It was an offer Brett Tome couldn’t refuse, even if he had to rearrange his schedule.
After all, how often does a hockey player fresh out of high school get a chance to skate with the defending Stanley Cup champions?
So, when Tome’s coach texted him Monday night to see if he could play goalie during an informal practice Tuesday involving most of the St. Louis Blues, the Hartland High School graduate jumped at the opportunity.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, sure,’” Tome said. “I had to work the next morning, but I might call it off because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of deal for me. I’m like, ‘Why not? It’d be fun.’ ”
Tome was in a position to practice with the Blues because he’s playing in St. Louis this season with the Junior Blues of the NA3HL.
He shared the same ice at the Ice Zone, the Blues’ practice rink, with players like Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn. Those were two of the bigger names Tome noticed among the “15 or 20” Blues players who got together in preparation for training camp.
“I guess it was like a surreal moment,” said Tome, a two-time all-stater who backstopped Hartland to two state Division 2 championships.
“I never thought I’d have the opportunity to skate with guys like them, but it was a great time. My coach told me their goalie last year went out for a couple more skates like that. Hopefully, I can get another invite back out there.”
Tome took the approach that he was there to stop pucks, not to become buddies with the Blues’ players. In other words, be seen and not heard.
The only player with whom he talked much was St. Louis native Trevor Gorsuch, the No. 1 goalie for Western Michigan University last season.
“I didn’t really talk to much of them,” Tome said. “I didn’t want to be that one 18-year-old freaking out sitting next to Tarasenko on the bench asking, ‘How was it winning the Cup?’ I didn’t want to do that. He probably heard that this whole summer. I wanted to be chill around him and not show that inner child in me.”
“I didn’t really talk to much of them,” Tome said. “I didn’t want to be that one 18-year-old freaking out sitting next to Tarasenko on the bench asking, ‘How was it winning the Cup?’ I didn’t want to do that. He probably heard that this whole summer. I wanted to be chill around him and not show that inner child in me.”
