Rookie Goalie Ross Signs With Ottawa

[Brrbisbrr 207]

July 11, 2019-  Ottawa, Ontario

 

        

              Samuel Ross becomes just the second professional hockey player from South Carolina, first from the upstate region, to sign professionally when he inks a contract with the Ontario Lynx.  Ross comes from the unheralded and over looked Upstate South Carolina Hockey League where he was the poster boy for it’s existence.  He joins a Lynx team that just fell short of a championship and saw it’s General Manager get promoted to the Victory Hockey League’s top division.  Samuel had a couple of other offers, including the Mexico City Kings, but felt an instant connection to GM AcydBurn.  Ross stated that as the main reason for his signing with the team.  Ottawa has some strong players as they look to get the championship that so alluded them last season.  Word is that Micheal Rassmussen is looking to have a breakout season. So far Anthony Hawk and Hunter Wagner have looked strong in the teams practice sessions.  
             Ross isn’t the only new net minder on the team this season.  Raymond Bernard comes in as a new starter, but he is very experienced in smaller leagues.  He hails from Walnut Grove, California and was brought in via the draft.  When asked about signing with Ottawa as a backup, Samuel Ross kept his response simple, “This is a great team, and I could have accepted offers and been a starter on other teams, but this just felt right.  I had a good conversation with Acyd, Raymond and a few other guys and just enjoyed the atmosphere.”  
              How will Samuel adjust to being a backup after being the face of a league for a few seasons?  He has an answer for that also. “I’ve never really been handed anything in my hockey career.  When I first started playing I had to rent figure skater skates and there wasn’t a hockey arena.  The league I played in was started by one guy and it took a few seasons to get more than 4 teams.  It doesn’t bother me to have to start at the bottom of the depth chart.  I got some experience and knowledge from older guys and not as much pressure.  Raymond is a great goalie and a guy, he’s my team mate and I’m not going to cheer against him just so I can get some ice time.  That would be disrespectful to him, my teammates, the management , the league and myself.   I trust in management’s decisions as far as who plays.”  What is Ross looking forward to most?  “Really just to play hockey.  After the SPHL didn’t take me, I thought my hockey career was over.  I could have gone out and got a regular job and played some rec league hockey, but it’s not the same.  I can’t wait to get on the ice and see how my game stacks up to other VHLM pros.”
                There it is, folks, some insight from the Ottawa locker room.  How will the rookie goalie pan out?  Will Ottawa win that championship?  It’s going to be a long season as we look for answers to these questions and more.