End of the Road...For Now

[Tetricide 694]

 

 

He wasn't mad. He wasn't upset. He wasn't even disappointed. Nikolas Kauppi slowly skated off the ice as the home buzzer ended the final regulation game ending in a 3-4 loss against the Malmo Nighthawks. It was an incredibly hard fought season for the Prague Phantoms -- struggling at the start of the season (their first 10 games record was 3-7-0). The Phantoms did pick up some momentum, but overall they didn't take home the points to secure a playoff spot. Kauppi did manage to finish 2nd overall in rookies this season, totaling 54 points with 18 goals and 36 assists. Second to @sadieSadie St-Louis of Riga Reign who finished her rookie year totaling 59 points with 26 goals and 33 assists. The team was mostly riding on the shoulders of @KaleebtheMightyPerry Laperriere that finished with a personal record of 92 points with 37 goals and 55 assists. "It's tough, you know? Like...yeah, not every team is gonna make it to the playoffs. Every player goes out there and fights for those 2 points -- no one is half-assing it. We just have to take this extra time to take a breather while the other teams are battling it out in the playoffs for the Cup. Get to the drawing board in the off-season and just do better next season." Kauppi's spirits might be down, but his hopes are still up while continuing to play for Prague. GM @Acydburnextended his contract for another 3 seasons at $3m each, which gives him some time to prove he's where he belongs. "Acyd's a good dude and I feel like he's got my best interests in mind, which is why I had no hesitation when he asked if I wanted to stay in Prague. I think I have a bright 3 years ahead of me, especially given the talent I'm surrounded by that does nothing but inspire me to do better." 

 

The off-season tournaments are right around the corner, but Kauppi's last was winning the S86 World Junior Championship with Team Europe. He won't be eligible for another until the next World Cup which is every 2 seasons, so he's left with plenty of time to clear his headspace. "Oh, yeah! Definitely gonna make a trip back home in Tampere to visit family and friends for a little bit with this down time. Probably do some hiking in the mountains in Norway and do some meditation while up there. Definitely indulge in some gambling." Kauppi can typically be found hanging out in a local casino wherever he travels, and it's been rumored that there's been talks of him either donating some of his large winnings to a charity or creating his own charity, but we couldn't confirm how large the sum of his donations would be or what sort of charity he would start up. Regarding hockey, we can definitely expect Kauppi to step up his game next season with his first season experience and off-season downtime combined to make himself a number to watch on the ice. Be sure to keep a close eye on #10 from Prague next season!

 

516 words for PT ending March 12, 2023.