Rookies do not like Giorgiy Costanzov

[Mongoose87 384]

While most Seattle Bears veterans handle the introduction of rookie skaters with relative grace, either offering to make their assistance available, sticking around late to help with extra practice or at least offering friendly advice to help adjust to the big leagues, Giorgiy Costanzov has never attained the psyche required for such human decency. You see, he is so mentally broken, paranoid and incapable of contentment that he literally views every new addition to the team as a threat to his masculinity. Is there a new equipment manager? You'd better believe he's doing Giorgiy's skates differently just to make him fall down and look like an idiot. New player? You know that guy is a hotshot determined to make Giorgiy look dumb in front of his girl. Giorgiy doesn't have a girl? DON'T YOU SEE HOW THAT'S WORSE?

 

So, when the rookies arrive at the begging of the season, even the ones that have no chance at making the team out of camp, there are two sheets of ice. One is at the practice facility. The other is between Costanzov and anyone unlucky or foolish enough to speak with him. 

 

For example, when Nathan Ecker arrived for his first day this season, he had the misfortune of not knowing that one should never park in “Giorgiy's” parking spot. A little background information - Giorgiy's father, legendary Red Army goaltender Frankiy Costanzov, held great parking spaces in the highest of esteem. Perhaps this was his way of attaining status in a system where such things were only available to Party members. Regardless, Giorgiy was berated countless times by Frankiy for making him leave a great parking spot or costing him the opportunity to have a great spot. When Giorgiy had his appendix taken out, Frankiy spent the entire drive to the hospital telling him how their family would never see such an amazing spot again. 

 

Bank to the Bears: Ecker pulled into the fateful spot just as Giorgiy pulled into the lot. Giorgiy pulled up right next to him and got out of his car. Ecker, still oblivious, and eager to make a good impression on the team's starting goaltender, greeted Costanzov and reached out to shake hands. Costanzov completely avoided eye contact, gave a nearly imperceptible nod and muttered a one word greeting under his breath. Not an hour later, a deeply apologetic Blake Campbell had Ecker in his office, explaining the delicate dance that the first few months of knowing Giorgiy Costanzov would require. Rumor has it Ecker nearly requested a trade right then and there and only a timely intervention by the elder Costanzov, one of Ecker's childhood favorites, stopped him. 

 

Of course, having his father intervene in his affairs did not sit well with Giorgiy. No one outside the team has gotten a straight account of what happened, but one rumor tells that Giorgiy berated Campbell and the entire team and then announced his resignation in the middle of a team meeting, only to return the next day as though nothing had even happened. That seems far fetched even for Costanzov.