Dangeruss & Tazer

Jonathan and Russell began to hit it off with one another. After the evening at the bar, they met up three other times. The first was to a local Starbucks for coffee. the second was to Jonathan’s house, where the hockey player introduced the football player to his best friend.

“So that’s Patrick Kane, huh?”

“Yeah, that’s my Kaner! My Lil Peekaboo, as I like to call him!”

“He looks like a ladies man?”

Jonathan had chuckled at that. “He is. Kaner’s very popular with the female fans!”

The third time they met up, they had gone to the U.C. It was Russell Wilson’s first hockey experience. All he had known up until then was football and baseball. Sure he respected every sport, but he never really knew the sport known as “hockey.”

They entered the grand building, which showcased the new banner with Jonathan and Patrick, boasting about the massive contract the two had recently signed. Along the side it said, ‘8 more years’!

“8 more years?”

“We kind of signed a big contract to remain in Chicago. Patrick and I did!”

Russell nodded, as he gazed around the place. He took in the different style of architecture. It wasn’t a football stadium that was for sure. It was more complex and indoors. Jonathan led him inside, to the ice. The walked up the zamboni tunnel and gazed in, on the spectacular ice rink, which lay vacant. The Blackhawk looked at the ice, longingly.

Russell could tell he missed it. And he had reason to. The ice to Jonathan Toews, was home. It was inside of his bones. It filled his soul. It was what the football field was to Russell. He smiled at his new friend.

“So this is the famous Madhouse on Madison?” Russell exclaimed, his voice echoing around the empty arena.

“This is my second home.”

Jonathan gazes around his home arena. For the first time, he is not skating on the ice to the deafening roar of the fans. He is just like a normal person, peering into the glass at the ice. It brings him back to his childhood. When he dreamed of becoming a famous hockey player in the NHL.

Before he met Patrick Kane.

Russell began to look around. He saw the banners that proudly sang out the triumphs of the Chicago Blackhawks. Stanley Cup Champions in 2010 and 2013, it was quite an accomplishment!

The place was too quiet. It was heart-breaking. Russell was completely in awe, however, as his eyes glazed over one of the Original Six franchises. He would have been even more impressed during an actual game.

“So, you wanna get out of here?” the hockey player finally pipes up.

Russell turns to him. “Sure.”

“I’ll take you behind the scenes, introduce you to our home locker room.” Jonathan cracks a smile and starts back down the zamboni tunnel, leading the closely following visitor. He makes a sharp right and opens a side door.

They slip inside, entering a new tunnel. They walk to the end, where it branches into different side rooms. Jonathan turns left, into one of them. Russell emerges into the Chicago Blackhawk’s locker room, gasping in awe. He takes in the surroundings, as he gazes around.

Jonathan walks over to his locker and sits down. His eyes find Patrick’s directly beside him. It is bare and empty, resembling the captain’s heart. But he shoves his feelings to the side, shaking his head. He leans forward, watching the curious football player.

“Normally visitors aren’t allowed in here or on the ice without special permission and notice, but I think I can make an exception. How’d you like to learn how to shoot a goal on Blackhawk’s ice?”

Russell spins to him, holding Brandon Saad’s helmet in his hands. “Don’t reckon I’ll be any good, but I’ll certainly attempt to try. I have been ice skating before, so I can probably skate a little!”

“You’ll be fine. You’ve got one of the best captains and hockey players in the NHL teaching you!”

Jonathan grabs some equipment from one of the other rooms. He has his own, as well as a rental pair, mainly accessible for those who fall victim to Patrick Sharp and his pranks. He passes the equipment to the Seattle man. Jonathan runs through his mundane dressing routine, showing Russell the steps.

The football player catches on rather quickly. Before long the two are dressed and it is difficult to tell that Russell Wilson is a football player and not a hockey player. Jonathan finds two sticks and leads him back out of the room, down the tunnel, passing the door they entered from and heading forward. The Blackhawk passes the Seahawk one of the sticks.

They emerge from the tunnel and Jonathan launches onto the ice, gleefully. He skates around professionally, dropping a puck to his skates and kicking it back into the blade of his stick all in one swift move. He spins around, spraying ice ahead of him, turning back to Russell, who steps onto the ice and falls flat on his face.

Jonathan chuckles, skating back up to aid the quarterback. He bends down and offers his hand, but Russell scrambles back to his feet by himself. With better balance this time, he slowly gets comfortable to the large ice rink. He grips the stick, using it as a crane for balance at first, but gradually manages to come to his own control. He is soon skating around the rink by himself.

Jonathan finds the puck once more. He scoops it back into his blade and maneuvers it around, mimicking Patrick Kane’s stick-handling video. (For those who haven’t seen it, see the link below, in the notes section.) He skillfully guides the puck around, as Russell gets adjusted to the new feeling of ice under his feet.

Soon the football player skates over and skids to a halt, spraying ice on Jonathan, who is lost in the concentration of controlling the puck. Russell jams his stick in and steals the puck from Jonathan, who is shocked.

“Hey, I thought we were on the same team?” the Chicago captain chuckles.

“And I thought you were going to teach me to score a goal?”

Jonathan folds his arms. “Touche!”

Russell looks awkward as he begins to try and copy Jonathan’s stick-handling moves.

“That takes years of practice, Russ, only a select few of us are actually puck possession pros, such as Kaner and I!”

“Who’s Kaner?” Russell questions, cocking his head in interest.

Jonathan turns his head to the side. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Kaner, uh, Patrick Kane, is my best friend. Him and I are the core of the Chicago Blackhawks!”

“Oh!” Russell sighs, sending a sympathetic look to the hockey player before him. “You can tell me all about him, after my goal scoring lesson, okay?”

“Of course. Right!”

Jonathan takes the puck back and skates to the blue line. He motions for Russell to come over and stand beside him. The football player awkwardly comes over. He skids to a halt, spraying ice on Jonathan again.

“Alright, so first, you should get down like this,” Jonathan says, dropping into position. Russell copies him. “Then, bring the stick back and like a golf swing, just slap it like this toward the goal!” The hockey player raises his stick up and brings it down, sending the small disk sailing into the center of the goal.

He instinctively pumps his fist in victory celebration. He notices Russell’s expression and skates to the goal, gathering the puck into his blade. He sends it gently across to the Seahawk, who actually stops it, catching the disk in his blade. He moves it into position, not quite Patrick Kane-like, but enough to get it set up. He copies Jonathan’s moves, bringing his stick back.

Jonathan skates to the bench and leans on the railing to supervise.

Russell swings the stick downward, gripping onto the handle tightly. He gets the puck, but it sails wide of the goal.

“Don’t worry, that shit happens to everyone at some point. That’s how come the score is so low at times, plus the added pressure of opponents and goalies doesn't exactly help either.” Jonathan skates back to Russell, dropping more pucks at his feet. “Try again.”

Russell loads up for another shot. This one goes over the top of the goal. He tries again and again. Missing each time. Finally, on his eighth shot, he manages to get it in, hitting the top right corner. He throws his hands up, happily screaming his success to the empty arena.

Jonathan claps. “And now that you’ve gotten the feel for a goal, it will only improve and become more plentiful.”

Russell hits another few, just for fun. He lands each in the back of the net. He nods. “Now I can try out for the Blackhawks!”

“Yeah. Sure, I’ll let Joel know you’re interested!”

Russell smiles. “So, tell me about this Patrick Kane guy...Kaner?”

Jonathan nods. “A promise is a promise.” He dips his head and jumps into the bench.

Russell skates over. The hockey player opens the door for him, to easily enter. It feel good to be back on solid ground. They both sit down on the bench. The Blackhawk launches into his story about the “famous” Patrick Timothy Kane Jr.