And so it continues - the soap opera that is the upcoming hockey season. This all happens is stages, you know.
June starts with the Stanley Cup and ends with the NHL Draft. Then there's the free-for-all free agency grab in July. August comes around and brings the baby Thrashers to town for a few days to get a taste of the big leagues for a change. And now that we're nearing the halfway point of September, training camp starts up and everyone invited has that chance of making the team.
Of course, players like the Kovys, the Hossas, the Karis, etc. don't have to worry much about making the opening day squad. But the great thing is seeing the younger bunch of players trying for their shot at a full-time membership of an NHL team. This season, unlike others in recent memory, offers the best chance for the young'uns to show up on October 5 and know what's at stake (i.e. the raising of the Southeast Division Championship banner) and more.
What really matters the most to the casual (or any, really) hockey fan is the notion that the fans are one more day closer to the start or another professional hockey season in North America. The game we all love is about to return and the opening of training camp tomorrow morning is one more step closer to that.
All of the subtleties are becoming apparent now and aren't distant memories anymore - they're simply reminders of what's to come. For example, if you're crazy about the Atlanta Thrashers and have attended a game (or 23) at Philips Arena last season, I'll list some things that will get you excited about the upcoming '07-'08 season. If you don't feel a thing from these little snippets, then God help you.
- the beeping of the ticket scanning machines, granting you entry into the Arena.
- drowning in a sea of BLUE as you make your way throughout the Arena.
- a temperature difference once waking through your designated portal.
- getting the first over-priced beer... or that huge brew before the game in the CNN Center.
- the smell of the ice.
- scrolling text messages (and apparently the over-abundance of Chuck Norris shout-outs).
- the sound of the Zamboni.
- the booing that meets the referees.
- Steve Craig.
- Rabid Fans, Heatmisers, and the entire Nasty Nest.
You know, the list is actually pretty endless. I had to stop myself because I was getting tons of chills down the spine and I couldn't put words to my thoughts and the visions that have danced in my head for the past few months.
The same also applies to hearing Blur's "Song 2" on the radio during the summer. Or GNR's "Welcome to the Jungle". Or that damned Tom Petty song that plays whenever the Thrashers get scored against. (Note to self: I HATE that Tom Petty song... because of hockey?)
Tomorrow, all of these things come closer to repeating themselves all over again. The thrills of victory, scoring the OT winner, watching Kari sprawl in the crease to stop that shooter in the shootout to preserve a winning outcome, Ilya going on one knee after he burns the back of the net by his low-percentage (bew-hew!) slapper from the point and the agonies of prolonged stays on the IR, the opposition ending the game by scoring with .5 seconds left (thanks, Carolina!), and ridiculously bad breaks from our own boards are about to be reinvented and revisited (hopefully none of the agonies will return!).
Who's gonna be the playmaker this season? Who's gonna be the rookie to steal the show for the Thrash? Or will ANY rookie step it up?
What's the story going to be for this season? Only time will tell and I'm so excited to know that the Thrashers will keep on improving and become even stronger than before.
You better believe I'll be there tomorrow, with tons of other supporters cheering on the team as they take the ice collectively for the first time since crap went down in April and new additions started trickling in in early July. I'll be one of the many sporting some sort of winter-weather wear (!), my Blueland scarf, and my camera.
See you there! And...
LET'S GO THRASHERS!
Tonight marks my return to Philips Arena. I'm not exactly a fan of preseason hockey games, but I think tonight is kinda different. Yesterday, the Thrashers trimmed down their roster to 22, strongly suggesting that these are the guys who will have a spot on the bench come October 5th.
