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TheHockeyist · 08-05-2020, 11:18 PM

It's been almost a full season since Igor Volkov made the switch to New England. He has managed to adapt well to his NEW™ teammates and has even started the idea of the semi-regular nightly "team howl" when he's around. If you're in the locker room at the right time, you will unmistakably recognize the Wolfpack member howling.

Over the last few months, Igor had changed his personality from very shy and reserved to cautiously friendly to one of the most enthusiastic and optimistic Wolves on the team. He couldn't have asked for anything better.

After a very optimistic start to the season, Igor's enthusiasm started to wane. The day's loss to Minnesota upset him more than usual. Igor quickly blamed the new goalie Frans Eller @Ace for not being prepared enough for the game. After the final second of the game, Igor started attacking Frans from behind, which resulted in minor bruises for both Igor and Frans.

In attempting one last forceful swing to injure Frans, Igor missed. He tripped and fell headfirst to the ice. Despite the fall, he was relatively uninjured.

Igor's blood boiled. His veins popped. Pressure built from within. Igor seethed in absolute rage. From the ground, he raised his fist. He would have his revenge, a move that would make his old friend-turned-enemy Jon Forty-One @C9Van proud.

"Igor!"

This snapped Igor out of his rage, irritated that his thought process was interrupted. He looked up.

"Iggy, calm down."

It was Slap McShotty @bbjygm. He towered over Igor, who lay helpless on the ground.

"Igor. As your captain, I need you to listen."

"Why should I listen to you?! You've been nothing but-"

Slap sternly, but gently interrupted. "Igor. Listen. I know you're angry. Calm down. I need you to listen. You're a good dude and a great player, honestly. Still, you need to listen to what I have to say."

Igor just groaned.

"Igor! Lay off the vodka and get stuff together. It's exciting to get blackout drunk, I know. But cut it out. Your aggressiveness has started to bring friction to the locker room. It's taking its toll on us. You're a professional SHL player, Igor. And as such, the fans and the team expect a standard of behavior from you."

Igor just looked up from the ground at Slap, only half paying attention.

Also your consistent subpar familiarity with your own equipment. I mean, your skates are untied. You've been here for this long and you seem to ignore the issue. This is why you're laying down on the ground right now. You don't want to lose, do you? That's why you came to us."

Igor just nodded slowly.

"And you want to win. You want to be on a team that makes it to the finals. And your skates are getting in the way. You're getting in the way of your own success, the teams success, and the coach's success with building the team. All because you don't know how to tie your skates adequately. I will not handle sloppiness. We will get those skates tied. Now get back to the drills."

Igor stood up, skated slowly a bit, and then returned to the drills before falling on the ice from his skate laces again.

"Slap, some sort of assistance? Please don't send me back to Minnesota... I don't want to go there anymore." Igor complained about the loss to his old, now rival team.

Slap offered some comforting words.

"I get it. You're frustrated at not being helped out anymore. But people do get a bit tired of it. I don't want you to be dependent on others when it comes to getting geared up. Also, we're not shipping you away. We just want to improve ourselves. Emotions are volatile on the micro scale, I get it. But one loss to them does not spell doom for us. It's not this one game that counts - it's all 50. We could never defeat Minnesota and still come out at the top of the league, even Cup winners. Don't let your desire to beat them be the reason you start breaking down. Give yourself a break. You're not some sort of new outsider to us anymore. You're an integral part of the team. Stop doubting that and put your mind at ease."

Igor just nodded. He patted Slap on the back and hugged him. He felt emotionally drained.

At this point, Dominic Montgomery @bilbo overheard Igor and Slap communicating and decided to investigate.

"Igor, let's actually do something about how you're feeling. Let's train. Let's get out there and kick some SHL-ass. Put your emotions into a constructive context."

Igor agreed. "Yeah! Let's get out there and do it!" He got up befor falling... again. "Slap, you mind getting my laces tight?"

Dominic offered to step in, but was blocked by Slap. "Dom, let him figure it out for himself. Igor, I won't be doing it for you. Here's the official NEW™ team manual. Page 45."

Igor looked for page 45, which was nonexistent. "It skips from 44 to 47?"

"Misprint I guess. This diagram shows the proper knot. Follow along with this."

Igor made an attempt. It was decent and would hold up for maybe 5-10 minutes.

"Close enough. Should hold for a few shifts. Here." Slap photocopied the diagram from the manual. "Keep this with you."

Igor was hesitant about his own skill. "But what should happen if my skates untie mid-game? You'd be willing to assist me, right?"

"Well, we'll be busy focusing on the game. Change out with another defenseman as soon as you can, get the manual, and focus on tightening those guys up again. I have confidence in you - you'll get the hang of it and learn quickly."

"And if I've been out for five, ten, fifteen minutes and still struggling with my laces?"

"Igor, if I see you struggling, I'll delegate it to Dominic."

Dominic affirmed this. "I've got you, Ig. If I say I've got you, I've got you. If Slap's not willing to help you out, then no doubt for sure that I will."

"And if Dom's out?"

Slap sighed. "Shouldn't happen. But if you're training or in a game and for whatever reason Dom's not there, then I might step in if you still can't get it. But only as a last resort. I don't want to tie your skates for you, but I also don't want to see your skates untied. At all. If I have to do it for the team, I will. But I'd rather you attempt first if Dom's not around."

Igor felt better. "Well then, that settles it."

Slap called out "And Ig, remember this. Should you trip in a game or something, immediately switch out with another defenseman. Don't force a 3-on-5 just because of your skates. It's not fair to our goalie. Once you're switched out, try to get your skates tied on your own first. If it's been more than three minutes, then call out Dom or I (preferably Dom). Either one of us will then switch out and take care of it when we have the time."

Igor hugged Slap and Dom afterward. "Slap, I would like to say that Frans is sick of it as well. I keep hearing him mutter stuff like if only Igor would keep his skates tied, we wouldn't lose..."

"I'll have a private word with him about it. Don't worry about it."

It was at this moment that Igor noticed his laces loosening up.

"Dom?"

"On it, boss. I'm a sailor so I'm very good at tying every single knot in the book. Including skate knots."

Igor felt a bit better. "Thanks. Get them very tight for our next game against the Rage. We'll need it."

"Not to worry, Ig. I got it."

Dominic proceeded to tie Igor's skates with speed, tightness, and firmness. Slap felt a bit defeated. He just watched as if emotionless.

"This should hold up until our next game. I'll check your skates then and retighten them for you before we hit the ice against the Rage."

"Excellent, Dom. You want to train?"

"Absolutely."

The two then proceeded to hit the ice for their training. Slap just sat down on the bench watching them.

"If Ig gets Dom to tie his skates every time, he might never learn... I mean, if it's not an inconvenience for Dom and it works for both of them, at least our team won't have to deal with Igor's untied skates at all. I still would like Ig to try on his own though. Boost his confidence some. Maybe he'll feel better."

After some time, Slap thought to himself. "Hm. Now that I think about it, I wonder what Ig did back when he was on his older team. How did he get his laces tied back then?" No answer came to him.

Slap just continued watching Igor and Dominic train on the ice. He repeatedly thought about trying to teach the Russian defenseman one-on-one how to tie his skates. Maybe tomorrow.