Goose's Big Adventure
Chapter I
Gustav Nyquist, the 19 year old forward from Sweden, was sweating nervously as he pulled into the Joe Louis Arena parking lot. He was about to be playing for his team, the Detroit Red Wings. How in the world he got so lucky to be drafted by the team he loved and admired since the day he was born, he had no idea. Was it fate or was it destiny? He wasn’t quite sure, but he knew sooner or later he’d find the answer to his question. Sighed, he turned off his car and stepped outside, slamming the door hard behind him. He took a deep sniff of the fresh fall air and smiled. His momma had always taught him to use nature to calm his fears. He silently thanked her for that as he grabbed his bag.
As he made his way inside the building, he thought about his idol, Hans Niklas Kronwall. He had admired the defenseman from a young age and was determined to play like him. Although he had never personally met Niklas, he had seen some of the things his idol had done for the community. He had watched the video Niklas had made last fall for the autism group he was working with and made a promise in the back of his mind to follow in his footsteps. As he passed the concession stands, he saw a lone figure standing in the shadows nearby. Gustav shivered. He had heard plenty of stories of what “people in the shadows” did and didn’t want to be the next victim. Slowly, he placed his bag on the floor and opened it, all the while keeping his eye on the shadowy figure. Suddenly, the figure stepped out and Gustav was shocked to see it was none other than his idol, Niklas. The young forward breathed a huge sigh of relief as the blush appeared over his cheeks.
“I thought you were gonna kidnap me,” he muttered in embarrassment. Niklas laughed and stepped closer to Gustav.
“No, I couldn’t kidnap anyone. I was actually standing there waiting for Hank so I could surprise him, but you ruined it,” he replied, holding out his hand to the young Swedish forward. Gustav, still embarrassed, grabbed his hand and with surprising force was pulled to his feet. At long last, he stood face to face with his childhood idol. The first meeting did not turn out at all in the way he would like, but he knew the embarrassment would soon pass and soon he’d laugh it off as a joke. “So, young man, what brings you here,” Niklas asked, his face full of curiosity. Gustav met his eyes.
“I was drafted by this team and I came to play here,” he said. Niklas’s face broke out into a huge grin and he wrapped his arm around the younger man’s shoulders, much to Gustav’s surprise.
“I’m happy to be the first to welcome you to this amazing team. Tell me, how long have you been watching this team,” he asked. Gustav finally broke out a smile.
“All my life. I’ve loved this team since day one pretty much. I’d stay up until 3 in the morning just to watch the games. There is no other team like this one.”
“No, there is not. You’re right. By the way, kid, what is your name?” Gustav blushed again, embarrassed at the fact that he had forgotten to introduce himself.
“My name is Gustav Nyquist. I am delighted to meet you, Mr. Kronwall,” he said, standing up straight and holding his hand out for the older man to shake. Niklas shook his hand and looked at him in amusement.
“You don’t have to be so formal with me, Gus. I’m just Kronner. Mr. Kronwall was my father,” he joked. Gustav laughed at the joke, feeling at ease with Niklas.
“I was always taught to treat my elders with respect, which is why I was so formal with you.” Niklas nodded in understanding, looking sad for half a second before he smiled again.
“Come on, Gus, let’s go find the locker room. I’m sure the boys will be waiting for us,” he said, waiting patiently as the younger man grabbed his bag. Gustav once again looked scared at the prospect of meeting more of his teammates, but Niklas quickly assured him that the boys were all friendly. “These guys are the friendliest group of men you will ever meet. They’ll take you in like a little brother right off the bat,” he continued as he steered his new friend in the direction of the locker room. He continued to talk until they got to the locker room door. Then he stopped not only to catch his breath, but to give Gustav a minute or two to steel his nerves before he went in. He knew all too well what it was like to work up your courage before you met a new person. He had been the same way when he had first come to this team, but now he felt as relaxed and comfortable with them as he did his own family.
“I think I’m ready now, Kronner,” Gustav said, interrupting Niklas’s train of thought. Niklas took a glance at his younger friend before pushing the locker room door open and leading Gustav inside. He grinned when he saw Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Jonathan Ericsson, and Henrik Zetterberg- his longtime friend and captain-all there in the locker room. The first one to notice him, as was usual, was Hank.
“Hi Kronner! How are you? And who is that you got with you,” Hank asked, raising his eyebrows. Niklas let out a laugh.
“Quit it with the third degree Hank. I’m perfectly fine and this is Gustav Nyquist, our new teammate,” he replied. Gustav shrank behind Niklas, his shyness coming back to him. Deep in his heart, he knew it was childish to act so shy when he was an adult, but he couldn’t help himself. He always felt shy around strangers and when he added the fact that these strangers were his long time idols, it was no wonder he felt so overwhelmed. Hank noticed the look of nervousness on the young forward’s face and gave him a smile.
“Don’t be shy Gus. We’re all friends here. We don’t bite….well, Abby might if he’s hungry,” he teased, casting a look in Justin’s direction. Justin pretended to look offended.
“That was rude, captain,” he said. Suddenly, the tension inside of Gustav broke and he slid out from behind Niklas and with confidant steps walked towards Hank, back straight and his head up.
“It’s very nice to meet you captain. I look forward to playing with you,” he said. Hank stepped back a few steps to get a good look at the Swedish forward and grinned.
“Well, I like how you walk confidant. That makes me pleased. I look forward to captaining a young player like you.” Gustav blushed but looked rather pleased with himself on the whole.
“Well, thank you, captain. Your words are most kind and I appreciate them. I look forward to having a great rookie season with this team,” he said. Deep down inside, however, he was looking forward to having more than just a great season. He looked forward to winning the Stanley Cup.
As he made his way inside the building, he thought about his idol, Hans Niklas Kronwall. He had admired the defenseman from a young age and was determined to play like him. Although he had never personally met Niklas, he had seen some of the things his idol had done for the community. He had watched the video Niklas had made last fall for the autism group he was working with and made a promise in the back of his mind to follow in his footsteps. As he passed the concession stands, he saw a lone figure standing in the shadows nearby. Gustav shivered. He had heard plenty of stories of what “people in the shadows” did and didn’t want to be the next victim. Slowly, he placed his bag on the floor and opened it, all the while keeping his eye on the shadowy figure. Suddenly, the figure stepped out and Gustav was shocked to see it was none other than his idol, Niklas. The young forward breathed a huge sigh of relief as the blush appeared over his cheeks.
“I thought you were gonna kidnap me,” he muttered in embarrassment. Niklas laughed and stepped closer to Gustav.
“No, I couldn’t kidnap anyone. I was actually standing there waiting for Hank so I could surprise him, but you ruined it,” he replied, holding out his hand to the young Swedish forward. Gustav, still embarrassed, grabbed his hand and with surprising force was pulled to his feet. At long last, he stood face to face with his childhood idol. The first meeting did not turn out at all in the way he would like, but he knew the embarrassment would soon pass and soon he’d laugh it off as a joke. “So, young man, what brings you here,” Niklas asked, his face full of curiosity. Gustav met his eyes.
“I was drafted by this team and I came to play here,” he said. Niklas’s face broke out into a huge grin and he wrapped his arm around the younger man’s shoulders, much to Gustav’s surprise.
“I’m happy to be the first to welcome you to this amazing team. Tell me, how long have you been watching this team,” he asked. Gustav finally broke out a smile.
“All my life. I’ve loved this team since day one pretty much. I’d stay up until 3 in the morning just to watch the games. There is no other team like this one.”
“No, there is not. You’re right. By the way, kid, what is your name?” Gustav blushed again, embarrassed at the fact that he had forgotten to introduce himself.
“My name is Gustav Nyquist. I am delighted to meet you, Mr. Kronwall,” he said, standing up straight and holding his hand out for the older man to shake. Niklas shook his hand and looked at him in amusement.
“You don’t have to be so formal with me, Gus. I’m just Kronner. Mr. Kronwall was my father,” he joked. Gustav laughed at the joke, feeling at ease with Niklas.
“I was always taught to treat my elders with respect, which is why I was so formal with you.” Niklas nodded in understanding, looking sad for half a second before he smiled again.
“Come on, Gus, let’s go find the locker room. I’m sure the boys will be waiting for us,” he said, waiting patiently as the younger man grabbed his bag. Gustav once again looked scared at the prospect of meeting more of his teammates, but Niklas quickly assured him that the boys were all friendly. “These guys are the friendliest group of men you will ever meet. They’ll take you in like a little brother right off the bat,” he continued as he steered his new friend in the direction of the locker room. He continued to talk until they got to the locker room door. Then he stopped not only to catch his breath, but to give Gustav a minute or two to steel his nerves before he went in. He knew all too well what it was like to work up your courage before you met a new person. He had been the same way when he had first come to this team, but now he felt as relaxed and comfortable with them as he did his own family.
“I think I’m ready now, Kronner,” Gustav said, interrupting Niklas’s train of thought. Niklas took a glance at his younger friend before pushing the locker room door open and leading Gustav inside. He grinned when he saw Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Jonathan Ericsson, and Henrik Zetterberg- his longtime friend and captain-all there in the locker room. The first one to notice him, as was usual, was Hank.
“Hi Kronner! How are you? And who is that you got with you,” Hank asked, raising his eyebrows. Niklas let out a laugh.
“Quit it with the third degree Hank. I’m perfectly fine and this is Gustav Nyquist, our new teammate,” he replied. Gustav shrank behind Niklas, his shyness coming back to him. Deep in his heart, he knew it was childish to act so shy when he was an adult, but he couldn’t help himself. He always felt shy around strangers and when he added the fact that these strangers were his long time idols, it was no wonder he felt so overwhelmed. Hank noticed the look of nervousness on the young forward’s face and gave him a smile.
“Don’t be shy Gus. We’re all friends here. We don’t bite….well, Abby might if he’s hungry,” he teased, casting a look in Justin’s direction. Justin pretended to look offended.
“That was rude, captain,” he said. Suddenly, the tension inside of Gustav broke and he slid out from behind Niklas and with confidant steps walked towards Hank, back straight and his head up.
“It’s very nice to meet you captain. I look forward to playing with you,” he said. Hank stepped back a few steps to get a good look at the Swedish forward and grinned.
“Well, I like how you walk confidant. That makes me pleased. I look forward to captaining a young player like you.” Gustav blushed but looked rather pleased with himself on the whole.
“Well, thank you, captain. Your words are most kind and I appreciate them. I look forward to having a great rookie season with this team,” he said. Deep down inside, however, he was looking forward to having more than just a great season. He looked forward to winning the Stanley Cup.