After a particularly long, hot Arizona summer I am really feeling the need for some hockey. I have my tickets for the first home game October 15 against the Winnipeg Jets (ironic, huh?) and I am literally counting down the days. So I KNOW that the season is coming. But I have seriously been jonesing since….well, pretty much since the last second of the last game of the Stanley Cup series. My withdrawal has been so bad, in fact, that I actually made the three hour trip from my home to Jobing.com arena for the sole purpose of watching the Coyotes rookies practice. And you know what? I’m really glad I made the trip.
As soon as the doors opened at the arena, I smelled it. Cold air. Really cold air. The kind of cold air that makes normal people want to turn away from it. It smelled like hockey! (I should clarify: smelling like hockey and smelling like a hockey dressing room are two VERY different things! )
In the distance, I heard some of my favorite sounds: pucks skipping off the boards and bouncing off the posts, ice being shaved as players pull up short at the net, that clacking sound hockey sticks make when they hit the puck. I don’t think you could have smacked the smile off my face. It was like that first drag off a bummed cigarette–relaxing, intense, and so damn NEEDED!
The plan had been to stay just long enough to see what the rookies were up to and then head across the street to shop at Cabela’s (there isn’t one anywhere in southern Arizona). But when I sat down to watch I couldn’t leave. Actually, it wasn’t that I couldn’t but that I just didn’t want to. Besides the Coyotes Carnival two years ago, this was the first time I had ever been to the arena to see the team outside of a scheduled game. And it was nice. No annoying fans for the OTHER team to deal with, nobody constantly getting out of their seats in the middle of the game to go get another beer, and no pressure to win anything. Just me and the guys. And a number of other fans, but this isn’t really about them. =)
The practice itself wasn’t terribly exciting. The jerseys didn’t have names on them, so even if you had a player you wanted to follow you couldn’t. Except for one– Andy Miele. At 5’9″, Andy was noticeably shorter than pretty much every other guy on the ice. Which isn’t to say that he wasn’t also one of the fastest and most skilled. But it was easy to pick him out of the group!
Of all the rookies there that day, I would’ve been interested in following Chris Summers around the most. I’ve seen a number of his interviews and he just has such an engaging personality that I am rooting for him. I’m sure he’s doing well with the San Antonio Rampage, but yeah…I’d like to see him get his chance up in the NHL.
All in all, it looked like the rookies were getting some good practice in and I did notice Dave Tippett making some notes on his clipboard. Maybe that’s good news for some lucky rookie? Regardless, hockey season is just about here and thanks to my little trip up north I might actually make it until then!
Oh, the one thing that could’ve made the trip even better? If Tyson Nash would’ve been there. He rocks. lol
I have some pictures that I will post later. ‘Cause I know everyone is biting their nails in anticipation. 
