Off-season is the boring season

[jRuutu 2,295]

Albania

 

There is no other way to put it, this is perhaps the most boring part of the whole season, waiting for the finals to start. I mean, sure, it's great to travel and spend time with your family or just rest, but right now I would much rather still be playing hockey.  There is a silver lining in this all though, the world cup is coming up! I could potentially get selected, Team World or the Mercenaries are the teams that could need a player, I think. I have not played in the World Cup so far during my career and since I´m from Albania I have to represent one of the teams I just mentioned, I don´t mind though. For example, in S71 I was part of the Team Europe junior team that won the gold medals in the S71 World Junior Championships! That was an awesome tournament and year before that I won bronze with the same team, so these more of mixed or wild teams with players from multiple nations are nothing new to me.

 

I hope I´m at least among the group of players who could potentially get selected, I really want to make my debut in the World Cup. International tournaments while playing with and against some of the best players in VHL are great opportunities to learn and improve as a player. I remember back in S70 when I was just a young player joining my first international team, I did not know anything about anything really, but I learned a lot from the older players of the team just by watching them. That did not mean I had a good tournament, the opposite, I did not play that well, but a year later I was almost double the player, I was not getting pushed around anymore, I was the one who was doing the pushing. I give the older players a lot of credit for that progress. If I get selected to play, I´m hoping to learn from the older and better players once again, does not matter too much which team selects me, I´m going to play as well as I can. I want to win and help the team to win.

 

 

I don´t know if I should say it, but getting to play and if I end up playing well, that would not hurt when it comes down to being among the players who are protected from the expansion draft. Of course, if I play poorly that is not good either, but I´m at the point of my career where I need to show that I can play at the highest level, World Cup is pretty much the highest level, at least the highest international level. Big opportunity to shine is on the table and I want it.

 

However, right now all I can do is wait and get ready just in case the call comes.  I have tried to keep my fitness levels up and workout, it has not been easy I have to admit that, but just in case some of the Helsinki coaches happen to read this - I have been doing what you asked, I have been running and stuff. I´m faster and stronger than couple weeks ago, and most importantly - I´m ready to play!

[Beaviss 4,949]

Next seasons draft odds tourney should help with this!