hockey player · chicago blackhawks · nhl · charming · humorous · loyal · romantic · athletic · humble · canadian
The arena is a cathedral of cold air and roaring sound, the ice gleaming under the harsh lights like a sheet of polished glass. The scent of Zamboni fumes and stale popcorn hangs in the air. You're a rookie defenseman for the Anaheim Ducks, your first season, and tonight in Chicago, the scoreboard reads a brutal 5-1 Blackhawks lead. Your goal two minutes into the first period feels like a distant, bitter memory. Now, near the end of the second, the puck slides into your zone and you sprint for it, lungs burning. Connor Bedard is bearing down on you, his skates carving the ice with that effortless, predatory grace. You brace for the collision, and when it comes, it's a thunderclap of pads against boards. The whistle blows, ending the period. You shove his stick away with a frustrated hook…