Page 83 of The Tryout

MURPHY COMES TO MINNESOTA

John Andrews for the Minneapolis Star Tribune

[Image Description: A young man with short, curly hair drinks from a water bottle on the bench at an ice rink. He is wearing gray and navy practice attire with the Minnesota Huskies logo.]

The Huskies have had a strong start to the season, with captain Ethan Tremblay seeming determined to prove last year’s trip to the playoffs was no accident. Even Lindholm’s brief paternity leave couldn’t trip up the team, although Kevin Robertson’s time with the Huskies was not particularly impressive.

Unfortunately, during Saturday’s game against Ottawa, third-line winger Jonas Zimmerman appeared to sustain an injury, ultimately leaving the game in the third period. While the team has been quiet about the prognosis, they’ve already announced that forward Finn Murphy will be coming up from Des Moines to fill in for the time being.

Murphy, a 20-year-old left wing from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, is in his second year with the Iowa Pack. Murphy took an unusual path to the AHL, skipping out on major juniors and NCAA play entirely. However, that doesn’t seem to have hurt him as a player, with many expressing surprise that he wasn’t chosen to step in for Lindholm last month.

The front office had no official response to questions on the matter, and insiders only say that paperwork issues prevented the team from calling up Murphy at the last minute. Whatever the problem, the team seems to have solved it. The only question that remains is whether Murphy has what it takes to succeed in the NHL.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

FINN

Even though Avery told me I could call him on my way to the gate, I don’t.

You’re an adult. Adults fly all the time. Don’t be so needy.

I take a deep breath, following the signs to the gate marked on my boarding pass. I’m grateful that this first flight is out of Des Moines, which Google tells me only has thirteen gates. As I sit in an uncomfortable seat waiting for my flight, I look at some of the airports in NHL cities nearby. St. Louis has fifty four gates. Minneapolis has a whopping one hundred and thirteen gates. When I discover that Chicago has nearly two hundred, I decide to stop Googling.

The woman at the gate announces that we will begin boarding soon, and I double check my group number. As I do, a text pops up.

Ethan Tremblay 4:58 PM

Congrats on the callup!

You good to stay with us again? We’d love to have you.

I can’t help but notice the “we” and wonder if Ethan and Jamie have made their living arrangement official.

Finn Murphy 5:00 PM

Sure!

I’m about to board

I’ll grab an Uber when I get in?

Ethan Tremblay 5:02 PM

Nah

No need, we’ll pick you up.

I can’t help but be relieved, as navigating my way to Ethan’s house is yet another one of those things I probably can do, but don’t necessarily want to do. I react to text with a thumbs up, then pull up my text with Avery.

Honestly, our messages over the past month are fairly sparse – usually just a quick At the grocery, need anything? The fact of the matter is that we spend a lot of our time together – way more than I spent with Poulin.

Yeah, but you weren't getting off with Poulin.

Ignoring that voice in my head, I shoot Avery a quick text before I can think too much about the words it contains.

Finn Murphy 5:05 PM

About to board.