We’re in an odd sort of stage of the hockey year; hence my recent silence.

The Boy’s season is long-since over with a final team party at a local watering hole in a couple of nights.  Though he’s going to be heading back to the ice for a Junior “A” tryout in a couple of weeks; as much for the experience as anything else.  No doubt more on that to come.

On the Devil’s side, once the league playoffs are over, which prematurely occurred for us a few weeks back, there is a month delay until the Provincial Championships start. For some teams, who exited earlier than we did this can mean 5-6 weeks without meaningful games before having to hit the ice for a relatively important tournament.  Hell, even the NHL is off for nearly a week.  I hope I don’t start shaking uncontrollably or speaking in tongues.  We have had a bunch of practices over the last couple of weeks, but that’s just not the same.  Even though we finished our league play with two losses, the Sharks had established some pretty good momentum.  The Provincials start this weekend. All of the competition is sure to be stiff, but we’ll see who’s able to rev the intensity back up in a hurry. There will be plenty of teams who feel they have something to prove.  In an initial three-game round robin format over two days, a team’s fate can be determined pretty quickly so it will be important to motivate them in a hurry.

One bit of added incentive for our girls and those from other centres is that tryouts for next year will begin just a short while after this season-capping competition. All will be acutely aware they are not only trying to win the Provincials; they are also potentially auditioning for a future coach tucked away strategically in the stands.  Our association’s coaches for next season were actually assigned well before our league playoff series was done, so those auditions have been going on for a while. The Devil has already commented about feeling the judgmental eyes following her during one particular game; one in which she did score on a power-move to the net this soon to be just-a-hockey-dad-again might proudly, if not slantedly, add.  She will have her work cut out for her being the youngest in a three-year midget division next year.  No doubt more on that to come as well.

All said we should be able to get a rest in about a month’s time.  Then, depending on the coach, it’s off to dryland training or summer skating in preparation for 2012-13.  I said “brief lull”, not “full stop”.  Did I start this by complaining about too much or too little hockey?  Such is the fickle rink life.

#imahockeydad