Page 1 of The Captain's Curfew
ONE
Logan
Every pair of eyes in the locker room is on me.Not because they want to be.Because they have to be.
I take a deep breath as I look around the room and formulate what I need to say in my head.
Discipline.Focus.Control.
That’s what it takes to be a captain in the NHL, and that’s exactly what I bring to the Maple Creek Thunder.It’s not about being the fastest skater or the flashiest scorer.It’s about setting the standard and ensuring this team stays in line—especially after last season’s disaster.The scandal nearly cost us our reputations, our contracts, and, for some of us, our entire careers.
A different kind of tension hangs in the air today—thick and still.Even the guys who usually can't sit still, like Ryder and CJ, are quiet.Their knees bounce with restless energy, but their mouths are shut for once.
They know this isn’t just another team meeting.Not after last season.
I grip the edge of the conference table in the Thunder’s meeting room, staring at my teammates as they shift uncomfortably in their seats.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” I start, my voice rough from the past hour of talking.“We got lucky.Management should have torn this team apart after what happened last year, but they didn’t.They gave us a second chance.”I let my gaze sweep over them.“And we’re not going to screw it up.”
A murmur of agreement ripples through the room, but I see the resistance in some of the younger guys.
Jake Mercer, our rookie forward, leans back in his chair, arms crossed, looking like he’d rather be anywhere but here.
CJ, our goaltender, drums his fingers against the table, his usual cocky smirk in place.
Even Declan Hayes, my best friend and one of the Thunder’s top centers, looks a little too relaxed for my liking.
The Thunder should have made the playoffs last year.Hell, we should’ve gone all the way.We had the talent.We had the numbers.What we didn’t have was discipline.We got distracted.We made headlines for all the wrong reasons—a locker room bet that went viral.A scandal that nearly took down half our sponsor deals, and players too focused on drama to notice the team falling apart.
I won’t let that happen again.
"I don’t care if it’s your rookie year or your tenth.I don’t care how many points you scored last season.If you’re not here to give everything to this team, leave now."
No one moves.
Good.
"We’re not here to screw around.No more drama.No more parties.No more headlines unless they’re about goals and wins."
I grab a marker and write it in big, black letters on the whiteboard: ZERO DISTRACTIONS.
"Make it your mantra.Tattoo it on your damn foreheads if you have to.This year, we play smart.We play hard.And we win.Got it?"
A few muttered affirmatives echo through the room.I narrow my eyes.
"I said, got it?"
"Yes, Captain," they answer, this time in unison.
I exhale sharply.“That means curfews are strict this season.No more bar fights, no more scandals, no more distractions.If you have a problem with that, take it up with management.”
CJ raises a hand.“So, just for clarification—if I happen to be out past curfew but I’m doing something super wholesome, like rescuing kittens, does that count?”
Laughter ripples through the room, but I don’t smile.“You’d better ensure those kittens can vouch for you in a press conference.”
CJ groans and drops his head on the table while Declan chuckles beside him.
“You’re a real hard-ass, Carter,” CJ complains.
