Page 34 of Power Forward

Chapter Twelve

Hayden

“I don’t know what else I can do, man,” Landon sighs, his frustration clear in his voice. “When is it gonna be my turn to be called up?”

I take a sip of my coffee, allowing time for my brain to find the right words.

“Without this sounding like some Yoda master type, but your time will come, kid. You’re killing it right now. You’re the second-highest goal scorer in the league for the third season running. You lead in ice time per game, and you have at least one assist in every game you’ve played,” I reassure him, hoping my voice conveys my confidence in him. “They are some great stats. It’s coming, I can feel it.”

Landon Leroux is one of my newer signings. He’s a twenty-two-year-old forward who has more talent in his pinky than quite a few guys who are currently playing in the NHL. He was a first-round draft pick for Toronto, and after finishing his freshman year at Michigan State, he joined Toronto’s farm team in the AHL, where he’s been playingsince. His frustration right now is down to the various injuries Toronto has seen early into the season, and for him, it feels like everyone’s being called up except for him. Which I know isn’t the case, but it’s easy to feel excluded in those situations.

It’s clear he’s chomping at the bit to play his first NHL game, and I genuinely believe it’s only a matter of time until he gets the call to join them. And if my gut feeling is right, he will shine so bright they would be foolish to send him back down.

“Thanks, man. It just pisses me off. I don’t want it to sound like I’m sucking my own dick?—”

I let out a bark of laughter, which causes him to laugh too.

“Now, that’s some talent. Don’t know if you should promote that to the team, though,” I joke.

He snickers.

“But seriously, I’m a great fucking hockey player. They would be lucky to have me.”

This kid is definitely going to go places. He has belief in himself without being annoyingly arrogant about it, and that’s a great trait to have.

“No need to thank me, I’m just speaking the truth. And I agree with you.Youarea great hockey player, and they would be lucky to have you. You’ve just gotta keep doing what you’re doing. Keep putting in the effort. Keep smashing it out on the ice. It’s gonna happen one of these days, and when it does, you need to continue to hustle so you become invaluable to them and they won’t want to send you back down.”

A moment of silence passes through the line, and I startto worry I’ve said the wrong thing. Was I too harsh? Too honest? Did he want me to say something else? Each one of my clients has different needs and expectations. I’ve had to learn how to handle all of them, molding myself to be what they need. Some like the tough love approach, but some don’t. Some like more support, while some prefer the more businesslike approach where we only talk when there’s information to share or offers to discuss.

I’m still figuring Landon out, though. I’m getting the sense he’s the kind of guy who needs the support and reassurance. He also happens to be the youngest person on my roster.

And he has this uncanny ability to make me feel twice as old as I am.

“I knew you were the best guy to rep me,” he says, and relief washes over me at the smile in his voice.

“I’m honored to rep you, kid. And I get it, truly. It’s frustrating waiting for your moment. Wondering if and when it’s gonna come.”

“You spent a few years in Providence before you got called up, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I played three seasons there. I was called up twice for a game or two, but it wasn’t until my third season that I got the call and never went back down.”

I remember how fucking ecstatic I was. Not that I wished any of the guys on the team harm. Usually when you got the call, it was to fill in for someone who was on the injured reserve list, but you have to be selfish in hockey. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and there are always other talented, eager guys out there, ready and willing to take your spot. I made sure that I gave it my all. Every time I stepped outonto the ice, my effort was maxed out. Two hundred and ten percent every time. And it paid off. I turned my two-way contract into a one-way NHL contract and stayed with Boston until that very last game.

And I want to help Landon get there. He deserves to be there, and I’m confident I’m the one to change his two-way into a one-way.

“I’m in my third season now, so maybe I’ll follow in your footsteps.”

I choke out a laugh and glance down at where I’m currently lying on the couch with ice packs on both my knees. “I mean this in the nicest way possible, I really hope you don’t.”

He laughs, and then his voice takes on a softer tone when he says, “Thanks, Hayden. I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime, kid. I’m here to make your life easier, and that includes impromptu pep talks or if you can’t decide between the Lucky Charms and Cap’n Crunch.”

“Fuck you very much,” he chuckles.

I’ve always vowed to be the agent I never had when I was Landon’s age. I didn’t get the supportive calls or the reassurance when I needed it. My first agent seemed to forget that I came into all of this when I was still a kid. I was playing in the OHL at sixteen, then moved into the AHL at twenty. I didn’t know how to handle money or the pressures that came with playing at a professional level. It was only when I had been with Boston for a full year that I realized what an asshole he was. I fired him not long after that.

But now, I’m the one who’s taking on young hotshots like Landon, and I won’t let him down like my agent did with me.

---