Hi folks! I'm happy to say I'll be skating for another season and writing this blog for the year. These are two of my favorite things to do. And I feel that I can at least keep your attention with one of them, so I'll keep doing it for a while.
We are about 10 games into the season and are playing about 500. hockey. Still trying to get some consistency and gain an identity. Some days we have it , some days we are off a little. But, I like the makeup of the team as far as depth goes. That can help a team go a long way.
It is always fun to watch new players and discover their talents and personalities. That is what goes on the first month or two. We try to blend all those special skills each possesses and learn to grow as a group. When a team gets it, they start to roll. We have had a few functions and road trips that have helped with that process, and I see the bond getting tighter every game.
Many new faces to talk about and more stories to tell, my favorite part.
I will tell you this, I feel like a new man out there compared to last season. Having trained my whole life for each season, trying to play catch up last year after joining the team late was very difficult and each game was more a matter of survival. This year, having trained properly, I feel like I belong and can make a play when my brain tells me to. Last year the message would be sent to the legs or hands, but the response didn't always happen the way I hoped it would. When you are playing at this level, just a step below the NHL, it still happens very quick and you need your body to respond a specific way. If it doesn't, you will get beat, lose the puck or possibly get crushed! It's the pros...
Lastly, I can't express the joy I have everyday I go to the rink and lace up my skates. Some people ask me how I can still do it everyday. The thing is, I couldn't imagine NOT doing it , the game I love. My friend Chris Chelios continues to defy age and play at such a high level, and remains an inspiration for me. I read a great quote that sums up how I feel. It read, "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?" Think about it sometime. Till next week, Weino