Saturday, December 13, 2008

The NHL: Where Dreams Do Come True

by Ben Chew

Everybody remembers the Whoopi Goldberg movie, “Eddie?” -- the movie where Whoopi was a struggling New York Knicks fan who won a contest to coach for one day and ended up being named the interim head coach.

Well, Washington Capitals web designer Brett Leonhardt lived part of that story recently when starting Capitals goalie Jose Theodore went down with an injury. Due to a freak scheduling conflict, his AHL replacement Simeon Varlamov was delayed into making to their game against the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

Leonhardt, who was a college goalie for Division Three Oswego State and Neumann College, was given an amateur tryout and suited up for the team as their backup goalie.

Very sadly though, the 6’7 Leonhardt didn’t see any action against the Ottawa Senators as his AHL replacement came halfway through the first period. However, it seems that Leonhardt couldn't care less that his dream deferred only last for a quarter of the game in the NHL.

“Every dream come true," Leonhardt said. "Growing up in Canada, playing since I was 4. It was just very surreal. It was a blur. Went by real quick."

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