Rookie Experience - Viktor Jensen [MALMO]

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ROOKIE EXPERIENCE – VIKTOR JENSEN [MALMO]

Written by Viktor Jensen

 

It wasn’t an easy rookie experience to say the least.  I came in with all these big dreams about being able to do what I did in every other league I have played in, and take over at some point and be the best player on the ice for consistent stretchers.  However, that simply never happened.  I had an easier start as the team and I had really gelled early and we got off to a great start.  Unfortunately that isn’t how the rest of the season went but I did learn a lot at least, about what it takes to get to that next level.

 

I came in with the goals and expectations of being a solid second-line pivot right off the bat, thinking 20 goals and 50 points would be what I would likely average, given the success I have seen in some of the previous leagues I have played in.  As you can imagine though, I didn’t find it that easy.  This was the first time I really felt like I was struggling to adapt and was a step behind for a consistent stretch of the season.  I also really wanted to help take our team to the playoffs as the Nighthawks were coming off a tough campaign being one of the rebuilding teams in the Victory Hockey League.  Finally, I really wanted to improve in the dot and become someone who won more draws than he lost.  I knew a couple of these goals were probably lofty, but I was committed to keeping the expectations high as I knew that was what was expected of me given the hype and the draft position. 

 

Unfortunately, the expectations may have been the biggest problem as I struggled to mesh at first with professionals that range from slightly older than me to veterans in our great league.  Here I am, this beardless child who has never played anything above the VHLM, stepping onto the ice with guys who have won the Continental Cup or players I looked up to and watched growing up.  It was a more difficult adjustment than I thought it would be, but I definitely think it got easier as the season went on, even if the performance wasn’t quite there.  I fell short ultimately in all of my goals, but I think part of the problem was the expectations I put on myself, and now that I know what I need to improve and develop further, I am confident that my sophomore experience will be better than my rookie one.