Another early morning. I feel like some hockey parent and I don't even have a girlfriend let alone a kid but here I am traveling to the rink at 6am for an early morning skate.

I get to the rink and Mac is already there of course, how he manages to get past me on the highway I will never know as I have been trying to get here first for three days now. He must actually live here. Probably sleeps in his crease wrapped in netting or something.

Mac is sipping on his coffee as I come up yawning.

"Morning."

"Barely." I grin.

"Sun is up, it's morning."

"For some people yeah."

We take our seats behind the home team net where that tall kid is talking to the goalie. We see they have the names stitched on the back of their jerseys this time.

"Colt"

"Yep, lets see. Number 15? Dean Colt, Twelve, Six foot one, a hundred and sixty eight pounds."

"Jesus christ, he is man sized already. Imagine him in five years, he will be an absolute beast of a player."

"Think he will do well in the SHL?"

"Yes, this kid will be good. Real good. I see a young Jason Due here. Maybe better. Everything remains to be seen, but if he keeps developing like this he is going to be around a long time.

The kid is doing drills while we watch. The coach comes over to speak with us again.

"Incredible. That kid will win me a championship."


"You have a strong team without him, especially that goaltender. But yeah, I'd say this one looks like yours to lose before the season starts."