Harju Heads to Ottawa

[Teztify 5]

Harju Heads to Ottawa

 

 

After missing the VHLM Entry Draft, Eeli Harju’s future was looking uncertain. The young Finnish centreman had every intention of making the trek to North America this year, with intentions of one day being drafted into the Victory Hockey League – the league he grew up watching. A native of Espoo, Finland, Harju and his family have been die-hard Helsinki Titans fans since the teams’ inception so many years ago, making the VHL – and perhaps the Titans – a prime destination for the hopeful first-generation pro.

 

Those plans seemed to come to a screeching halt as pick after pick went by in the VHLM Entry Draft, with teams passing on Harju with each pick. Perhaps due to a lack of talent or potential, or more likely due to a lack of exposure, Harju went undrafted by every VHLM team. Undeterred, Harju remained hopeful that an offer would come, knowing that the VHLM was the best route toward his final destination.

 

Those weren’t easy days, following the VHLM draft. It was one of the first times that Harju had truly faced what he perceived to be failure. Such is the way with hockey prodigies; they dominate their local leagues, stand out in regional play, and continue to do so at the national level. They play hard, and practice harder, but failure doesn’t come so naturally. This was the case for Harju. Despite having only brief encounters with “failure”, Harju responded admirably. He worked harder than before, practiced longer than before, and focused all of his energy into improving his game. If every team passed on him this year, he was going to make them regret it by the next one.

 

It was then, though, that a call came in.

 

A call from Ottawa.

 

An ocean away, in Canada’s capital city, the management team of the VHLM’s Ottawa Lynx had seemingly noticed Harju’s position. The Lynx were offering a contract to move overseas, play for the Lynx, and get on the radar of VHL scouts.

 

Questions raced through Harju’s mind. Doubts about the authenticity of this offer. Concern about why the team hadn’t simply picked him in the draft. Reservations about leaving his home for a foreign country now that it appeared a true possibility.

 

All of that faded away with two words… “I accept”.

 

And maybe a quick “thank you”.

 

Those doubts turned quickly to excitement as Harju began learning everything he could about the Lynx, their general managers, coaches, and their players. A smile flashed across his face as he noticed some familiar names who had also been signed by the team – including a childhood rival in goaltender Pekka Pouta.

 

With little time for turnaround, Harju, his new team, and his family quickly made plans for his departure from Finland and arrival in Ottawa. Saying quick goodbyes, packing his gear, and flying hours to a new home to try and make it in time for training camp, Harju has had little time for reflection. He may not find that time for a while as camp is soon to get underway before a long season of proving himself follows.

 

Using for PT week Feb 25 - Mar 3

Edited February 21, 2019 by Teztify