On Dec 15/2023, Bobby McMann scored his 1st NHL goal and then on Feb 13/2024 Bobby scored his 1st NHL hattrick helping the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the St’ Louis Blues 4-1. HOWEVER, a number of years ago when Bobby was playing minor hockey in Lloydminster SK/AB, not many would have picked him to be playing right now in the NHL. I know this because I cut him!
Bobby tried out for our team, he was 15 turning 16 trying out for what’s now U18 AAA Male in the Alberta League. Yeah we cut him, but we still affiliated him and that meant he could (and did) practice and play games with our Team.
Use adversity as motivation and not deflation!
Bobby is the shining example of what could be, the example of never giving up, and absolutely working your ass off to become the best you can be. There are so many families and athletes that are in a hurry to play at higher levels of play. Maybe if Bobby makes our team he’s not in the NHL right now. That year Bobby was the main guy on his U16 Team, his coach played him in every situation. That year also helped build resiliency because talking with his Junior coach, he wasn’t supposed to make that team either.
There was one other player off that U18 Team that Bobby got cut from that currently plays in the NHL. That’s Carson Soucy, currently of the NHL Vancouver Canucks. Here in the kicker both those players grew up in the same area, and trained together.
The moral of the story, work your ass off, doesn’t always pay off to be in a hurry, train with the right people and use adversity to be motivating not deflating.
Let’s Play
