Open Mic: Hockey's Early Blooms Come September

Awaken come September - the League rouses from its athletic slumber

Yawning, stretching, and scratching—rubbing the sleep from collective eyes.

Sharpening blades and elbows—testing new pads, jerseys, and gear.

Plotting road trips and pool dips—the season approaches with nothing to fear.

Hockey is a wide-eyed youngster, amazed at this new found wonder,

Hockey is a draft pick, looking to measure his game against professionals,

Hockey is a young pro, confident in his abilities and the potential they offer,

Hockey is a veteran, measuring pain and delight factored by years of knowledge,

Hockey is a coach, pondering various line combos and the end of his bench,

Hockey is a locker room, buzzing with activity and massaged by the unsung,

Hockey is a GM, scheming to improve his roster while pleasing the boss,

Hockey is an owner, calculating revenue while pondering the chase of hardware,

Hockey is an agent, squeezing too many dollars from every source possible,

Hockey is a writer, scratching and clawing for an headline grabbing edge,

Hockey is a network, spreading the game for entertainment and sponsors,

Hockey is The Fan, who try to ignore the extraneous to glory in the action.

 
Hockey is getting ready to once again give pain and delight,

Chasing pucks, victories, and titles through weariness, pain, and injury.

With dreams of Lord Stanley floating in the clouds of a collective mind,

Saying reach out and touch me if you dare and give your might.