Frozen in Ice

Chapter 64

Luke's POV

My OHL year also ended well. We won the OHL championship and the Memorial cup. I wasn't going to have a chance to go back to Pittsburgh this summer. Since we made it all the way through the Memorial Cup it means that the combine is in a couple of weeks.

The combine is in New York so I would head up to train with Mitch and a couple of his teammates. Today was, hopefully, the last time that I was going to be in the locker room in Flint. I knew that I would quite likely be sent back down next year but I would love to be in the NHL next year.

The locker room was loud because we had ended the season in the best possible way. Everyone was talking about what they were planning to do over summer.

"So you are one of the top prospects for this draft?" Adam asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Does that mean that you get to one of the Stanley Cup Final?" Noah asked.

"Yeah, it will be cool. We get to meet some of the players too."

"Wouldn't it be funny if the Penguins make the Finals?" Ryan asked.

"Crosby meets Crosby," someone cheered.

I rolled my eyes. Some of my US junior teammates had already noticed that and where chirping me in our group chat.

"Grab his jersey and go play as him instead," someone said.

I rolled my eyes again at that because I'm pretty sure that someone would notice that. For starters I'm five inches taller and he's a much better hockey player. Once we were all packed up we headed out for food at our usual place.

We took our usual table and I made sure to talk to all the guys. I still had everyone's number and I promised myself that I would make sure that I would stay in contact with all of them. I had spent so much time with them and I love them like family.

"When are you going to New York?" Ryan asked.

"Tomorrow, I'll be there pretty much until training camp, whereas that might be," I said.

"Who had the top picks?"

"The Rangers have top pick then the Flames and the Kings have the third pick," Adam said.

We talked for a bit longer until we all had to leave and I made sure to hug them all tightly before I left. I was going to miss this team like crazy. I still had to finish packing before I leave so I had to leave this team.

"Kill it like we know you will," Adam said.

I nodded and hugged him once more.

"Don't forget about us," Noah called.

I nodded and hugged them all once more before heading out. I was going to well and truly miss this team. I never thought that I would have a chance to play on a team like this and now I'm going to have a chance to play in the NHL.

I finished packing before Richard and Belinda got back and I sat down on the bed. I didn't have that much stuff and it packed up into a couple of bags. I was texting Alex because he and Jamie were going to come up to New York for a week at some point to see me and I really wanted to see them.

Jamie and Alex had both been there for me during the season and they were good, calm people to talk to and it was good for me. I heard the door open downstairs so I put my phone down and joined Belinda and Richard. I knew that it was time to leave Flint.

"You ready to go?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm nervous though," I admitted.

"You are going to do so well. You can call us whenever you want," Richard added.

I nodded and hugged them tightly.

"You have been so good to me," I said.

"You have been so good to have here as well. You are a good kid," Richard said.

I hugged them once more and we headed out to the car. The drive was pretty quiet and it wasn't a long drive to the airport. I stepped out and hugged them once more before I had to leave.

"You can come back whenever you want," Belinda assured me.

I nodded once more and headed into the airport and waved at them once more. I couldn't believe that I had pretty much been here for a year and a half. It had become like home.

My flight wasn't too bad and it was pretty boring. I had spent extra time and done extra homework so I could graduate high school early so I was official finished with high school. It meant that I could focus on training.

Mitch was waiting for me at the airport. He wrapped me in a hug and congratulated me on my recent wins because he hadn't seen me in person for a couple of months.

"You ready for this?" he asked.

I nodded and we headed out together. I was going to be staying in the spare room in Mitch's apartment so we headed there.

"It's so good to see you," I said as we headed out.

It wasn't a long drive and we were soon in Mitch's apartment.

"Are you ready for the draft?" he asked.

"I'm really nervous," I admitted.

"Just absorb all of it and listen to all the advice that you are given. It's a really good experience but there is going to be a lot of media attention and a lot of it will be negative so just don't listen to it," he warned me.

I nodded because Mitch had done the same thing last year.

"Just work as hard as you can and teams will love you," he assured me.

I nodded again and we relaxed together on the couch.

"Are you ready for training tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm really excited," I said.

"See if you will be able to keep up?" he teased.

"Of course, I'm better than you," I mocked.

It was easy to relax around Mitch. We had talked a lot during the season but it was so much cooler to be here with him in person. I was starting to get very nervous about the draft now since it was right there.

I couldn't wait until it was over and I would know where I was playing.

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The Wise One