’ve been calling him that and he hasn’t punched me for it yet) and Lex Peters are on a line together, and I think maybe I’m spoiled forever because we’ve had crazy chemistry out there. I know we’re all going to get drafted to different places, and we won’t ever be on the same national team because Lex is from Canada and Joey’s American, but I can’t help hoping we’ll end up playing together again someday. I’m absolutely never going to forget this week and these games, because I’ve been waiting my whole life for this and it’s gone so much better than I ever dreamed.

I’ve been reading media coverage (my mom says that’s a terrible idea, but I’m too curious not to). Somebody said I came out of nowhere, and I guess that’s true, if I think about it. Up until this week, I haven’t played very much internationally at all. And I’m going to be honest, that’s always been because I’ve chosen opportunities that kept me closer to home. I guess I always felt like I needed to be there for my mom. I’m the youngest, and I’ve been the only one at home since I was fourteen, so it’s always felt like me leaving was the end of an era or something. But I have a real shot at making it, I’ve worked so hard and I’m good enough, I know I am, to do more than play in Sweden for the rest of my career. (Not that Swedish hockey isn’t great, but everybody knows the SHL is the real dream if you’ve grown up wanting to play hockey for a living).

So my mom and I started talking about where I wanted to go, where I wanted to end up, and she pushed me to go if I wanted to go. I don’t know why I was so worried. I know my mom is going to be fine at home without me, she has my dad and my sisters don’t live far away. If I’m honest with myself, I think maybe I was just scared, and I used that as an excuse to steer clear of things I was afraid of.

But I’m done with that now. My mom wants me to go and achieve my dreams and all that, and I know even though it's going to be weird for her to finally have the nest totally empty, she's always wanted me to do big things. So I’m done letting that nervousness hold me back from the things I want, the things I’m capable of accomplishing. So here I am, and I’m ready to show the world what I can do, that I’m the real deal and I’m here to stay. I’m going to get drafted today, and I’m going to go and play for a team here in North America, and I’m going to make my family proud of me, and I’m going to make so many friends along the way. Let’s do this.
----

(Media week 2x please)

***blix900*** · 02-19-2019, 11:57 AM

Love it man, I guess I'm Joey now!

Sami · 02-19-2019, 12:36 PM

Nice!

Wibbly McButternutz · 02-19-2019, 12:41 PM

I cried at the mom part.

Randominoe · 02-19-2019, 01:26 PM

I enjoyed the blog post style and it was a very good read.

*Carpy48* · 02-19-2019, 01:35 PM

I would read more of those.

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