Minnesota Forever! (EHM 07)

[GoBlue2419]

As he grabbed his practice sweater off the hook in his locker, clean for perhaps the only time all season, Luke Halvorsen looked at his teammate, locker neighbor, and best friend Dylan Patterson with a smile and said, “Well, Patty, this is the last time we have a 'first practice of the season' in high school . . . . “ Dylan stuck out his fist, looking for a return fist bump, and proclaimed, “So let’s bring home the Championship one more time.”

Luke Halvorsen and Dylan Patterson had been stars in the Minnesota hockey community since their days in the Pinecrest Youth Hockey program, beginning as Mites, progressing into the Squirt, PeeWee, and Bantam levels, followed by leading the Pinecrest High School team to a state championship as sophomores and runners-up as juniors. As they grew older, their talents became known more and more on the national, and then international level. By now they were generally considered two of the top American players in the upcoming 2012 NHL Draft, and the number of scouts attending their games grew to countless numbers.

Luke was a defenseman, plying his trade most often from the left side. Like his hero Nicklas Lidstrom, he was a playmaking defenseman, getting involved on the offensive side as much as he could. But he also took great pride in his defensive responsibilities, remembering that as a defenseman it was his first priority. His strengths included anticipation, creativity,passing, and positioning, as he was seldom caught out of position on the ice. Not known as a particularly physical player, he did throw his body around as needed, and could lay a solid check on an opponent. Now beginning his senior season, Luke measured in at 5 feet 11 inches, weighing 191 pounds. He had been a consistent presence in the weight room over the last couple years, molding his physique from that of a scrawny freshman who seemed barely able to muster enough strength to get his slap shot through to the goalie, to a 17 year old who now left goalies’ hands stinging on the fewer and fewer times they were able to get a glove on one of his rockets from the point.

Dylan had played center and right wing as he has grown up, but most often lined up as a right wing. A gifted scorer, he had garnered a reputation as a sniper who could frequently unleash wicked one-timers from the right circle. His game had become more balanced since his freshman year, when the games he would register an assist in addition to a goal, or goals, did not occur often, but he was still known more for his goal scoring than for setting up goals by teammates. Many a goalie over the last few years had succumbed to the pressure of seeing him coming straight at them on a breakaway, as he possessed a multitude of one-on-one moves and dekes. He stood 6’2” tall and weighed 187 pounds as he prepared for his senior season, and one of the rare critiques of him was a need to bulk up more. He had the potential to be a strong power forward if he was able to add some weight and strength.

As the first practices of the 2011-2012 Minnesota high school hockey season arrived, the Wolfpack were once again regarded as the preseason favorites to win the State Championship. Luke and Dylan were widely recognized as one of the best tandems from one school in Minnesota high school history, and another championship would only further solidify those sentiments.

[GoBlue2419]

This dynasty will follow the exploits of the two long-time friends from the fictional town of Pinecrest, Minnesota as they pursue their dreams of hockey glory. I will be merely a bystander in this, so we'll all see together how those dreams unfold. Will there be Stanley Cups filled with champagne in one or both of their futures, or will there be memories of what could have been? Only time will tell . . . . .

[GoBlue2419]

The boys had played a lot of hockey together over the years, and knew that things would probably look differently in a year. With their individual talents and collective achievements, both were expected to have very successful hockey careers beyond high school, but they both understood there was a pretty good chance those careers would follow separate paths after this season. In spite of that understanding, they had vowed to do all they could to keep their friendship strong and continue motivating each other on to greater heights in their hockey growth. Mimicking the characters of Jason Street and Tim Riggins from their favorite television show, Friday Night Lights, Luke and Dylan often exclaimed, “Minnesota forever!” followed by monologues outlining the rest of their hockey futures. These talks would almost always culminate with tales of raising the Stanley Cup, while also reminding each other frequently they were never to touch the Stanley Cup until they had actually won it.

Luke had been playing hockey since he began skating at the age of 3, and when his family moved to Pinecrest, Minnesota, from the suburbs of Detroit when he was 5, he would find a hockey kindred soul in his new neighbor. The Patterson family farmed on the same plot of land Dylan's great grandfather had homesteaded in the late 1800s, and when the boys met after Luke and family moved into the house next door, a friendship was instantly forged. The large pond near the north pasture was a frequent meeting ground, whether it was swimming in the summer or the near daily games of hockey during the long northern Minnesota winters after it froze over. Many of the local kids would be doing their best, or worst for some, imitations of their favorite NHL players until well after dark on most nights after school.

Dylan had started playing at the age of 3 as well, and by the time he was 6 his slap shot was harder than that of his 12 year old brother's. Being the third of three hockey playing brothers, Dylan was able to play regularly against older, better competition, and as he and Luke grew they honed their skills while trying to avoid being slammed into the snow banks behind the goals by the older Patterson brothers.

[Mota]

Interesting premise following the players vs. the team. What data are you starting the game with?

[GoBlue2419]

Originally Posted by Mota

Interesting premise following the players vs. the team. What data are you starting the game with?

I'm using the Manimal 4.0 roster from Home • EHM The Blue Line.

[GoBlue2419]

The Wolfpack players anxiously suited up in the visitor's locker room, eager to get the new season started off on the right foot. The team faced the Pirates of Crookston High School in the opener, and the boys repeated the same jokes told every season, quips about stealing the "booty"amongst them, as they laced up their skates and headed out to the ice surface. Luke had been named Captain once again, just as he had last year as a junior. As captain, he stood at the door and shook each of his teammates hands as they exited the locker room, and when Dylan was the final player to exit, the friends shook hands and followed it up with a "Minnesota forever" charge.

Dylan's scoring prowess did not take long to make its first appearance of the new season as he took a pass from his center and put a one-timer through the 5-hole on his second shift for Pinecrest's first goal. They would follow it up with four more before Crookston managed to make the game a little more interesting by scoring three late goals, but by that time the outcome was well in hand. Dylan added an assist to his goal, while playing 25 minutes. Luke was on the ice for over 30 minutes, and set up two of his teammates, finishing with two assists and adding a couple bone-jarring checks for good measure.

[GoBlue2419]

As high school seniors, part of the decision-making process for Luke and Dylan involved what to do next year, and what would benefit their hockey development the most. Depending on how the NHL Draft played out for both of them, their next steps would most likely include either Major Juniors or heading to college and playing for a Division 1 school. Both boys were leaning towards college, and each had no shortage of suitors from NCAA Division 1 schools. Spending the first 4 years of his life in the Detroit area, and having a father who was born and raised in Michigan and was a die-hard Michigan Wolverines fan, Luke was also a big Michigan fan, and U of M was at the top of his wish list. They were also expressing interest in him, but as of yet had not offered a scholarship. He was also interested in staying near home and attending the University of Minnesota as well.

Dylan had already received a scholarship offer from Minnesota, and Wisconsin was also extremely interested in him. He was hoping to have the decision of what to do next year concluded this fall, but he also wanted to ensure he had weighed all options before coming to a decision.

[GoBlue2419]

The International Scouting Service was releasing its Preliminary 2012 NHL Draft rankings today, and Luke and Dylan were anxiously awaiting the results as they sat in 4th period American Literature. They were pretty certain that Luke would be ranked higher, but both were hoping to be in the top 50. The teacher, Mrs. Washburn, understood why the boys were a little pre-occupied as she discussed some of the poems of Edgar Allen Poe, so she allowed them a little lee-way before she would need to rope in the side conversations.

Fortunately for Mrs. Washburn, the rankings were not released until Luke, Dylan, and a few other Wolfpack hockey players were eating lunch at the Jimmy John's just down the road from the school. As Luke scanned the rankings on his phone, he let out an excited shout as he saw his name ranked 6th overall, and the highest ranked American player. He quickly scanned down the list further to locate Dylan's name, and couldn't believe he did not find it in the top 50. In fact, he could not locate Dylan on the list until he worked his way to 85th. Both of them, but particularly Dylan of course, were extremely disappointed with the results.

"What are they smoking?", Luke voiced angrily.

One of Dylan's qualities that especially appealed to Luke was his positive attitude, and this was another situation where Dylan was able to put a positive spin on things. "Well, I'm just gonna go out and have an amazing season, we are going to win State, and as the Midseason and Final rankings are released, they won't have any choice but to rank me higher," he promised.

"They're not the ones who make the picks in the draft anyway," Luke replied.

The fellas finished up lunch motivated to take their play to another level.

[GoBlue2419]

Pinecrest continued to play well, dominating most of its opponents in the first six games, and Luke and Dylan, Dylan particularly, were playing like two guys motivated to prove themselves. The Wolfpack were 6-0 at this point, and were being led by their two senior stars. Luke had yet to score a goal, but had 15 assists and was a +7, while missing only 6 minutes sitting in the penalty box. Dylan, meanwhile, was leading all Minnesota High School players with 9 goals, assisting on 5 others, and was a +6.

[GoBlue2419]

Twenty games into their senior seasons, Luke and Dylan were key reasons the Wolfpack were ranked #1 in the state. Luke had scored 7 goals while assisting on 36 others to give him 43 points total in those 20 games. Meanwhile Dylan had lit the lamp 24 times, and he had helped set up teammates 24 more times, for 48 points total. His goal tally and total points were both leading the state.

[GoBlue2419]

As the high school hockey season continued to unfold, the question of the boys' futures did not allow them the luxury of being solely focused on the here and now. Luke was nowhere near a decision, continuing to weigh committing to an NCAA team now or waiting to see how everything played itself out with the NHL Draft. Dylan had received scholarship offers now from his two main NCAA favorites, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Minnesota had long been his home state rooting interest, but he really enjoyed meeting with the Wisconsin coaching staff, and had a great visit to the campus. He now sat on his couch, holding his cell phone, preparing to call his future coach and announce his next destination. His family sat around him, as did Luke, all waiting excitedly for the call to be made.

"Hi Coach, this is Dylan Patterson. I wanted to give you a call and let you know that I have decided where I will be playing hockey next year . . . . . Yes, I am thrilled to say that I will be playing for you at the University of Wisconsin!"

[GoBlue2419]

Luke picked up the Pinecrest Times, and smiled as he saw the headline . . . . . . "Halvorsen Named to USA Under 20 Team". The team was preparing for the World Junior U20 Championships, and though he would have to say goodbye for a little while to Pinecrest, the Wolfpack hockey team, and Dylan, he was extremely excited. The chance to compete at this level, on a world-wide stage, was going to be tremendous for his development, both as a player and as a young man.

[GoBlue2419]

Luke was spending Christmas Day in Stockholm, Sweden as the USA Under 20 team prepared for their first game tomorrow, facing off against Canada. "Nothing like starting off with a challenge," he thought to himself.

"Hey, Luke, can you come here a sec?" Coach shouted over to Luke across the lounge. Luke ran through possible topics in his head as he approached the couch his coach was sitting on.

"Have a seat," Coach said as he motioned for Luke to sit down.

"Luke, before I announce this to the team officially, I wanted to run it by you. I would like for you to captain this team."

"Coach, I appreciate that greatly. It's a real honor, and I will not let you down," Luke replied, effectively agreeing to the position.

[GoBlue2419]

The US Junior Under 20 team came out playing well in their opening game battle with Canada. Luke had spent most of the time in practices partnered with Dylan Blujas, a 6'3", 185 pound right defenseman from Buffalo, New York, playing for the Brampton Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League, and the two of them were paired up in this game as well.

USA right winger Jared Knight lit the lamp for the first goal of the game, scoring at the 5:09 mark. Brandon Gormley tied it up 11 minutes later, and then USA's Austin Watson scored with 52 seconds left in the 1st period.

Matt Puempel then tied it up for Canada in the 2nd period at the 7:43 mark. Luke followed that up with a goal of his own, assisted by his defense partner Blujas, with 22 seconds left in the 2nd period, and the teams entered the dressing room tied 2-2.

Whatever the USA coach said in the intermission worked, because the Americans came out with guns blazing in the 3rd, scoring three unanswered goals, to wrap up a 5-2 victory. Canada fired 55 shots on USA goalie Jack Campbell, but he stood on his head continually to be the #1 star of the game. Luke finished with a goal in his 18:06 of ice time.

[GoBlue2419]

The USA's second game of the World Junior U20 tournament saw them facing off against Sweden, and Sweden skated away with a 3-1 victory. Luke was pointless and -1 during his 18:36 of ice time. He was once again paired up with Dylan Blujus.

Scoring Summary:
G	Per	Time	Team	Scorer	        First Assist	       Second Assist	Info
1	1	12:37	SWE	M. ZIBANEJAD	D. MANNBERG	L. RENSFELDT	PP
2	2	26:14	USA	M. JACKSON	N. EBERT	-	-
3	3	42:39	SWE	P. NETTERBERG	M. ZIBANEJAD	-	-
4	3	59:33	SWE	J. BRODIN       M. ZIBANEJAD	-	EN

[GoBlue2419]

Game 3 was a decisive 5-0 victory over Slovakia. Luke assisted on one goal, was +1 for the game, and was on the ice for 19:52.

[GoBlue2419]

As the USA U20 team's practice ended and the boys strolled into the locker room, word began to spread that the ISS Midseason Rankings had been released. Goalie Jack Campbell pulled them up on his phone and began calling off the names of players in the room as he came to them in the list.

"Nick Ebert at #11."

"Dylan Blujus at #13."

As he then had to scan a little further, Luke shifted his weight nervously. Coming in at #6 on the Preliminary rankings, he knew that this meant for some reason he had dropped in the rankings.

"Max Iafrate #23."

"Brady Vail at #26."

"Hey Luke, Dylan came in at #29," Jack exclaimed. Luke was happy for his good friend, but he couldn't help wondering what was going on with his own ranking.

"Jacob Doty #34."

"Josh Bartman #35."

"Owen Holmes at #39."

"Luke Halvorsen is #41," Jack finally noted.

With these rankings, it gave one of the boys motivation again to come out and play even harder and prove the ISS wrong. Dylan's ranking had improved considerably, as he had moved up from 85th. Now it was Luke's turn to go out and show them what he could fully do, and show the NHL scouts what his game was truly about, if they had any doubts.

[GoBlue2419]

Team USA's next game was against Germany. USA won the game 2-1, and Luke assisted on one goal, was +2, and was on the ice for 28:44.

Meanwhile, Dylan was doing his best to hold down the fort for Pinecrest High. They had played 35 games thus far, with Dylan playing in all 35. He had scored 35 goals and coupled that with 36 assists, continuing to lead the State in goals and total points. He was now a +45 and had spent 32 minutes in the penalty box. Despite missing 5 games in his time aboard with Team USA, Luke was still 3rd in the State in points, with 59 points, on 9 goals and 50 assists. Tony Cameranesi of Wayzata High School (Wayzata, MN) was second in points.

[GoBlue2419]

Up next for the USA Under 20s squad was the Semi-finals match-up with Canada, and the dream of Gold for Team USA ended with a grand smack to the face. Team Canada showed no mercy as they skated to a 7-1 victory. Luke was scoreless and would certainly be disappointed with his production.

Elsewhere, Sweden defeated Russia to set up a Canada-Sweden Gold Medal game and a USA-Russia Bronze Medal match-up.

[GoBlue2419]

Team USA rebounded from their smackdown at the hands of Canada to win the Bronze Medal in the 2011 World Junior Under 20s by defeating Russia 6-1. Luke also turned things around, playing well and assisting on Dylan Blujus's goal.

Also, Canada defeated Sweden to win the Gold Medal.

[GoBlue2419]

As Luke returned to the Pinecrest High team after the World Junior Under 20 Tournament, the Wolfpack continued its winnings ways. On January 14th, 2012, the team has now played 37 games, with Luke missing 6 while away. Current stats for Luke and Dylan are:

Dylan - 37 games played, 38 goals, 44 assists, 82 points, +49, 36 PIM
Luke - 31 games played, 9 goals, 52 assists, 61 points, +45, 42 PIM

[GoBlue2419]

"We did it!!" Luke shouted as he hugged Dylan out on the ice. The Wolfpack had just wrapped up its second state hockey championship in three years, and though this would mark the end of an era for Pinecrest High, the jubilation was sweet! Both Luke's and Dylan's individual seasons would go down as two of the greatest seasons in Minnesota high school history. Dylan led the state in goals and points, finishing with 60 goals, 73 assists for 133 points, he was a +83, and culminated the state championship by adding the Mr. Hockey award for best high school player in the state for that season. Luke scored 22 goals, while assisting on 87 more, for 109 points, racking up a +82 rating in the process. They finished first and third in the state in total points.

"Minnesota forever!" Dylan yelled as they skated off the ice and into the next phase of their hockey journey.

[GoBlue2419]

As Luke and Dylan and their families gathered at Big Jimmy's Burger Shack for lunch just over a week after the Wolfpack won the State Championship, they hoped for reason to continue their celebration. The ISS Final NHL Draft Rankings had been released this morning, and the boys agreed they would wait to look until they were together. As each one had been disappointed with either the Preliminary or Mid-Season rankings, and coming off of strong conclusions to their high school seasons and careers, they had reason to anticipate both would be higher on the Final Rankings.

Dylan's dad pulled the rankings up on his iPhone and began calling them out:
1. Morgan Reilly (Moose Jaw) - D
2. Martin Frk (Halifax) - RW
3. Nail Yakubov (Sarnia) - LW
4. Derrick Pouliot (Portland) - D
5. Troy Bourke (Prince George) - LW
6. Barclay Goodrow (London) - LW/RW

"and at #7 we have one Luke Halvorsen," he excitedly announced.

The families high-fived and hugged, relieved that the Mid-Season #41 ranking seemed to be a fluke or mistake.

Mr. Patterson continued reading through the Rankings, calling out Luke's USA Under 20 teammates like Nick Ebert at #12, Owen Holmes, another Minnesota boy, at #14, Dylan Blujus at #20.

Finally he called out the other name everyone was waiting to hear. "#38, monster right winger Dylan Patterson!"

Dylan had dropped from #29 in the Mid-Season Rankings, but all-in-all the group was pleased. He had moved up considerably from his Preliminary ranking, and being ranked at #38 meant there was at least a hope and prayer of going in the first round.

With the NHL Draft about 2 1/2 months away, the next weeks would be ones of nervousness, excitement, hope, fear, all rolled into one at times for Luke, Dylan and their families.

[GoBlue2419]

Luke and Dylan watched every game of the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Finals together. "No way would I have ever picked the Kings and the Sabres to reach the Finals," Dylan exclaimed when they settled in before the first game.

The Finals reached 7 games, and despite Anze Kopitar's Conn Smythe clinching 2 goals in game 7, Buffalo held on to raise the Cup for the first time in franchise history. Ryan Miller was the runner up in voting for the Conn Smythe, and was the second player to skate with the Cup after captain Jason Pominville had his opportunity.

"Oh man, can you imagine . . . . . ., " Luke started, not finishing his comment as he was lost in visions of Stanley Cup glory. "Yes I can," Dylan answered the question never completed.

[GoBlue2419]

Luke and Dylan walked into the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh together alongside their families, with excitement, nerves, jubilation, and a little bit of fear all wrapped into one emotional package. This was the day they had been counting down to for months, or years to be entirely correct. They were wearing their best suits, but both looking to the moment when they could remove the jacket in preparation for putting on the sweater of whichever team drafted them.

As the #7 ranked prospect in the Draft, Luke was hoping to be one of the first names called. Dylan's final ranking of #38 was an improvement over the preliminary ranking, but coming off of the outstanding season he had for Pinecrest High School, his name had been receiving a lot of pre-draft buzz from many of the experts around the league. One of the happiest moments of Dylan's young life was hearing Jeremy Roenick exclaim about him in a Draft Preview a week ago, "I love this kid. I see him as a definite first-round talent, and I know I'm not alone in that opinion. There may be several teams looking to move up into the bottom of the first round to get a shot at him."

The boys and their families all took their seats in the arena, sitting amongst the other draft candidates and their families. Luke said a little prayer as Commissioner Bettman spoke from the podium, kicking off the evening's festivities. There was a whole throng of folks back in Pinecrest gathered in the school gymnasium, watching the event on the big screen, clamoring for the moments the names of their home town boys were announced.

The Winnipeg Jets owned the first pick in the draft, and most so-called experts were predicting one of three players to be selected in this slot. Nail Yakubov, Morgan Rielly, and Martin Frk were all worthy candidates. But perhaps a surprise was also in the cards.

Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff stepped up to the podium as the anticipation levels in the arena picked up a notch or two. "With the first pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Winnipeg Jets are extremely proud to select . . . . . .from the Halifax Mooseheads, right winger Martin Frk."

So there it was. The first pick made, and Martin Frk's biography changed for the rest of his life. He will always be known as the 1st player chosen in the 2012 NHL Draft. Only time, and effort, and a little luck for sure, would tell if along with that title he would be known as the right choice for the Jets, a good player but not a great one, a disappointing selection, or an out and out bust.

As Nail Yakubov was selected next by the Flyers, and then Morgan Rielly chosen #3 by the Coyotes, Luke's nerves started to pick up a little more. He was hopeful his name would be called 5-6 picks. His mom, also feeling the nerves, reached out and grabbed his hand, calming Luke's nerves in a way only a mother could. He knew that whatever happened from here on out, he would have his parents' love and support.

The Panthers selected Luca Ciampini with the 4th pick, followed by Nick Ebert at #5 by Edmonton, and then Slater Kokkoek 6th by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"With the 7th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Anaheim Ducks select . . . . . . goaltender Jake Paterson, from the Saginaw Spirit," Ducks General Manager Bob Murray proclaimed.

The 8th, 9th, and 10th picks came and went, and still no mention of Luke Halvorsen. The Minnesota Wild held the 11th pick, and Luke was extremely hopeful he would get to stay close to home. The Wild selected a defenseman with their pick, but it was Adam Pelech instead. Luke's nerves started to pick up again, now starting to wonder how far he would fall.

Three more picks were off the board, as the Islanders, Maple Leafs, and Penguins all chose players other than Luke.

The Dallas Stars owned the 15th pick, and Luke thought to himself, "I've never been to Texas, maybe this will be my opportunity."

Dallas G.M. Joe Nieuwendyk stepped onto the stage, up to the podium, and announced the words the Halvorsen family had been waiting for. "With the 15th pick in the NHL Draft, the Dallas Stars are very happy to select . . . . Luke Halvorsen."

A loud roar reverberated through the Pinecrest gymnasium as the gathering back in Pinecrest heard his name announced, with one or more of the janitorial staff fearing major cleanup from a roof cave-in due to the deafening cheers.

Luke hugged his parents, then his sister Natalie, Dylan's parents, and finally Dylan. As he took off his jacket and started to head down the aisle to the stage, Luke turned back to Dylan, stuck out his fist, and said, "Minnesota forever!" Dylan returned the sentiment, excited for his great friend, but now ready to hear his name called.

Luke walked onto the stage, smile beaming from Pittsburgh to Pinecrest, and shook his new General Manager's hand. "Luke, we are extremely excited to have you put on this sweater," and Nieuwendyk handed the Dallas Stars sweater to Luke. The exhiliration, the joy, the relief he felt as he pulled the sweater over his head would be hard to describe for the rest of his life. So much work had been put in to get him to this point, but Luke knew fully that now the real work would begin. He was committed to doing what was necessary though to be the best player he could be.

The moment on stage could not last forever, and it was time for Luke to head backstage.

The Blues, Canadiens, Senators, Blackhawks, Devils, Flames, and Bruins held picks 16-22, and as each team made its selection, the anticipation increased for Dylan. Hearing all of the discussions regarding his supposed rise in the minds of G.M.s around the league, Dylan tried to keep his hopes in check. There was a chance he could move up into the first round, but there was also a chance he could slip like Luke had done.

"With the 23rd pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the San Jose Sharks select right winger Dylan Patterson," Doug Wilson, general manager of the Sharks proclaimed.

And there it was. Hopeful to move into the first round, this was even higher than he could have even anticipated. Dylan hugged his dad, who whispered in his ear, "I'm so proud of you son." He hugged his mom next, gave her a kiss on the cheek, followed by hugs from his older brothers Dean and David, and then younger sister Daria.

Meanwhile, the crowd back in Pinecrest once again threatened to blow the roof off of the gymnasium with the force of their cheers. Two of their own had just been selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. For a hockey-crazed town in the hockey-crazed state of Minnesota, this was pure bliss on ice.

As Dylan pulled the Sharks sweater over his head, visions of skating with Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, and Patrick Marleau danced around in his head. He also thought back to the celebration with Pinecrest after winning the state championship, skating around with the trophy along with Luke, of the hours of pond hockey on the farm with Luke and the others, the hours of time spent in the weight room, on the rink doing drills and working on his skating, and back to the first time he put on skates and stepped onto the ice. Even at the young age it was, he remembered it so well.

"And now it begins," he thought. He followed up that understanding with one more, "Minnesota forever!" and walked offstage to begin the next phase of his hockey adventure.

[GoBlue2419]

Quick Break from Luke and Dylan's stories to share the Award Winners from the 2011-2012 NHL season:

Conn Smythe - Anze Kopitar, LA
Hart Trophy - Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (61-50-111 points)
Art Ross Trophy - Patrick Marleau, SJ (50-70-120 pts)
Norris Trophy - Marc Staal, NYR (11-45-56 points)
Vezina Trophy - Ryan Miller, Buf
Masterton Trophy - Nathan Horton, Bos
Calder Trophy - Anze Kopitar, LA (38-57-95 points)
Selke Trophy - Ethan Moreau, LA
Jack Adams Award - Lindy Ruff, Buf
King Clancy Trophy - Saku Koivu, Ana
Lady Byng Trophy - Daniel Sedin, Van
Lester B. Pearson Trophy - Patrick Marleau, SJ
Rocket Richard Trophy - Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (61 goals)
William Jennings Trophy - Ryan Miller, Buf
NHL Plus-Minus Award - Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (+53)

[Mota]

Keep it coming, really interesting read.

[GoBlue2419]

As the month of August 2012 hit its midpoint, Luke and Dylan hung out at Luke's house for the last time before Dylan headed off to the University of Wisconsin for his freshman year in the morning. Fresh off of the excitement of his NHL Draft selection, he was anxious to get to school and start getting to know some of his new teammates, along with meeting some of the fellow students of the opposite sex. He had been in frequent conversation with his new coach, Mike Eaves, and felt really good about the opportunity to grow both as a player and a young man while at UW. Among his new teammates were a number of players drafted by NHL teams, including Tyler Biggs, a 2011 1st Round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, so this would be the best collection of players he will have played with to this point in his young career.

Meanwhile, Luke's future was still uncertain. He was considering some offers from USHL teams for the upcoming season, in preparation of either going to college the following year, or even better signing a professional contract with Dallas and joining the NHL, but was as yet uncertain what he would do. He was a little envious of Dylan, knowing how excited Dylan was to be heading off to Wisconsin. But he was primarily excited for his good friend, and would be rooting for UW for the first time in his life.

As the antique clock handed down by Luke's grandmother announced the 10:00 hour, Dylan finally said, "well dude, I should probably get home." Luke and Dylan gave each other a hug, followed by a "good luck Patty, go get yourself a Hobey Baker" command from Luke, and said good-bye with one more "Minnesota forever" exclamation before starting down different hockey paths for really the first time in their lives. Only time would tell if or when they would cross again.

[GoBlue2419]

Luke was in the middle of lifting weights when his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, and his nerves kicked in when he saw that it said Joe Nieuwendyk, the Dallas Stars' general manager. "This is Luke," he tried to answer nonchalantly.

"Hey Luke, this is Joe Nieuwendyk, how are you doing?"

"I'm going very well, Mr. Nieuwendyk," Luke responded, trying to remain calm.

"Great, great. Luke, let me get to the point. As I'm sure you are aware, training camp opens soon, and we would like you to come down here and train with the team. Does that sound like something you would be interested in?"

"Absolutely. I can be on the next plane down there," Luke answered a little bit more excitedly.

"Excellent, I'm glad to hear that," Nieuwendyk responded. "We will get your flight lined up, and we'll be looking forward to getting you here and having you meet some of the boys," he stated next. "I will give you a call back with the details of your flight and arrival."

"You bet, thank you Mr. Nieuwendyk," Luke answered.

The rest of Luke's workout seemed like a blur as his mind raced with thoughts of training camp with the Dallas Stars. He finished his workout, texted Dylan the news, and most likely broke a speed limit or two on his way home to tell his parents.

[GoBlue2419]

Dallas opened up the exhibition season with a game against San Jose on . As Luke prepared for the game, he was thinking about how great it would be if Dylan was with San Jose, but as that was not the case, he was nonetheless incredibly excited, but incredibly nervous. Pulling on that Dallas sweater, he took a moment to peek into the mirror, and couldn't help smile beyond most smiles he has had in his life. He knew that it was only a preseason game, and he was only on a tryout, but it was a professional game nevertheless. He was still going to be playing with Stephane Robidas, Tuomo Ruutu, and a few other Stars regulars, but also playing against Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley, and Dan Boyle. He was looking forward to battling against Thornton in front of the net, knowing he would have his hands full like they have never been before.

Luke was paired up with Dominic Poulin, another youngster on tryout from Chicoutimi, and made his presence felt right away. He made a great pass to a cutting Alex Galchenyuk, who set up Max Warn for a goal.

In the second period, Zenon Konopka, Luke, and Warn had a 3-on-2 break, and Luke hit Warn with a pass across the crease, and Sharks goalie Maksim Gryaznov could not stop his wrister.

Dallas went on to score another second period goal to take a 3-0 lead into the 2nd intermission.

Each team scored a goal in the 3rd period as Dallas wrapped up a 4-1 win.

Luke ended up playing 28:24, leading the Stars in ice time, tallying two assists, while compiling a +2 rating.

[GoBlue2419]

Up next for Luke and the Stars during the preseason was the Pittsburgh Penguins. While he personally thought Crosby whined a little too much, he could not disregard his talent, and for that reason he was really looking forward to this game. And of course the opportunity to play against Malkin was another aspect that excited him for the game.

Luke was once again paired up with Poulin, but their inexperience showed as Crosby, Malkin, and Jordan Staal overpowered them. Staal finished with 2 goals and an assist, Malkin assisted on two goals, and Crosby had an assist as well, as Pittsburgh defeated Dallas 4-0.

Luke was on the ice for 28:21, and ended up -2. He didn't play poorly, but did not play as well as the previous game.

[GoBlue2419]

The following night Toronto traveled to Dallas for an exhibition with the Leafs. Luke played again, again paired with Poulin for the majority of the game, and once more played well, but not great.

Toronto skated to a 4-0 victory, led by 2 goals from Phil Kessel. Luke was on the ice for 27:27,was a -1, and was credited with 1 shot.

[MacroGuru]

Definitely liking this...keep it going.

[GoBlue2419]

Thanks Mota and MacroGuru! I appreciate the encouragement and knowledge that people are reading it!

[GoBlue2419]

Dylan was walking back to his dorm after Chemistry, thinking not about the periodic table or ionic bonds, but of his first game in a Wisconsin Badger uniform tonight, when his phone rang.

"Hey Patty!"

"Luke, how are ya? Looks like you have been playing pretty well. Any thoughts yet on making the big club?"

"Not yet. I've been feeling pretty good about how I've played, but it's still too early to get a feel of anything," Luke answered. "But I didn't call to talk about me. First game tonight, huh? How ya feeling?"

"I wanted to wear my skates to class today I'm so excited," Dylan shared. "Looking forward to lacing them up. Denver is a pretty good team, but I think we have a really good team. It is going to be fun."

"Well, good luck Patty. We play tonight too, so I won't get to watch it live, but I'm DVRing it, so as soon as I get back to the apartment I'll watch it," Luke promised.

"Thanks man, I appreciate that! Thanks for calling too, it's good to talk!"

"You bet Patty! Go Badgers, and grab me a Wisconsin hat from the ones thrown on the ice tonight after your hat trick!"

"Ha! Will do! Good luck tonight too Halves! We'll talk soon," Dylan said as the boys said goodbye and hung up.

Visions of top shelf goals danced in his head as he walked through the front door of the dorm, waiting expectantly for his first game tonight, picturing the Badger victory.

[GoBlue2419]

There were no hats thrown on the ice, but Dylan's first Wisconsin game came close to bringing it to fruition. The freshman right winger had one of those dream debuts tonight against Denver University as he scored two goals to help lead the Badgers to a 4-1 victory. He was on the ice more than any other forward, was a +2, and played solid defense.

"If Dylan plays like he can, games like this will be commonplace," Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves shared after the game. "Despite being just a freshman, he played like a seasoned senior tonight," he continued.

[GoBlue2419]

As Luke prepared to knock on Nieuwendyk's door, knowing he had been summoned to the GM's office, he tried to keep an open mind, but had a feeling as to how the conversation would proceed. He had played well in the preseason, but also knew he was only 18, and it may be in his best interests to get some more experience before lacing up his skates in the NHL.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Come on in, Luke," Nieuwendyk exclaimined in response to the knocking.

"Luke, please have a seat," he said as he motioned to a chair in front of his desk.

"You wanted to see me Mr. Nieuwendyk?" Luke asked upon sitting down.

"I did, thanks for coming up to my office," Joe answered. "Luke, you have played very well, we are extremely pleased with your progress, and are very excited about the future you have with the Stars organization."

Luke enjoyed hearing the praise, but could sense the 'but' coming . . . . .

"The coaching staff and I have discussed long and hard what is in the best interests of the organization, and what is in your best interests as a hockey player, and we came to the difficult decision that it would be best for your continued development to get some more experience, bulk up a little bit, and work on your skating, before we put you out there in front of the Stars fans," he continued. "By no means whatsoever is this a judgement of your potential, and in fact, if we didn't think so highly of your potential, we may not be making this same decision," Nieuwendyk proclaimed.

"Mr. Nieuwendyk, I understand completely. I'm disappointed not to be able to stay up with the team, but I'm fully intending to be back here soon, and will work extremely hard to continue to improve," Luke replied.

"I have no doubt that is true, Luke. I'm sure we'll be talking again some time in the near future with a happier outcome for both of us."

[GoBlue2419]

Within EHM, Luke actually returned to the Pinecrest High School team as an overage player, which is not actually possible in the real world. With this outcome, and because the NCAA is simulated in the background in EHM, I am going to sim ahead in the lives of Luke and Dylan until something newsworthy occurs, at which point I will report on that.

[GoBlue2419]

The USA Under 20 team gathered again for the 2012-2013 World Junior Championship U-20 Tournament. Luke had already been told by GM/Head Coach Mike Milbury that he would be Captain for this year's group. Joining him on this year's team however would be Dylan. The boys were extremely excited to be re-united, and vowed that they would win another championship together, this time at the International level.

The first game up for Team USA would be a battle against traditional rival Canada. Luke was paired up with Dylan Blujus (Brampton Battallion - OHL) once again, while Dylan was playing right wing on a line with Brady Vail (Windsor Spitfires - OHL) and Colin Jacobs (Seattle Thunderbirds - WHL). Canada jumped out to a 1-0 lead behind a goal from Austen Brassard (Belleville Bulls - OHL) at the 5:24 mark of the 1st Period before USA tied it up when Vincent Trocheck (Saginaw Spirit - OHL) slotted home a great feed from Luke. Canada's Mark McNeil scored a 1st period goal as well to give Canada a 2-1 lead heading into the dressing room.

Trocheck scored another goal in the 2nd period, which was the lone goal of the period, to tie the score again at 2-2.

The 3rd Period saw Canada's Troy Bourke put home a wicked wrister to give Canada a 3-2 lead 1:39 into the period. Three minutes later Jacob Doty would tie it up for USA on a shorthanded unassisted goal, which would be the final goal scored for a 3-3 tie.

Both Luke and Dylan ended up with a 7 rating. Luke played 21:27 and finished with the one assist and a -1 +/- rating. Dylan saw the ice for 17:11 and had no points and a 0 +/- rating.

Next up for Team USA would be a tilt against Russia.

[GoBlue2419]

The Denmark game turned into the Dylan Patterson Show, giving him his first real exposure at the International level. Team USA scored quickly, and scored often, in this match, skating away with a dominating 11-0 victory, including a hat trick from Dylan. He scored a goal in each period, helping pace the Americans to a 4-0 1st Period lead, 7-0 after 2 periods, and the final 11-0 tally.

Dylan's three goals were good for only the 2nd Star of the Game though, as Nick Ebert took top honors with a goal and 4 asssists. Third Star was Brady Vail with a goal and 3 assists.

Defenseman Max Iafrate was a +5 for the game, and Right Winger Jacob Doty was a +4.

Dylan finished with a 10 rating, and scored all of his goals on the power play, so finished with a +0 +/- rating.

Luke was point-less, getting 15:43 of ice time, and registered a +1 +/- rating to go along with his 7 rating for the game.

The USA U-20 team will face Germany tomorrow in its final Group B match-up.

[GoBlue2419]

In the final Group B Stage game for Team USA U-20, Germany was the opponent at Stadthalle in Klagenfurt, Austria. The Germans came in to this game having lost its three previous match-ups, while the Americans were coming in having won two games with one tie.

Team USA broke the figurative ice first, with Brady Vail scoring a goal with 10:39 remaining in the first period. His goal was assisted by Vincent Trochek and Shane McColgan. With 6:16 left in the period, Dylan continued his hot hand by putting home a goal off of feeds from Dylan Blujus and Colin Jacobs to give Team USA a 2-0 lead after the 1st Period.

Vincent Trochek scored a goal of his own in the second period, with assists from Max Iafrate and Nick Ebert, putting Team USA up 3-0, which would be the final score as neither team scored for the rest of the game.

Dylan finished with an 8 rating in his 20:00 of ice time. Meanwhile, Luke was again without a point, being on the ice for 20:42, finishing with a 6 rating.

Team USA is now through to the Semi-Finals, along with Czech Republic, who will both be awaiting the victors from Great Britain against Russia and Finland against Canada in the Preliminary Round. Perhaps the shocker of the World Junior Championships U-20 this year is the failure of Sweden to even win a game. They will battle it out in the Relegation Round with Denmark, Germany, and Belarus.

Vincent Trochek leads the Tournament in points heading into the next rounds, with 11 points (5-6) in 4 games. He is followed by fellow Americans Brady Vail with 8 (3-5), and Jacob Doty with 7 (2-5), who is tied with Canada's Luca Ciampini (0-7).

[GoBlue2419]

The 2012-2013 Stanley Cup Finals saw a return by the LA Kings, but they were unable to climb the mountain top again this season (last year lost to Buffalo in this universe), this time losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1. Ryan Malone won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

The road to the Finals consisted of:

Eastern Conference
#1 Buffalo beat #8 Ottawa
#2 Tampa Bay beat #7 Winnipeg
#6 Pittsburgh beat #3 NY Rangers
#4 Boston beat #5 Washington

Buffalo beat Pittsburgh 4-0
Tampa Bay beat Boston 4-0

Tampa Bay beat Buffalo 4-0

Western Conference
#8 St. Louis beat #1 Vancouver 4-1
#2 LA beat #7 Nashville 4-1
#3 Detroit beat #6 Calgary 4-3
#5 Chicago beat #4 San Jose 4-3

LA beat St. Louis 4-1
Detroit beat Chicago 4-3

LA beat Detroit 4-3

[GoBlue2419]

Here are the 2012-2013 Award Winners (* Repeat winners)

Hart Trophy - Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ*
Art Ross Trophy - Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (119 points - 65 goals, 54 assists)
"Rocket" Richard Trophy - Ilya Kovalchuk, NJ (65 goals)*
Vezina Trophy - Ryan Miller, Buffalo* (51 wins, .917 SV%, 2.30 GAA)
Norris Trophy - Brent Seabrook, Chicago
Selke Trophy - Steve Begin, NY Rangers
Calder Trophy - Jordan Eberle, Edmonton
Adams Trophy - Guy Boucher, Tampa Bay
Lady Byng Trophy - Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit
All-Star Game MVP - Dany Heatley, San Jose

Points Leaders
1. Kovalchuk, NJ (119 - 65-54)
2. Semin, Wash (116-48-68)
3. Ovechkin, Wash (115-58-57)

Highest Average Rating
1. Marleau, SJ - 9.17
2. Backstrom, Wash - 9.16
3. Ovechkin, Wash - 9.16

Here is a recap of some trades that took place this season:
8/2/12 - Vancouver trades Dan Hamhuis to Nashville for 3rd and 5th Round Draft picks
2/4/13 - Dallas trades Tuomo Ruutu to Tampa Bay for Brett Connolly
2/4/13 - Montreal trades Brian Gionta to Edmonton for Samuel Guerra
2/23/13 - Montreal trades Scott Gomez to Chicago for Philippe Paradis, Rights to Mark McNeil, and 2nd Round pick
2/23/13 - Montreal trades Kristian Huselius to LA for Rights to Sergei Shmelev and Andrei Loktionov
2/23/13 - Minnesota trades Nick Schultz to Dallas for Fedor Tyutin
2/23/13 - Dallas trades Mike Ribeiro to Nashville for Chet Pickard, Miikka Salomaki, and Alexander Steen
2/23/13 - Minnesota trades Mikko Koivu to Buffalo for Rights to Colin Jacobs, 2nd Round Pick, and Zack Kassian

[GoBlue2419]

The 2013 NHL Draft concluded today, with the #1 pick seeing Carolina selecting Simon Boudreau. Boudreau is a 6' 1", 187 pound defenseman from the Rimouski Oceanic. This past season in the QMJHL Boudreau scored 60 points in 70 games, on 26 goals and 34 assists. He also tallied 78 penalty minutes, and was a +10.

The rest of the Top 10 went as follows:
2. PHX - Jonathan-Ismael Diaby, D (Quebec Ramparts)
3. CBS - Remi Tanaka, RW (Saskatoon Blades)
4. FLO - Jonathan Drouin, C/LW (Halifax Mooseheads)
5. MIN - Jeremy Gregoire, C (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
6. MTL - Sean Monahan, C (Kitchener Rangers)
7. PHI - Anthony Duclair, C/LW (Summerside Western Capitals)
8. ANA - Ryan Kujawinski, C (North Bay Trappers)
9. TOR - Nick Moutrey, LW (Saginaw Spirit)
10. DAL - Guillaume Gauthier, C (Victoriaville Tigres)

The first 14 picks were Canadians, with American defenseman Scott Savage being the first non-Canadian selected when Ottawa picked him at #15. Tobias Liljendahl (Sweden), selected by Nashville at #19, and Anthony Ohlsson (Sweden), selected by the Rangers at #25, were the only other non-Canadians selected in the 1st Round.

There were 160 Canadians selected in this year's draft, with 23 Americans, 10 Swedes, 6 Russians, 4 Slovakians, and 2 Czechs making up the rest of the selections.

[GoBlue2419]

Phone call during the 1st Round of this year's NHL Draft

"Dylan, this is Doug Wilson, general manager of the Sharks."

"Yes, hi there Mr. Wilson. How are you, sir?"

"I'm good, thanks, other than having to make one of those phone calls that are always tough for a general manager."

"Okay . . . . . " (wheels starting to turn wildly in Dylan's head)

"Listen, Dylan, we think very highly of you, of your ability, and your potential to be a very good player in the NHL. As a testament to you, so do many other teams. Well, let me get to the point here. You probably were able to ascertain from watching us this year, we need help on the blueline. And of course, to get something of value, you need to give up something of value. When we approached Montreal about some of their defensemen, your name was the first one Pierre Gauthier mentioned. He is very high on you, thinks you have a great future ahead of you, as do we. He would not budge, he wanted you. So, Dylan, you have no doubt surmised by now that we have traded your rights to the Montreal Canadiens, along with our 1st Round pick this year, for defenseman Andy Greene and the 2nd Round Pick Montreal acquired from Chicago. Dylan, I want you to know that this was not something we necessarily wanted to do, or were looking to do, as we do feel very strongly in the future ahead of you. But as I said, to get something of value, something of value has to be given up. "

"Thank you for calling me personally, Mr. Wilson. I appreciate all you and the Sharks organization has done for me this past year, having the faith in me to select me last year."

"Dylan, you are a great kid, with a great future ahead of you. I know Pierre feels the same, and I am sure you will be getting a call from him shortly to welcome you to the Canadiens organization.'

"Thank you, Mr. Wilson."

"Dylan, best of luck to you in the future, and I look forward to watching your career develop . . . . . at least against everyone else!"

"Ha, thank you again Mr. Wilson."

Dylan hung up the phone, immediately turned on his Playstation 3 and NHL 13, and traded his virtual self to Montreal to get a glimpse of how he looked in a Montreal sweater. "Pretty nice," he thought to himself. He then thought of Luke in Dallas, and smiled as he now thought of the opportunity to play against each other in the Stanley Cup Finals some day.

[GoBlue2419]

6/30/13

Some of the top Free Agents Available this offseason:

Forwards
- Jarome Iginla
- Patrik Elias
- Stephen Weiss
- Brendan Morrow
- Jamie Langenbrunner
- Andy McDonald
- Mike Fisher
- Kris Versteeg
- Valteri Filppula
- Daniel Alfredsson

Defensemen
- Kimmo Timmonen
- Sergei Gonchar
- Robin Regehr

Goalies
- Niklas Backstrom
- Marty Turco - starting goaltender for Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay
- Tim Thomas