[legendsport]

Montreal, PQ - December 19, 1917:

"Don't be nervous, kid, this isn't any different than any other game you've played in, unless you make it so."

Jack Barrell swallowed and nodded. He wasn't sure he trusted his voice at the moment.

Cal Oliphant, the star forward (along with Ben Scheer) of the newly-christened Toronto Dukes, gave Jack a lopsided grin, slapped him on the shoulder and shuffled out of the locker room.

Jack had been in Montreal's Wood Avenue Arena before, but always as a spectator. This time, he was here as a player.

Well... he told himself, maybe Mr. Derby won't put you in. Then he immediately chastised himself: he wanted Clifford Derby (the Dukes' new manager, or coach as some said), to put him in.

It had been a whirlwind two weeks for Jack. First there was the explosion in Halifax. Then, upon returning to Montreal, he had received - on the same day - letters from both the Boston Minutemen and the Toronto Dukes. The Minutemen's missive had included a standard (rookie) contract for $500 for the season and a note that a train ticket to spring training would come in January, provided he signed and returned the contract within two weeks. While that made him happy, the letter from the Dukes nearly caused him to fall over in a faint.

"Please report to Toronto by December 12," the letter opened before continuing, "to begin practice with the club prior to the season-opener on the 19th in Montreal." It had been signed by Clifford Derby.

He had his grandmother read the second letter aloud to him, not trusting what his own eyes had just read. Vera finished, dropped the letter and clapped her hands in delight. "Jack! You're going to play with the Dukes! Wait til your parents hear!"

Jack had telephoned home and nearly wept tears of joy at hearing his mother's voice. His father's pride, even over the scratchy long-distance wire, was evident. Ever practical, Rufus had then reminded Jack, "make sure you sign that contract from the Minutemen."

He pointed out that yes, he was more likely to make a better career in hockey, but, in one of the Barrell family truisms: "never fail to seize an opportunity and never, ever, burn a bridge."

Now... the big day was here. Jack finished lacing up his skates, rubbed his hands over the logo on his crisp, new jersey before putting on his gloves, grabbing his stick and walking down the tunnel to the ice.

Though it was in fact one of the older - and smaller - NAHC venues, the arena felt enormous from the ice surface, far larger than it had seemed when he was sitting in the stands. He quickly toured the ice, loosening up and peering around looking for Vera. He spotted her, engaged in conversation with an attractive young woman. Jack briefly hoped she wasn't going to try to play matchmaker - the last thing he needed was his grandmother's heavy-handed interference in his (admittedly sparse) love life.

Soon enough the skatearound was over, a trumpeter played the "Chant National" while many fans sang along in French (Jack preferred "O Canada" but he'd been to the arena enough to know they usually played the other contender for Canada's unofficial national anthem). The practice was still new, and largely due to the ongoing war in Europe for patriotic reasons. Jack hummed along (his French was only moderately passable, but his hybrid Brooklyn/Georgia accent was still terrible).

He took his spot on the bench. Mr. Derby had already told him that he would likely play only sparingly.

The game itself was a raucous, high-scoring affair. The Valiants were a very talented team and the Dukes, although they had retained most of the roster of the former Toronto Silver Skates of the year before, were a bit of a ragtag bunch.

Oliphant and Scheer were terrific, but the Valiants had Paddy O'Donoghue. The Irish-born forward was the most gifted goal scorer the sport had ever seen. Big, fast and fearless, he played like a man among boys. He had a hat trick in the first period, and the Dukes entered the first intermission down 4-1. Derby did his best to spark his club in the locker room. Jack, being new, tried to listen attentively, though he saw that both Oliphant and Scheer seemed to be brooding and not really marking the coach's words.

In the second, Toronto found some life. Oliphant and Scheer both scored and it was 4-3. Toronto's top defenseman, Philippe Boutin delivered a wicked blindside hit on O'Donoghue while the referee was looking the other way. Paddy glared as he rose from the ice and Jack wondered if Boutin had just made things worse. Sure enough, less than a minute later, Yank Huard of the Valiants (a player most in the league thought was dirty), leveled winger Muzz Strang who came to the bench with a bleeding forehead.

Derby looked down the bench and shouted, "Barrell! Get in there for Strang!"

Jack took a deep breath and leapt on to the ice. He played the rest of the second period, and neutral observers noted his great speed, but also saw a reluctance to get overly involved offensively. Still learning the nuances of playing right wing after years on defense, Jack got Huard's attention with a solid - and legal - check, to which the older veteran said, "Nice hit, kid, but watch your back." He scooped the puck and broke out towards the Valiants end, but not trusting his shot, attempted a pass to Oliphant that Huard picked off and took the other way. As the second period ended with the score 5-3, Oliphant elbowed Jack in the ribs and told him, "Shoot it next time, kid."

Strang was bandaged up for the third period, and he and Frank Jarvis played the remainder of the game on the right wing. The Valiants won by an 8-5 margin with O'Donoghue scoring four goals (he'd go on to set a record with 49 goals in 20 games that season) and the equally stellar Gevis Murphy scored twice as well for Montreal. Oliphant and Scheer had two goals apiece with Jesse Taylor netting the other Toronto tally.

In the locker room, Derby approached Jack and told him that he'd be assigned to the Montreal Tomcats of the City League in Montreal. "We wanted you to get a look at what this is all about, particularly since the game was here in Montreal," Derby told him.

"Mr. Thomas thinks - and I agree - that the best place for you is on a club where you will be the focal point of the team. Right now, here, with Oliphant, Scheer and Taylor... that's not going to happen."

Jack thanked him and Derby winked at him and said, "Don't fret Jack - your future is bright and you'll be back here, and for good, in no time."