After a career-ending fight, ex-professional-hockey-player-turned-Zamboni-driver Chase Cassidy has never looked back at the sport. He's perfectly content cleaning the ice between periods and chatting with fellow staff members, and running a pub outs...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chase
At the edge of the ice, subzero temperatures nip my chin and cut through the chemical scent of synthetic ice. It reminds me of plastic and menthol: bitter with a sharp afternote. Subtle hints of warm rubber-coated flooring and musky dressing rooms stir nostalgia in the pit of my stomach.
Scotiabank Arena's ominous silence is the calm before the storm. The Toronto Maple Leafs will make their pre-season debut tomorrow. Everything, from the thousands of seats to the plexiglass surrounding the ice, and the Jumbotron above, appears glossy. The cleaning staff were busy after today's open-to-the-public practice.
However, the ice remains untouched in its imperfect form.
Skates and hockey pucks have damaged the ice, leaving uneven grooves in the surface. Slashes of white cut through the blue and red lines, and the team's emblem. Snow has accumulated around the bases of the nets.
My eyes skirt over the arena. I can hear skates scraping against the hard surface. Feel the weight of the puck against the blade of my hockey stick. The sweat trickling down my neck as my lungs strain for oxygen. The roar of the crowd echoes in my ears, rattling my bones.
Pulling my hat down, I push away the ache in my heart and get to work. The nets need to be removed. I also have to double-check for any remaining pucks. Preparations for tomorrow's game must be perfect. With the addition of two new rookies, there's a lot riding on this season. Starting off with good ice and a clean arena is like returning to a clean house after vacationing. It eases the stress.
I take calculated steps across the ice. Once I've stored the nets away, I find myself at the edge again.
My gaze lingers there for a few seconds. Then I turn around and climb atop the Zamboni. Anxiety riddles my nerves, so I adjust the visor of the hat. It aids in deflecting the memories; reminding myself why I can't dwell on the past. With the visor low, people can't see my face. There's a lesser chance of them greeting the skeletons in my closet with a single name.
Leafs-Flames Game 3 Quick Hits: Toronto's Chase Cassidy asking for a fine after fight with Maxton Shaw.
Leafs rookie, Chase Cassidy, suspended for remainder of the playoffs. Fines TBA.
NHL fines: Cassidy's cross-check; Shaw, Rusken fined.
Before shifting into drive, I stick my AirPods in and shuffle Arkells' music catalogue. Once their music drowns out the humming of the engine, I get to work. Transitioning from weathered concrete to ice requires some ease; there's a significant drop between the two and the shock absorbers feel the impact. The machine bounces before stabilizing again.
On the touchscreen control panel, I adjust the settings, readying the blade and warm water. Resurfacing the ice is a repetitive task. The process never changes, but I enjoy the simplicity. There's something calming about the low hum of the engine and watching the imperfections in the ice fade.
