First Cuts Coming

I didn't end up playing in the first preseason game on Friday night; I was a scratch and had to take stats. I learned the hard way that it's not fun being a scratch because you aren't involved with the team except to fill water bottles in intermissions and take stats. It's hard not being able to go into the locker room and hear what everyone has to say, but that's just part of being a rookie. From what I hear, almost everyone has to go through their rookie year and get scratched at times. It's not a big deal, it just makes me want to work harder to become an important part of the team so I don't get scratched. Last night, I got to experience my first junior game on the ice. It's so much faster than what I'm used to, but I felt like I hung in there and made some good plays. I know I made some bad plays as well, which is part of the learning process, but I'm confident I can play at this level and make an impact at this level. The intensity of the games is so much higher than a typical high school game, and I constantly have to be thinking about what I am doing on the ice. I know with some practice, it will become easier for me to play without thinking too hard, but I'm not quite there yet. We need to be down to 25 players by the Showcase, which starts on Wednesday in Blaine, Minnesota. I'm confident about my chances, but I guess you never know what could happen. The first cuts are most likely coming tomorrow morning...