It's January 19th 2021. It's extremely cold outside (-20 C/-4 F) as I make my way home from work. Luckily, through this small town in northern Sweden, the walk is only 15 minutes. And I have something to look forward to. There's an early NHL game on television, on a Monday!
Columbus is playing Detroit. Frankly, no one in Sweden could give a damn. Except me. Before the game, I check my Yahoo Fantasy app to make sure my team is ready. Merzlikins on the bench? Check. Korpisalo in net? Check. Dubois at center? Check. Bjorkstrand at right wing? Check.
As I ask myself: "Why the **** do I have four Columbus players on my team!?", I remind myself they are playing Detroit and this could be fun. And it turns out to be. Bjorkstrand scores a goal and picks up an assist. Dubois also scores. I check my Yahoo app with a couple of minutes left to play. Dubois has contributed with 8 fantasy points to my team. Bjorkstrand even more.
Now there's only 55 seconds remaining. Detroit may or may not have scored. I see a little scrum starting in the crease and I'm sure a long stop in play will follow. I can't be bothered so I immediately turn my focus to Messenger where me and my buddies have a NHL Fantasy group. I'm dead last, but am looking forward to leaving the basement.
Meanwhile, I'm completely unaware of the scrum turning into a brawl. The Swedish broadcasters aren't making a big deal out of it, and so my focus isn't switched back towards the TV.
The game ends. Columbus wins. Points for Korpisalo. Nice!
Thirty minutes later, I check my phone again. Suddenly Bjorkstrand only has 1.5 fantasy points. What's this? It has to be a glitch and it's gonna be corrected soon I'm sure. I take a printscreen and joke with my friend, who is the league's commisioner, that I suspect he's guilty of some wheeling and dealing.
Then someone sees it ...
... "Bjorkstrand" ...
... "15 penalty minutes".
My friends starts laughing. Me? Not so much as I'm checking the replay.
Another 30 minutes goes by. I still can't believe what just happened, but I have accepted it. Yet, I can't completely let it go. I'm thinking to myself "Bjorkstrand has to be one of the least physical forwards in all of the NHL. How many career penalties can this guy have?".
The answer before today?
... 248 games ...
... 39 penalty minutes.
His 15 minutes this season is already a career high.
It was at that moment, I learned that Oliver Bjorkstrand is my least favourite player in the NHL, and that my children shall never own a piece of Lego growing up.
Columbus is playing Detroit. Frankly, no one in Sweden could give a damn. Except me. Before the game, I check my Yahoo Fantasy app to make sure my team is ready. Merzlikins on the bench? Check. Korpisalo in net? Check. Dubois at center? Check. Bjorkstrand at right wing? Check.
As I ask myself: "Why the **** do I have four Columbus players on my team!?", I remind myself they are playing Detroit and this could be fun. And it turns out to be. Bjorkstrand scores a goal and picks up an assist. Dubois also scores. I check my Yahoo app with a couple of minutes left to play. Dubois has contributed with 8 fantasy points to my team. Bjorkstrand even more.
Now there's only 55 seconds remaining. Detroit may or may not have scored. I see a little scrum starting in the crease and I'm sure a long stop in play will follow. I can't be bothered so I immediately turn my focus to Messenger where me and my buddies have a NHL Fantasy group. I'm dead last, but am looking forward to leaving the basement.
Meanwhile, I'm completely unaware of the scrum turning into a brawl. The Swedish broadcasters aren't making a big deal out of it, and so my focus isn't switched back towards the TV.
The game ends. Columbus wins. Points for Korpisalo. Nice!
Thirty minutes later, I check my phone again. Suddenly Bjorkstrand only has 1.5 fantasy points. What's this? It has to be a glitch and it's gonna be corrected soon I'm sure. I take a printscreen and joke with my friend, who is the league's commisioner, that I suspect he's guilty of some wheeling and dealing.
Then someone sees it ...
... "Bjorkstrand" ...
... "15 penalty minutes".
My friends starts laughing. Me? Not so much as I'm checking the replay.
Another 30 minutes goes by. I still can't believe what just happened, but I have accepted it. Yet, I can't completely let it go. I'm thinking to myself "Bjorkstrand has to be one of the least physical forwards in all of the NHL. How many career penalties can this guy have?".
The answer before today?
... 248 games ...
... 39 penalty minutes.
His 15 minutes this season is already a career high.
It was at that moment, I learned that Oliver Bjorkstrand is my least favourite player in the NHL, and that my children shall never own a piece of Lego growing up.
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