A trip down memory lane

The year was 1994 and we were but a sprightly student in grade seven. MC Hammer dominated the rap game, girls carried incurable cooties and had to be avoided at all costs. A young Jason Strudwick had just been drafted 63rd overall by the New York Rangers. This was of particular note in our world, but the fact that he was from Edmonton and the fact he is a cousin of the Niedermayer brothers paled in comparison to the fact that… Jason Strudwick attended our junior high school, and you could see a picture of him up in the hallway!

Suddenly it was clear to our crew of 14-year-old hockey degenerates that it was possible to make it to the NHL if you went to our school. Not only possible, but basically guaranteed!

Jason Strudwick used our locker room! Jason Strudwick also played junior boys basketball when he was in Grade 7! Sticks were taped extra well, and skates were sharpened within an inch of their lives that hockey season as our entire hockey playing student body took their game up another three notches in the hopes of becoming another Jason Strudwick. One of the nerdier kids even claimed to be friends with him in real life. This outlandish lie was soon exposed, and he was beaten without mercy behind the school for his treachery.

But gang beatings aside, this level of excitement rarely comes into the life of a 14-year-old male except the day he was walking home from school with a buddy and they found a Playboy lying on the ground. That was an exciting day too, we can tell you. Whoo!

Now what were we talking about again? Playboy? Oh, yes Jason Strudwick.

Well, we can tell you this. We aren’t in junior high anymore. Hell, we would be arrested if we went within 100 yards of a junior-high school. But Jason Strudwick has kept himself in the league all this time. And he also holds the dubious honour of being the most expensive hockey blogger in history.

You see he started last season in HC Lugano in Switzerland before being signed late in the year by the Rangers, but because of the late signing he was incredibly unable to participate in the post season. The Rangers organization instead asked him to keep a blog of his thoughts during the team’s playoff run. The blog was posted on the Rangers website.

Amazing. Welcome home, Jason. Hit somebody will you?

Thanks.