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***RAmenAmen*** · 03-12-2024, 11:31 PM

Let me start by saying that this is a letter I never thought I’d be writing. When I came into the league in S63, I didn’t have a plan for the season, let alone my career, but deep down I always thought of myself as a one team kind of guy. Going into the rookie draft a year later, I knew I wanted to find a home that would last a lifetime, and Edmonton became that home in more ways than I could have possibly imagined. To all the friends I made in the Blizzard organization over the last decade, you mean more to me than I can ever express. I wish you nothing but the best. To the fans, thank you for everything. Your support pushed us in our toughest moments, and the title we won is as much yours as it is our own. And of course, to my family, I couldn’t do it without you. Without your love and support, I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side. We gave it our all for nine years in this city, and I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished.

A Hockey City

Growing up, I was never the “star” on the ice. The stars were out scoring goals, and I just did my part, made the routine saves, and got a little better every day. For the most part, I was content with that. My net was my home, I kept it safe, and if the team was happy, so was I. Even in my junior years in Quebec, the team was stacked with talent, and I had the room I needed to grow as a player without the pressure that often comes with a high draft position. To say the jump to the SHL was a tough one would be one hell of an understatement.

In Quebec, we were always sheltered from the media. Coverage was purely positive, and we were never forced into the spotlight, so I felt like a fish out of water on my first trip west for training camp after the 64 draft. To put it kindly, there were a lot of beat writers and fans unhappy that the team had selected a goaltender in the first round, and one of them was kind enough to hand me a copy of the Blizzard Gazette with my face on the front page and “First Round Bust” plastered on the headline. I must not have done a good job hiding my disappointment, because Kyle Sutton walked into the locker room not long after I did and was ready to offer condolences until he saw the paper and laughed.

“Welcome to Edmonton, kid. You made the front page, so that just means they love you.”

I think I’ve given that same advice now to more than one fresh draft pick, and it’s as funny for me as it was for Kyle way back then. That’s the thing about Edmonton: they take their hockey seriously, and they love this team with a passion you just don’t find anywhere else. That first camp was a disaster, but before the plane back to Quebec took off I was already missing it. The gateway to the north is a city that bleeds blue and isn’t afraid to show it, and they gave me exactly the kick in the ass I needed.

It’s About Winning

Unless you’ve played in the SHL, it’s hard to understand the difference between the big league and the J. Don’t get me wrong, we loved to compete in Quebec, and those wins and losses were hard earned, but the atmosphere at that level is about growth, connections, and learning. The SHL is about winning, and when I got called up in S67, we didn’t do a lot of it. My first ever game was on the road in Manhattan, and I remember being so excited to reunite with my old captain in Quebec, Aksel Fiske. We’d been texting back and forth all week leading up to the game, but a pro hockey player’s schedule is hard to work around, and we didn’t get the chance to meet up until he was flying down the ice at me five minutes into the game. I remember staring down the same shot I’d faced in practice for two years, and then the puck was in the back of the net - I was so focused on that shot that I didn’t even register the pass until Jon Granstrom buried it over my right shoulder. I’d make the same mistake again several times that night in a 6-1 loss that had me reliving the nightmare of my first juniors game.

We finally met up in a busy coffee shop that night after the game, and I remember just sitting there, saying “what the fuck was that?” over and over again.

“It’s a bit tougher here than it was in the J, isn’t it?”

It was, by a long shot. In the J, the gap between fresh faced teenager and league MVP was still a manageable one. On any given night, even a young, inexperienced team had a shot at winning a game. In the SHL though, an upcoming powerhouse led by a future Mexico winner had no trouble at all dismantling a Blizzard roster deep in a rebuild. I never had a prayer.

“We’re professionals, Time,” Fiske told me that night, and it’s something that’s stuck with me ever since. We all play this game for our own reasons, and every one of us loves it, but at the end of the day, this is also a job, and on the ice there’s no room for error or mercy. A sloppy game here or there can be the difference between home ice in the playoffs or missing out entirely, or as I’d learn a few years later, a single decisive point on the McBride ballot. Yeah, that one will probably sting for a while.

Hard Work Does Prevail

The early years were rough, but what I remember most through all of it was how much the entire Blizzard organization believed in us and the slew of prospects drafted in the rebuilding years. We got better, year after year, and after nearly a decade of building we reached the top of the mountain and lifted the Challenge Cup. Looking back, it’s scary to think how close we were to not making it, with a late Game 7 final goal clinching the cup, but at the time we treated the win as a certainty. That confidence pushed us further as a team, and we kept each other accountable and working all the way to that unforgettable day. The “Challenge Cup Returns to Edmonton” paper looks great on my wall next to the “First Round Bust” article from training camp.

If I’ve got any regrets about not winning another one in 74 or 75, they don’t come from a lack of effort. I know everyone in that locker room gave it their all, and I know the fans feel the same. Being at the top of the league is special, and to be able to do it for the few years that we did is something I’m never going to forget.

I can’t say I’ve lacked any personal success here, either. One vote shy of a McBride might haunt me for a while, but to even be considered for it is an honor, let alone to be up there three times, and taking home the Mike Honcho trophy last season softens the blow a bit. I’ve had five all-SHL appearances, and had the pleasure of bringing home a win for the Blizzard three hundred and sixty-six times. There’s plenty I still want to do, but my time here in Edmonton has given me everything I could’ve hoped for and more.

Looking Forward

When I got the call from management that we were gearing up for a rebuild, I’ll admit it hurt. Coming off a regular season title and a playoff loss to LA that we all felt we could’ve found a way to win, I think all of our hearts were set on charging back next season to take on the challenge. But, as my old captain told me all those years ago, we’re professionals. Hockey is a business as much as it is our favorite game, and business decisions don’t always pan out the way we’d imagined them.

This organization is one of the best-run in hockey right now, and I believe in their vision. Edmonton fans can rest assured that the team will be back at the top again soon, just not with the names and faces they’ve been watching for the last few years. As much as it hurts to say goodbye to so many close friends, I think history will look back on this decision fondly, just like it does now for the rebuild that started back in S65.

Even after seeing the dominos begin to fall, it was tempting to stick it out and stay in Edmonton for the rest of my career. Then I had to ask myself who I’d be doing it for, and I realized I wouldn’t be doing myself or the Blizzard any good over the next few years. I’ve got a lot of hockey left in me and a lot to offer a team looking to chase the Challenge Cup, and I’m going to make the most of it.

To the players and fans in San Francisco, I’m so excited for the future. You’ve given me some great memories and a few nightmares already, and I know that the seasons ahead are going to be great together. I promise you that nobody is going to work harder to impress you than I am, and the sky's the limit for what we can accomplish.

To everyone in Edmonton, thank you for everything. You raised me, you challenged me, and you gave me everything I could have wanted. You were there to celebrate our triumphs, and you were there for me when I needed it most. I’ll be back, whether as a player or just a fan, but wherever I go, know that there’s a part of my heart that will forever remain in Edmonton.

Le Thrill · 03-12-2024, 11:38 PM

Sobbing rn. Love it. Let's go SFP/QCC!

***boom*** · 03-12-2024, 11:41 PM

Drafting a goalie in the top ten is always a risk, but even if it ended up with Time kicking my team's ass up and down the rink for five whole seasons I'm nothing but happy with how well you've done in the league.

Best of luck in the new adventure!

***RAmenAmen*** · 03-12-2024, 11:42 PM

03-12-2024, 11:41 PMboom Wrote: Drafting a goalie in the top ten is always a risk, but even if it ended up with Time kicking my team's ass up and down the rink for five whole seasons I'm nothing but happy with how well you've done in the league.

Best of luck in the new adventure!