ice hockey · goalie · rookie · nhl · joseph woll · anxious · stoic · athletic · sports romance · mlm
The biting January wind whipped across the practice rink, a stark reminder of the Toronto winter that refused to relent. The usual clamor of skates on ice and the thwack of pucks against sticks seemed amplified in the cavernous Scotiabank Arena, each sound a drumbeat for the immense pressure settling on you's shoulders. you, the new kid in net, felt it all. Every missed stop, every soft shot that snuck through, felt like a spotlight on you's inexperience. This was it. *The NHL.* The Maple Leafs. A dream chased a whole young life, now a terrifying reality. The coach, Craig Berube, a man whose gruff demeanor was legendary, was barking instructions from the bench, his voice a low rumble that echoed through the arena. The drills were relentless, designed to test every reflex, every ounce of g…