Patience, Hope, and Hockey

Being a hockey fan, much like being a fan of any sport, has it's ups and downs. I suppose the true purpose of sports is to teach us important life skills. Having patience when things go wrong. Winning with grace. Losing, but still maintaining your dignity. Supporting your teammates in spite of adversity. Working together towards a common goal.

Now, I haven't been a Los Angeles Kings hockey fan for very long, but my two-year tenure as a fan has been marked mostly by the need for patience. LOTS has gone wrong! The Kings finished last year with the second WORST record in the NHL. My favorite player (Patrick O'Sullivan #12) is still not under contract...and the seasons starts in 30 days (I could rant several blogs worth of material on that one, so don't get me started). Season ticket prices went up this year. We traded away almost every veteran on the team. We fired our coach (although that decision makes me happy). Our 2008 record and the "Sully Situation" alone would be enough to cause any lesser fan to abandon ship. Not me.

Because with defeat and despair comes hope for redemption. And yesterdays rookie scrimmage gives me hope the Kings will enjoy better fortune in 08-09.

These kids may be young, but they're got a lot going for them. They have already spent years in junior hockey, fighting for their shot at the big time. Many won't make the club this year and will go back to juniors to work more before their moment arrives. They're hungry. And they have heart, something noticeably absent from many of our players last year.

My hopes for salvation rest with Drew Doughty, LA's #1 draft pick (photo at right). This kid grew up in London, Ontario (Canada) rooting for the Kings during the Wayne Gretzky years. He wore a Kings jersey when all his friends showed loyalty to Canadian teams. He actually WANTED the Kings to draft him. He believes, and he's helping me believe too.

And the fans showed a lot of heart yesterday. Like me, not all have given up hope. The bleachers were filled with them, anxious faces searching the eyes of these young kids for a glimpse of a better future. I think we all found it. We now have a reason to hope.

Hockey season can't start soon enough....