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***KaleSalad*** · 03-25-2021, 11:13 AM

SHL Draft:
I was very excited to be watching this year’s draft. Having the second overall pick was a big deal in helping building our future team in San Francisco. Playing against all these players this final year in my juniors I knew there was a lot of great candidates to join the team and I could not wait to see who would be joining us. I feel that we had one of the best drafts in the league adding the likes of Gregory Goode, Narboza Manyhands, Bjorn Jakobsen, Greg Davies, and Gerry Atrick. Watching these names get called I was excited to see the direction this team is taking. And look forward to watching these players develop over the next couple years before joining us in San Francisco. What a weird new great feeling that is to say us. I am looking forward to my career here in San Fran and so excited to finally join the team.

I really can’t believe out team drafted an actual Alien! Narboza flew here some Sangard and has been becoming the ultimate hockey player since arriving here on earth! You gotta check out nyumbayangu articles to get the full scoop as I am not going to do his story any justice here. I can’t wait to have an actual handed alien playing on my hockey team! Hell he can be my roommate if he doesn’t want to buy a place of his own. I have been learning all about his culture and history.

Training camp:

The day has finally come. This is what I have been working for my entire life. It’s my first step into the big leagues. Sure it is only preseason but it was something to see with my name on the back of the newly designed San Francisco Pride jersey and the new number 4 under the name. It was a moment I will remember for the rest of my life. Knowing we are in a tail end of a rebuild I know it is going to be a long tough season but it does not take away the fact I have finally arrived in the big leagues. I am excited to be here and to start to make my mark in the league with the team. Speaking of the team I can’t say enough about our great the locker room has been since arriving here. We have named out Captains for the season and I couldn’t be happier to see Sven Svenson named our Captain as well as Henrik Lekburg Osterman, Alex Petrenko, and Yngve Simonsson as the alternate captains. I could not have asked for a better group of leaders to help show us the way into the SHL. I look forward to getting to know everyone in this room on personal level.

Now onto the fun stuff I learnt through twitter that there isn’t a lot of great Pizza places in San Fran. So the hunt is on to find a house close to the rink but also close to one of the few pizza places. I have been going out nightly to do some taste testing as well as looking for available houses in the area. So far the hunt has not gone well. More restaurants will need to be visited before I make my final informed decision. Here is hoping that I will be able to find a house that meets all my needs. I have also been going out and seeing the city with the returning veterans of the team and getting the lay of the land. I can’t stress enough how great these guys have been to me.
The games haven’t gone exactly according to plan. Losing the first 4 games we are still trying to find our stride. We are a young team and we are trying to sort out our lines and defense pairings and see if we can’t find the right mesh of players to throw out there together and make something happen. So we have dropped to 0-5 in our preseason but I do feel that we are taking the right steps and with this young team we are in almost every game and working on coming together.
I have been frustrated with my own play through these 7 games though. I have only been able to register one assist so far. The game is a lot quicker and dealing with players a lot older and stronger then me I am going to have to adjust my game. I have tried to put my defensive responsibilities first and have been able to hold my plus minus to -3. Which I think is a huge accomplishment for myself considering our record. But despite my personal goals I would like to see the team succeed. However this is just preseason and we are a young team and we will work through this. I can’t wait for the big season opener that is only a couple of days away.

The Season Begins!

Season journal:
The day has come the season is upon us. I could hardly sleep last night. The only downside being there isn’t any fans in the stands to let the feeling really sink in. I woke up early my nerves are already going. I don’t know what I am going to do all day before I go to the rink. I woke up and had my bacon and eggs for breakfast my favorite and part of my game day ritual. Then it is off to the rink for the morning skate before some downtime and game prep. I tried to get in my normal pregame nap but I was just too excited. I ended up settling for playing some video games to calm my nerves. Then it is an early supper and off to the rink and time to get ready! Shirt tie and suit with my beats headset on strolling into the rink.

Was a tough star to the regular season. Dropping the first two games. My lone highlight will be getting my first assist in the big leagues. Otherwise they were pretty forgettable games. But was the night to remember the third game. We pulled out our first win of the year as well as I popped my cherry scoring my first goal! I was able to retrieve the puck and it now sits on my mantle at my house. I will be giving it to my parents as soon as they are able to come down for a visit. Needless to say post game we went out and celebrated! I am pretty sure I drank free most of the night but I honestly can’t remember as I clearly had too much to drink. Thank goodness for good teammates who were able to get me home in one piece. I was able to pound back some water and an Advil so I wasn’t a complete write off the next day.

Changing topics to off the ice here. This place is amazing! I can’t believe how nice the weather is and after morning skates being able to walk out in shorts and a t-shirt and not worry about freezing my ass off like I would at home. I was sitting outside in the sun in +23°C out while on the phone with my parents back in Canada were is was -34°C with a wind-chill factor bringing it to -45°C. So as much as I miss home I definitely do no miss that cold. I do somewhat miss the outdoor rink and some of the other winter activities but being my first year in the big leagues I am looking to stay focused on hockey.

Another big plus coming from Maine to San Fan was the fact that I wasn’t coming here completely alone. @AgentSmith630 Rikard Bjerg, and Walton Stromberg making the jump with me made this transition a lot easier. Bjerg and I both being the D core together we end up spending most of the time on and off the ice together. Couple young guys making the jump to the pros in a City like San Francisco what could go wrong!? It doesn’t take much to realize we have developed quite the friendship over the past 4 years on and off the ice. Hell he has even been helping me find the perfect house to buy now that I am here. Stromberg is always down to try a new pizza place with me and see if we can’t find the best spot in town to go. So far we have Victor’s Pizzeria and Italian restaurant as our number 1 choice but the search continues.

So we are now 2-6-1 in our first 9 games played. We are fighting in the bottom four with New Orleans, Winnipeg, and Seattle, who have six, six, and seven points respectively. With exception to a couple games we have been in almost every game and have had a fighting chance. We knew it was going to be a hard and tough year as we are still young and in the rebuild but things are starting to look up for us. There is a lot of leadership and everyone is getting behind all the leaders of this team who are stepping up their game and showing us how it is done! On a person note through 9GP I am sitting at 1 Goal, 1 assist, for 2 points, -9 rating, 2PIMs, 17 Shots on goal, 10 Hits. Not the best stats but not near as bad as they could be. All in all that first week was a bit of a blur with everything that happened. We do have a busy schedule this week that kicks off in my homeland of Canada vs Winnipeg and Edmonton. Just wish the fans were in the stands so I could have gotten my family out! Unfortunately this is just another issue with the current pandemic going on. I guess I should be lucky that I am even getting to play hockey right now with so many being out of work.

Back in San Fran despite what feels like looking at 1000 houses I think I have finally found a place I am going to purchase. I can’t believe that I am finally going to a home owner! It is a little bit of a drive from the community to the rink but the place has everything I could ever want in a house. I will hopefully be closing the deal with it this week when I get back from the road trip. I don’t mind the rental I am in right now but dam I can’t wait to get to my own place. Once I get moved in team party is definitely happening for the house warming. Don’t worry it will be on a couple days off so everyone can recover. Don’t worry fans I am not trying to self-sabotage the team.

So house deal fell through. House inspector found some structural damage to it so that sucks. Guess it was just not meant to be and I am back in the market looking for place. Going to throw it out on Twitter and see if anyone has any ideas or knows of a place I should be checking out. By the way if you haven’t followed me on twitter hit me up on their @dusterdunni or if you just want to follow my shenanigans follow me and I will follow you back.

Despite having a game today I was able to watch the new mars rover Perseverance land today! That was pretty awesome can’t believe we have the technology to put a rover with a small helicopter on Mars. Makes you wonder how far off we are to send people to mars? Guess that give me the question of the day, would you be one of the first to go to mars!? I would sign up to go to the moon and back but I don’t think I could do the whole one way trip to mars in my lifetime. Will have to check with Manyhands and see what that space flight is like!? Also want to throw a mention out to him if you want some crazy awesome stories of what his life has been like since coming from Sangard you need to check it out!

Really can’t wait for this pandemic to be over. Hockey doesn’t feel the same without the fans in the stands. Even going out for supper can only have so many people feels like we haven’t been able to do much as a team outside of being at the rink. Still searching for perfect pizza place with Walton and Bjerg. Trying to find things to fill the time other than beating Bjerg at SHL21 and looking for a place to live. Going to check out more places tomorrow on a day off, here is hoping! On the Ice we have been able to scrape together a couple wins here and there and now own a 4-14-1 record. Been in a lot of games but just don’t have that depth yet to take us to the next level. Watching the rookies this year in the SMJHL and really excited for them to join us next year. Love what the GM is building here!

Saw a couple more houses today and think I may have found the one! This place has it all 4 bedrooms, sick home theatre in the basement, a sweet kitchen (still need to learn to cook) and a pool and a pool house! The place even has a view of the ocean. Yup that’s right you bet your ass this place is a bachelors dream house! Got loads of rooms for people to come and visit and stay, I am looking at you @sewingwithnacy Sean Gatez my former D partner. Going to be able to host team parties here (once we are allowed to do that kind of stuff again.) Just hope I don’t get in to much trouble with the neighbors. Maybe I will be able to slide them some game tickets to get into their good books. Best part is the house is vacant so I can move in next week after it clears everything.

Want to shout out to my old trainer who @CementHands Karl Krashwagan who is having a hell of a year Baltimore with the Platoon. He is a few years ahead of me but I met him when I was younger he used to take the time to help show me some pointers on and off the ice and really helped me become the SHL hockey player that I am today. Wishing him and his team success this year despite the fact that I have to play against them now. Making it a personal challenge to myself to shut him down when we play him. Coach has always told me to set goals for myself. Plus this is also an invitation to come visit me once I get my place set up. We can try and wheel some ladies like we did back in the day!

Agent called today I am going to keep Bauer as my sponsor. Going to hit up their facility and try out their new vapor flylite as well as their new Nexus skates. They are going to do a full 3d print of my foot and ordering in the custom skates for me I can’t wait! Feel like royalty the way they treat me couldn’t have asked for a better sponsor. Love their product and can’t believe that they are now paying me to wear their stuff! Maybe one day I will be the face of their brand. Have to dream big.
I know that we shouldn’t really be going out in a pandemic but anyone got a good bars or clubs to go to that a guy could find some companionship? I mean I was just following my main wingman Bjerg to whatever clubs we could find open but we have since decided against that since we rolled into a LGBQ+ bar. Don’t get me wrong we had one hell of fun night dancing, well learning to dance because I sucked, and getting drinks bought for us and I would definitely go back on karaoke night and sing my heart out. Met some new friends and we found what could have been the best drunk meal ever at this taco stand. Was probably just the meal being I was drunk but dam I need to find that taco stand again. Just shouting out that I am still single ladies and I am ready to mingle!

Sale of the house is DONE! Everything checked out and we are moving forward with the sale! Now all I need is some furniture as I don’t think it’s very good to only have a mattress on the floor and big screen TV with a lawn chair. My parents have told me I have to go to IKEA to find some “adult furniture.” Going to check out some other stores as well to get a big section couch or some captain chairs for the home theatre room. But first I need to get a real bed set and new bed! Think I am going to go for a California King in the case I do end up having some company over for the night. Also I will be ready to share it if I ever do land a lady.

Bjerg is THE MAN this guy has some sort of sixth sense for finding the best places to eat in all of San Fran I swear. He found a sushi truck that goes out daily to catch the fish they use them in their food and it is simply amazing. Hands down the best sushi I have ever tasted. I even marked it on my phone so I could remember how the hell to get here for next time. The best part is literally watching them cut the fish up and make the rolls right in front of you. Nothing like this place back home and no idea how I would be able to go back to eating sushi from landlocked area like back home. Going to be taking my parents here when they are able to finally make a trip down.

So went on my first legit date last night since coming to San Fran. Was a blind date set up from one of the guys I met at the club last week. Talk about awkward. I will take the blame as I honestly don’t think I have been on a date in 3 years and was way too nervous, I mean hell I rather lay out in front of a 100 MPH slap shot. I mean the girls out here are all perfect 10’s and honestly just blanked on conversation as my entire last 5 years has been focusing on hockey, and in Maine ladies just came to me as they knew all the guys on the team. I may have to hit up my boss again to be my wingman @Thatguy what do you say? I mean I think I did all the little things right. Took her out to a nice restaurant and really listen to her but just felt I was coming up short on every topic. But did the gentleman thing and pay for dinner and make sure she got home safe. Didn’t completely strike out as I was able to get a kiss goodnight. UPDATE: I must not have done near as bad as I thought as she wants to go out again! Taking this as an absolute win!

Think it is time to update my old truck. I feel like I stand out like a sore thumb being one of the only people in the city driving a truck. Worse yet I am pretty much the only one not using it for hauling just using it to commute back and forth to the rink. Been looking at the local dealers and always had a soft spot for the Audi’s but dam the new Maserati caught my eye. I am planning on going to a test drive the new MC20 and their GT convertible. The weather is always so nice here I might as well really get in touch with the local culture and drive a convertible right? The MC20 may be a little over the top but why not right? Feel my life is getting a major upgrade with new house and furnishings, might as well add a car to it.

So I am pretty sure I am going to take both out goaltenders Nicolae Antonescu, and Geezus Kryyst, out for a steak dinner every game because these two have been standing on their head this year. Both have been facing a ridiculous number of shots every game and are the main factor for our success. I truly don’t know how they do it. I think if I was hit by 80 mile per hour shots 60 times a game I would just quit. Speaks volumes to how crazy good these guys have been for us! With these guys as our backstops we will always have a chance.

So for all you single guys out there note some ladies don’t like you tweeting about your dating experience with them. I have officially crashed and burned with my previous date as my “antics” of me tweeting about the date did not go over well. Guess it is just another lesson learnt and moving on! Might try creating Tinder account. I mean why not seems to be the only way to meet new people during this pandemic right? Well I got to find some pics of me not in the SFP uniform as the last thing I need is for the press to get a hold of that. I take enough heat for my plus minus already, which currently is sitting at -14, yikes. Better get those numbers up before next time I try and humble brag. Well anyways got the account set up and started swiping! Couldn’t not do it Bjerg and I turned this tinder thing into a drinking game. Needless to say we got day drunk very quickly. If anyone has got any good opening lines to use on this site please send them my way. The best Bjerg could come up with is so far is, “How much does a polar bear weigh? Just enough to break the ice.” If you can do better then please hit me up because clearly I/we need some help.

Shout out to Yngve Simonsson who is doing it all for us on and off the ice! This guy is the real deal he is doing it all for us he is even dropping the gloves! He didn’t win the fight but hell he still dropped em to stand up for his teammates and I can respect that. He is leading all the rookies in scoring this year and he is a great guy to have in the locker room as well. Speaks a lot to the rookie being named an Alternate Captain and steps his game up to another level. Also shout out to fellow rookie also in the top 10 scoring my fellow Maine Alumni Walton Stromberg. This guys are line mates and they are so fun to watch. I have caught myself on the ice standing still watching these two forgetting I am still part of the game. Calling for Simonsson for the Rookie of the year award!

I can’t believe it we are off to playoffs in my first year in the SHL! We are unfortunately matched up against number 3 team seed in the league which is Toronto but hey the way our team is currently playing who knows what might happen in these playoffs!? Looking forward to this series and getting my first taste of the SHL playoffs in my rookie season. Everyone has us written off being swept but I would love for our team to play spoiler in the first round this year. We have played so well to this point I believe it could happen.

Well tough start to the series being in Toronto, Dropped both of the first two games there being outscored 11-4. They showed up to play in their barn we will need to bounce back on our home ice if we want to even this series up with them and avoid being swept. We will need some players to step up and break this series wide open. It’s a long trip back to San Fran from Toronto so we have a lot of time to adjust and watch game film and figure out how we can counter them.

HELL YEA we did it pulling out back to back wins on home ice! Nicolae Antonescu has been an absolute beast for us in these playoffs! Stopping almost everything that is getting thrown his way! Walton Stromberg has a hell of a game our first one at home putting up 2 goals and gets first star of the game winning it 4-3. This is what I am talking about our rookies have been stepping up all year! In our Second game my main man Rikard Bjerg was able to light the lamp 2 times and help us win that game 4-2. Our series is all tied up! I don’t think anyone expected this from our team and I am looking forward to our team attempting to spoil Toronto’s run this year.

Dam home ice advantage in this series seems to be doing to trick. Dropped a tough game to let Toronto take back a 3-2 series lead. It’s going to be hard to win this series allowing 60 shots a game. In all honesty though people didn’t pick us winning a game against these guys and to head back home for game 6 and hopefully forcing a game 7 would be icing on the cake for this season.

HEADING TO GAME 7! Hells yea we did it again! Back on home ice had another hell of a game from Antonescu stopping 42 shots! And None other than fellow Maine Alumni stepping up huge again in this series Walton Stromberg scoring 20 seconds in OT to win it and even up the series and force a game 7! This is what it is all about! Getting to playoffs and anyone has a chance! Let’s keep it rolling Pride!

Well that does it. Tough end to a great first season in the SHL. We dropped a tough game 7 in Toronto and honestly we ran out of steam. Despite that I could not be more proud of this team and what we were able to accomplish this year. Being in this rebuild no one expected anything from us. But we covered the over in the Casino odds. Then we walked into playoffs everyone expecting us to get swept and here we are forcing a game 7. This team is really coming together and blew away any expectations we had for this season!

Well to kick off the offseason and celebrate the season with hosting a team party! Going to have some drinks and bbq going to wrap up this year and what a year it has been. Guess it is time thought ot pull out the golf clubs and start hitting the courses! Plan is to stay down in Cali this offseason to train and why not enjoy this beautiful weather Cali has to offer. Settled into the house and doing some minor touches. Going to set up the man cave finally with the big screen and movie theater type chairs. Love being part of this team and looking forward to what we continue to build here San Fran. Cannot wait for the new rookies to come up next year and build on the success of this year. We are only going to get better from here. So going to take a short break away from the ice and enjoy a week off. But then it is back to business and training for next year. On and off the ice will be putting in the time. We got some standings to start climbing in the next couple years.

This is Nathan Thomas Journal Signing off for the season! Best of luck to teams remaining and hit me up if you got some suggestions or ideas of things to do in San Fran!

WC:4747

CementHands · 03-25-2021, 12:43 PM

What an adventurous season!

Henrik · 03-25-2021, 02:26 PM

Nathan is a beaut!

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