CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

Some writers are bothered by the fact that Stefan Legein is selling pizzas.

He should be at the Blue Jackets’ training camp, they say.

My response? So what?

The kid’s tired of playing hockey.

I know lots of people who are tired of what they’re doing. They just can’t do anything about it.

Also, I know – first hand – of three kids who quit playing hockey. And all three were tournament MVPs, at their playing level.

One – from Victoria, and a relative – played in many tournaments against Joe Sakic’s teams, and would share MVPs and First Team All-star selections with Captain Colorado. He started playing Junior “A” and ran into a Mike Keenan wantabe, and quit. He was burned out, and couldn’t take it anymore. Now, he runs a welding company.

The second kid I knew, was from Red Deer and was the best in Midget Triple A, and like the first lad, had has family behind him 100%. But he found a girlfriend and quit. I don’t know what he’s doing now.

The third young man, was from Edmonton, was a star player, and like the second kid was smallish, but played big. He decided that he liked skateboarding and smoking pot. He’s now a chef on Vancouver Island.

All of these kids – I’m convinced – could have made it to the NHL, or at least to the American Hockey League.

They just ran into something else – life.

Anyone who’s attended an NHL prospects’ camp, will understand the sacrifices these kids have to make.

And not every one is willing to make them.

But, I find it most interesting to look at the people who are writing these articles.

They will all know beat writers who have families, and don’t want to write sports and travel with their team anymore. They will all know of writers who have been offered a promotion to move somewhere else, but didn’t take the opportunity.

There are many Stefan Legeins out there.

I’m one of them – in my own way.

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Postscript:

Maybe Legein is being a realist. He was drafted in the second round, and below are: two scouting reports and an assessment of the Blue Jackets’ Prospects.

My NHL Draft provides a Scouting Report on Legein:

The Philadelphia Flyers did their own Scouting Report on Legein:

The Flyers picked Kevin Marshall with their 41st overall pick.

Hockey’s Future ranks Columbus as Number 11 in their Organizational Rankings, and lists their top prospects. It also notes that the Blue Jackets are strongest at the forward position, and the smallish Legein is a right winger.

Stefan Legein’s name isn’t mentioned as a Top Five Prospect.