Marzipan and Gianduja

[jRuutu 2,467]

As I look back and think about Season 91 of Moscow Menace and my own season as a player, I am feeling a similar sensation as when you look down at an almost empty box of chocolates. What was supposed to be a pleasant and enjoyable experience turned into something else. As I now look down at the almost empty box I see chocolates like Orange Marzipan, Dark Chocolate and Orange Caramel, and finally; Marzipan and Gianduja. Only the bad ones are left. I feel sick, but not because I ate too many chocolates. I feel sick because I went through the whole thing and the end result is worse than I expected.  I feel sick because I allowed myself to get too excited, I got carried away. I wanted to eat all the nice pieces and still feel like a winner. I think the only way you feel like a winner after eating a box of chocolates is when you eat the bad ones first, then you end with the good ones while staring at the empty box.

 

I am a rookie when it comes down to eating a chocolate box. I am a rookie when it comes down to playing for the S91 Moscow Menace. That is all going to change next year as I will enter the season with well over 600 TPE. That is a lot more than before the rookie season started, which gives me a reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season. I think I am able to simply play better against the better players. That is something every rookie has to overcome as the teams you face often tend to look for any exploit they can from the opposite team, and often it is the rookie players as they tend to have some sharp edges to their game. I am no different, I had to learn the hard way that playing defense is just not for the defenders, the forwards have to participate as well.

 

If I think about the team, I think there are a lot of players who are now better than a year ago, and that is automatically going to lead to a better season. The question still is - can Moscow make the playoffs? That is a tough thing to say right now. The European division is so much more competitive than NA, which sucks for us as there are so many good teams we have to beat at home and away if we want to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the teams in North America can coast it and still make it into playoffs. Even if it might feel unfair now, this type of competition will be the reason why Moscow is going to celebrate multiple championships in the near future. The whole organization is going to improve at a steady pace while facing top teams on the EU side and then having a bit of a relaxing time with the NA teams. I think when you play against the NA teams you need to be really careful in not thinking you have already won before the puck even drops.

 

In the end, I would like to say that the past is in the past. My eyes are on the future, what I see is cup rings and good times.