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adamantium · 04-17-2022, 12:31 PM

Local Hockey Player Sets His Sights on the League

MIDDLETOWN, NJ -- The New Jersey Titans’ most notable player isn’t even from the state of New Jersey.

Benson Fiorentini, Benny to his friends and teammates, was born on Long Island but moved to Middletown two years ago to play in the North American Hockey League, a junior hockey league, for Middletown’s own Titans. Now, though, Fiorentini has his sights set on the biggest stage of them all--the Simulation Hockey League.

“I grew up watching the [Manhattan] Rage, you know? I think most of us did, and when you grow up seeing guys like that, you get inspired to go for it yourself.” Fiorentini says.

It wasn’t always going to be hockey, however--his father, Michael Fiorentini, was a pitcher in the Mets AAA system and even had a short stint as the reliever for the big club. His grandfather, Gianfranco, played soccer for AC Milan and the Italian national team.

“There’s a lot of pressure, for sure.” He says. “When you come from a family who made it in professional sports, there’s a lot on your shoulders to not be, you know, the kid that doesn’t do it. And my little brother was never interested in sports at all, so it was definitely this feeling of ‘oh, I’ve gotta be the one that gets it done and makes it to the league.’”

It was only through consistent reinforcement that he wanted to try playing hockey that Benson ever convinced his parents to let him give it a shot.

“Oh yeah, I had to pester the hell out of my folks to let me even give it a shot. My first set of gear was all used from a friend and I think I showed up to my first midget practice with an old wooden stick my dad bought at a yard sale.” Fiorentini laughs. “It definitely wasn’t easy, but once I started actually getting my feet under me, it was this feeling of, like, ‘woah, you know, maybe this is something worth pursuing.’”

With the Titans having been eliminated from playoff contention two weeks ago, Fiorentini has taken the opportunity to sign a Draftable Free Agent contract with the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League’s Vancouver Whalers--essentially, a contract to get some experience in the Major minor league before next year’s SMJHL draft, in which he will be eligible to be drafted by any club. He says he’d heard from different clubs but ultimately chose to sign with the Vancouver Whalers for one reason.

“Luke Thomason.” He beams. “That guy was like my idol growing up, so there was a part of me that thought, you know--if I’ve got the opportunity to choose where I play, even if it’s just for a few weeks, I might as well follow the route of the GOAT, right?”

The Whalers are not a team that’s going to be making the playoffs this season--currently sitting dead last in the SMJHL standings, there’s little hope that Fiorentini would make any sort of splash in the playoffs to up his draft stock. Still, it doesn’t seem to be a worry for him--instead, he sees it as an opportunity for growth and learning before the real thing comes around.

“Yeah, I mean, no playoffs is a bummer, but realistically, playoff teams that are fighting for position don’t want to bring on some nobody rookie from the NAHL while they’re vying for a better seed. And getting to play with one of the most storied teams in the history of Major Minors is reason enough to want to sign on with them, even if it’s just for a couple of weeks.”

While he plans to take as much of his time with Vancouver as an experience to learn from and adjust to a higher pace of play, his eyes are now set squarely on next year’s SMJHL draft and making himself as valuable an option as possible.

“My coaches on the Titans, they were telling me a bunch that I was good enough to be competing in the USHL, or to go up north to Canada and play in the CHL--so I think that even if I’m not, you know, a first round guy or a second round guy or anything like that, it’s not going to be something that gets me down, you know? I’m still going to give whoever takes the chance everything I’ve got. I’m still going to lay my body out and get the puck in the net for whoever wants to give me a shot. That’s just who I am.”

Benson Fiorentini finishes the season with 29 goals and 32 assists for a total of 61 points. He finishes his two-year stint with the Titans at 52 goals and 66 assists, for a total of 118 points.

-- Jess Davis, The New Jersey Journal

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Ready for grading. (808 words)

sigs by me bitch

Merica · 04-17-2022, 12:35 PM

Hey what’s dieselpunk

***luke*** · 04-17-2022, 12:43 PM

The worst town in the worst state. Perfect

***luke*** · 04-17-2022, 12:44 PM

Oh you put Thomason in there, sick Smile

Rotti · 04-17-2022, 01:14 PM

adamn

***bluesfan55*** · 04-17-2022, 01:36 PM

what a babe

adamantium · 04-17-2022, 01:37 PM

04-17-2022, 12:35 PMMerica Wrote: Hey what’s dieselpunk

it's like steampunk but instead of being about a bunch of loser victorians it's about a bunch of good ol' hardworking WW1 era blue collar boys and diesel

sigs by me bitch

JSS · 04-17-2022, 05:44 PM

benson

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