The Dream Team
The bitter wind howled through the dark streets of Detroit as Elmer Söderblom sat on the edge of the rink, his skates still on but his hands clasped tightly around his stick. The arena around him was nearly empty, save for a few stragglers lingering in the locker rooms, their voices echoing off the walls. The sound of his breath was heavy, and for the first time in a long while, Elmer wasn’t thinking about the game — he was thinking about the future. His future.
The day had been like any other. Practice. Drills. Scrimmages. His body ached from the hours of work, but his mind was elsewhere. He was no longer thinking about proving himself in Detroit. That chapter was closing. His eyes, his dreams, were fixed on something bigger — a team, a family, a destination that would fulfill every ounce of ambition within him.
The whispers had started days ago. Rumors swirling through the locker rooms and the league. They didn’t have to say it out loud; Elmer already knew. His agents had been talking with others, teams watching with keen eyes. But one name always surfaced — the dream team. The team he’d dreamed of being a part of since he first laced up a pair of skates as a child. The team that could make everything come full circle. The team that would solidify his place among the elite.
But to join that team, to make that step, was no simple decision. His loyalty to the Red Wings, to the city that had nurtured him, weighed heavy on his heart. Detroit had taken him in when no one else believed in him. They’d given him the space to grow, the chance to shine. He owed them. But as the evening darkened, the cold from outside creeping into the rink, Elmer felt something else — a stirring desire, a longing that wouldn’t fade.
The call came as he was tying his skates. The phone buzzed in his pocket. His hand hesitated before pulling it out, but he knew exactly who it was. He knew what was coming. With a deep breath, he answered.
“Elmer,” the voice on the other end was steady, calm, but there was an edge. “We want you. We want you with us. We want you on our side. Are you ready?”
The words hit him like a shot of adrenaline. His heart raced, his palms grew sweaty. He’d dreamed of this moment. But now that it was here, there was a gnawing uncertainty.
“Is this… really it?” he asked, barely above a whisper, the reality of it sinking in.
“This is your chance,” the voice replied, resolute. “You’ve earned it. The team is yours for the taking.”
Elmer’s chest tightened. He knew what he had to do. The dream was within reach. All he had to do was take it. His hand gripped the stick tighter, his knuckles white as the weight of the decision loomed large.
“I’m in,” he said, his voice firm, a promise he’d made to himself long ago. The words came with finality.
The line went silent for a beat. Then the voice spoke again, softer now. “Welcome to the team.”
Elmer lowered the phone, staring at the rink before him. The ice seemed to shimmer under the dim lights. His heart pounded, but for the first time in years, it wasn’t from doubt. It was from certainty. He had made his choice. His dream team was waiting, and he was ready to make history.
