In our Parents Segment, presented by the Stop It Goaltending U app, we share the often overlooked reality of being traded — and all that comes with it — playing junior hockey.

Summary

On Tuesday as Daren, Kevin and I were enjoying the USA Hockey Coaching certification clinic I got a text message from our son only 5 words long: “I think I’ve been traded”

A whirlwind of activity set in that minute that I’ll share today because as much as we all get excited as fans around trade deadline, I don’t think many parents really think fully what their child’s junior hockey experience might be.

Through minor hockey our kids have dreams and we in turn have dreams for them because we all want them to be happy.

It involves tryouts year after year, hopes for performance of the individual and the team, and of course hopes that someone from a junior league might notice them. It’s a grind of worry each year for parents and kids.

Even for those who dream of a pro career I don’t think many of us think past minor hockey – junior feels like a destination even as we mutter cliches like “the work has just begun” when a kid signs with a junior team.

But for parents let me tell you it should read  “the stress has just begun” unless you’re the parent of that projected first rounder – but who knows, I’m sure they have their own stresses.

I’ve alluded to some of that in the past but today I thought I’d share our story from this week.

Even having sat through three trade deadlines now – he was lucky enough to be with the team at the deadline as a 15-year old and saw his team captain and others moved on two occasions – until this year we never imagined it might apply to us. You imagine success and winning championships with your team. You don’t imagine the relationship ending.

But this season we had a feeling.

Nothing was ever said. No heads up that he might be moved in a trade but we could tell. Maybe it’s my experience in the game. I expect some families would be blindsided in our situation only to look back and see the signs had been there that we had seen clearly this year.

I won’t go into detail but it included the team before Christmas bringing in another goaltender for a three game tryout and making it clear to Matty his job was on the line.

On Monday he boarded a bus for one of those typical junior hockey 10-hour trips to Prince George, BC.

Shortly after arrival in Prince George he was summoned to see the coach.

That’s when we got that one line text message and my heart started racing. I can’t say I was upset but there’s the unknown that makes it tough.

He was given a business-like notification that he’d been traded and where, thanked him for his time with the team and they wished him well.

A new message came in: “Moose Jaw for Smith. Call you later.”

OK…something to wrap our heads around.

Unfortunately, Mom has to leave for her game (she is also a goalie!).

Imagine this is all you know as a parent and you’re starting a game.

After that it’s a non stop whirlwind of activity … not much of it is my story to tell but you can imagine.

Calls with new team coach and GM to welcome him and tell them the plan.

Chats to say goodbye to now old teammates. Call with goalie coach. Call from old GM.

Impressively, several messages from new teammates welcoming him.

And a plane ticket arrives. His new team is on the road and he leaves the next morning to meet them and dress. As you’ve heard with NHL trades before he arrived 30 minutes before warmup and was backing up that night, starting the next.

Everything beyond what was needed for a 5-day road trip with his old team is back in Vancouver. He’s with his new team based half a country away.

Finally after about 90 minutes we got a call with him.

A mixture of emotions. Shaken even though it was expected. Excited because he’s wanted. Optimistic about the opportunity.

He calls his now old billet family – they are very close. They’ve never billeted before. We know from experience how hard that can be as billets – our first was released after only a few weeks and it was devastating as we’d already become close. Matthew had to break the news to them. In person closure will have to wait until the end of the season when he drives home.

The journey continues – he’s in his new home, met his new family. He’s very happy. After his first game – a 48 save effort – he received a text message on the bus from a new teammate who was not on the trip, at home with an injury. They hadn’t met yet. Very classy.

We’re scrambling…getting his things from Vancouver this weekend, outfitting his car for a Saskatchewan winter and I’m about to embark on a road trip across three provinces to get his things to him. The new team would have helped get his things shipped to him but being a 17-hour drive away finding time at this point in the season for him to fly back to get it isn’t really ideal.

We’re happy and thankful that he’s so happy and his new team has been so welcoming. It’s going to be a different sort of grind as they are a last place team looking to the future but he’s in a great place.

It’s not what we imagined when he signed. But we knew it was possible. And today at least – we’re optimistic about the fresh start he’s enjoying.

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