#currently thinking Makar?

[scoringeffects]

Nathan mackinnon/leon draisaitl

I can't help it. Leon is very shippable or at least for me. This video on YouTube shows 29 on 29 violence, but it's the only thing I can find these two interacting.

There is always all star, but it's not often they interact!

natemac/leon to me are like. We are using eachother to make someone else jealous/i cant have who i want and youre here and willing and you cant have who you want either and we are both veyr very aware of this (and maybeee there's more animosity on leon's side from the 2022 ploffs but) but incredibly into it nonetheless .maybe its time to give leon some good old fashioned hatesex that doesnt come from florida

rairepaires game

[senditcolton]

So Tragic and Rare

"Taste Your Silhouette" (pt. 11)

a/n: the first full fic of this universe! and I can reveal to you all that every fic is going to be told from Andrei's POV. I grew attached to the idea that you don't really know who Keely is and are forced to learn about her through outsider observations/opinions, her interactions with Andrei, and of course, her music and lyrics. anyway, here's the story of their first meeting!! It's wild, it's a bit messy, but it also is a whole lot of fun - if I do say so myself.

word count: 9.9k warnings: Andrei being awkwardly endearing, me basically rewriting last seasons All-Star game and smut! [oral (f receiving), unprotected penetrative sex, and a handjob]. previous part 🧡 next part masterlist

There were many things an NHL player could do over All-Star Break. A majority of players chose to fly to a tropical location, enjoying the warmth and sunshine in the middle of February and take a moment to relax before the season kicked up again.

But not Andrei Svechnikov. At least, not this year.

Instead, he was sitting on one of the many benches lined up in the middle of Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, watching the lights flash around him, listening to the crowd milling about in the stands. While he awaits the start of the NHL All-Star Draft, clad in his Canes jersey, his feet kicking gently.

Let it not be confused that he was ungrateful. Sure, it was colder in Toronto than it was in Raliegh and definitely colder than it was in any of the numerous beaches he was sure his teammates were currently on. But, no matter how much of him wished he could join them in their vacation, he took pride in representing Carolina at the All-Star Game. And he wouldn’t deny that the title of All-Star sent a bolt of cocky confidence through his body.

So, yes, while he was sitting in rink-side instead of poolside, he had never been happier. This was his place. This was where he belonged.

The amplified music cuts through his reverie, his gaze now moving towards the stage where the hosts of the evening stood. He listens to their welcomes and the explanation of how the draft would work, before the music build and the introductions of team captains begin.

The music shifts with each introduction and after Team Matthews is announced, the sound of a recognizable bassline pricks at his ears. He knew the melody from practice, the song often pulsating through the locker room speakers thanks to Seth Jarvis. The hosts call the names of captain Nathan MacKinnon and assistant captain Cale Makar – names that deserve their own cheer – but all he can focus on is the dark blonde hair of the other person walking up to the podium next to them.

“And the celebrity captain: Boston singer and songwriter, you’ll see her as our headline performer on Saturday, give it up for Keely Halloran!”

The cheers flow through the stadium – not as many as Toronto-based Justin Bieber received but that was to be expected. Andrei swears that he hears some boos as well, his eyebrows furrowing at the sound. He remembered Jarvy mentioning some prior drama in her career, back when he info-dumped about his favorite artist one night over dinner, but it seemed ridiculous to Andrei that people would boo her for that.

Perhaps their vocal dislike was based off her being a Boston native and therefore probably a Bruins fan. That made more sense to him.

He redirects his gaze back to Keely, standing on the stage in her own yellow All-Star jersey, talking animatedly to Cale and Nathan.

She was really pretty.

Jarvy didn’t explicitly mention her looks that but Andrei should’ve known. Yes, Seth liked her music but it would be idiotic to think that there wasn’t some attraction woven into his admiration.

But she was really truly beautiful, the spotlight shining down on her. She seemed so at ease, under the lights, in front of the crowd, and Andrei supposes it came with the territory. She made her living on the stage and even though this was a much different circumstance than she was probably used to, it probably didn’t phase her at all.

The draft starts and Andrei can’t take his eyes off of Keely. There is a need flowing through him, a desperate desire to be on her team. Although, if asked, he wouldn’t be able to concisely say why.

It could’ve been the fact that her team was captained by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar – two powerhouse players that anyone would be lucky to play with. It could’ve been because he promised Jarvy that he’d get a picture or autograph for him and being on Keely’s team would make that task easier to accomplish. Maybe it was as simple as the fact that he found her attractive.

Whatever the reason, he wanted to be hers. Her player – on her team, that is.

He watches as her, Nathan, and Cale look at their options, talking each pick over. He sees her disappointed face and hears a small sound of disappointment leave her lips when David Pastranak gets chosen by Team McDavid, confirming his assumption that she was a Boston fan. He listens to her voice, cheerfully greeting and shaking the hand of each player that skates up: Crosby, Georgiev, Kaprisov. All he can do is wait and hope for his name to be called – hopefully by her.

When Robert Thomas gets chosen by team McDavid, the host jumps back to Keely, ready to announce the next pick of Team MacKinnon.

“Alright Keely, your team is up. How much power do you have in these draft choices?”

“I’d like to think I have some but they’re the professionals so I’m trusting them,” Keely laughs, tossing her hair back. “We were looking at all the names here, and I’m going with the guys on this one. We’re going to select… Andrei Svechnikov.”

His name on her lips sounds like music to his ears and he lifts himself off the bench, skating over towards the third of the small podiums lining the stage. He can faintly hear the voice of the announcer praising his game but that all seems irrelevant to the sight of those blue eyes trained on him.

He skates up, first clapping Nathan on the back, before his eyes connect with Keely. She has that smile on her face, a camera-ready smile but one that also seemed entirely genuine.

“Hey,” she says to him, her voice still lifting with the edge of her laughter as she holds out her hand to him. He accepts it, shaking it gently before moving to Cale, taking the All-Star jersey from his hands.

It isn’t until he is settled down on the MacKinnon bench, lined up next to his new teammates, do his eyes return to Keely and notices her staring at him. And it is only then does he realize he never said a word, not even a hello, to her.

A strange feeling of embarrassment runs through him, his eyes darting down, pretending to be absorbed in unfolding the yellow jersey. God, she must’ve thought he was an asshole or something. What a great first impression. He throws the material over his head and only afterward does he allow himself to look back up towards the podium where Keely stood.

He continues to watch and listen to her aid in the building of Team MacKinnon. And every time she speaks, he notices more things about her, aspects the draw him in even deeper.

He noticed her playfulness when Jeremy Swayman was selected by Cale, laughing at the incredulous “alright?” that escaped Keely’s lips, clearly not agreeing with the defenseman’s choice of adjective concerning the goalie.

Andrei’s laughter soured quickly, feeling a small twinge of jealousy thrum through him when Jeremy skated over and shook Keely’s hand, the rockstar clearly overjoyed that he was selected. It was an odd thing to be jealous about, he realized, and he shook off the feeling, focusing back to the rest of the draft.

He noticed her welcoming warmth when she selected Elias Lindholm, newest member of the Boston Bruins, traded from Vancouver just before the All-Star game.

And when there were only four players left and each of the leadership teams came up onto the main stage, he listened intently when he heard her name fall from the mouth of one of the hosts.

“I wanted to talk to Keely Halloran for a moment here. You have a big performance coming up on Saturday. How do you feel?”

“I’m so excited,” she replies, her words and her smile seeming nothing short of genuine. “Growing up in Boston and growing up a Bruins fan – dangerous thing to admit in Toronto, I know, but – it really made me fall in love with hockey. My dad is coming in tomorrow and he’s just super excited.”

“Well, since you mentioned being a Bruins fan, are you happy you got a few Bruins on your team?”

“Yeah, of course. I mean, kind of disappointed we didn’t get the full set with Pasta but I like the team we made up and I know that at least me, Jeremy, and Elias will bring some of that energy and power that I always feel in TD Garden.”

“Well, we’ll be feeling the energy and power during your performance on Saturday, I’m sure,” the host says, turning away without acknowledging the laughter and confirmation that falls from Keely’s lips.

The draft wraps up after the final selection, each team being filled. A cheer goes up from the crowd as the rosters are announced, followed by a reminder of the skills competition tomorrow and the All-Star game the day after that. After the final cheer, the bright lights of the stadium come back up, the production crews and behind the scenes personnel milling about. One of them stands in front of the Team MacKinnon bench, a quick explanation falling from their lips.

“Alright, guys, we’re gonna take a team photo for social media and then you are all free to go, sound good?”

Andrei nods his head, standing up to be positioned for picture. His eyes scan the stadium before landing on Keely again, slowly walking down the steps of the stage, trailing behind Cale and Nathan. He sees her slow shuffling across the ice, her eyes trained on her feet. A jolt of confidence plus a need to redeem himself from their first interaction runs through his body and without hesitation, he skates away from the team bench, towards her. With a small hiss of his skates, he pauses beside her, holding out his arm.

“Would you like help?” he asks. He can feel his heartbeat stutter in his chest when she looks up at him, her bright blue eyes connected with his brown ones.

“Is it that obvious that I’m not the strongest at walking on ice?” she laughs, still shuffling across the surface.

“It’s amazing you haven’t fallen yet,” Andrei replies. One of Keely’s eyebrows pops up and Andrei realizes that his words sounded more than a little patronizing. “I mean, in those shoes,” he elaborates, gesturing down to her heels, trying to mitigate whatever damage he may have inflicted.

“Yeah, not the smartest decision,” she replies. “I would love some help. Falling on my face wouldn’t be very good publicity for me.”

Andrei nods, relaxing in her easy-going attitude, re-extending his arm towards her. She takes it, her hand curling around his bicep. Andrei starts to slowly move back toward the group of yellow jerseys, attempting to keep a steady pace, focusing more on his skating in this moment than he had in ages.

The two of them reach the bench and Keely murmurs a soft thank you. His only reply is a nod, skating behind the seat and smiling for the camera. As soon as the photo is snapped, Andrei is ready to immediately return to Keely’s side, offering his help again. But he is beaten to it by the true Canadian gentleman Sidney Crosby.

With a sigh, he watches as she walks off with Sid and Nate before he skates over to the tunnel, ready to head back to the hotel. He still wasn’t sure if he was going to go down to the hotel bar or stay in his room, getting some necessary sleep before tomorrow. But his decision is made for him when he spies Keely glance back over her shoulder, locked gaze with him and sending a soft smile in his direction.

He would do anything if it meant that she would look at him that way again.

~*~*~*~

The hotel bar was crowded, filled with players, their significant others, and a few members of the media, eager to get every snippet of content they could.

Andrei knew it might have been best for him to stay upstairs, what with the skills competition coming up tomorrow – a competition that Andrei had a spot in. But it was the All-Star game and he was the only Carolina Hurricane here. He should represent his team as much as he could, in as many places as he could; let his face be seen and captured by the cameras around. He promised himself only a beer or two before leaving and he was making good on that promise. Although, he would admit that he was distracted looking for one person in particular.

It wasn’t until he was at the bar, ready to grab his second beer did his eyes finally locate the now familiar dark blonde hair of Keely Halloran.

She was sitting a few seats away from him, her back against the wooden bar-top as she talked with Nathan, Cale, Sidney, and Mitch Marner, her laughter bouncing through the air, cutting through the smooth jazz echoing through the speakers. She’s nursing some form of cocktail – Andrei can’t tell what – and intently listening as each person talks, seemingly interjecting with her own additions and obviously some humor considering the chuckles that fall from the men surrounding her.

He wanted go over there, join the conversation and insert himself into the circle, but a small part of him said to hold off. He didn’t want to overwhelm Keely with too many people, too many stories. She seemed connected to Nathan and Cale considering they were the two people that she had most likely interacted with the most. He didn’t want to force her to entertain an even larger group of almost complete strangers, which is exactly what he was.

Instead, he strikes up a casual conversation with the bartender, with every person that walks up next to him at the bar. He bides his time, his brown eyes occasionally darting over towards Keely, feeling his heartrate rise as the group surrounding her dwindles from four, to three, to two. And then she is alone.

Andrei takes a deep breath and another swig of his beer, willing whatever courage the amber liquid could provide to flow through his body, before picking up the bottle and walking over.

She is absorbed in her phone, texting someone, laughing gently at the words on the screen. The sight of her smile makes Andrei falter for a moment, the thought of her texting a boyfriend flashing in his brain. However, that voice is silenced when Keely looks up from her cell, her blue eyes connecting with his – seemingly aware of his presence – and the smile that was on her face does not fade. In fact, it seems to shine brighter.

That is the last bit of encouragement that Andrei needs to take those final steps, sliding his large body onto the adjacent chair and turning towards Keely.

“Hey again,” he says, his voice a little breathless and still a little uncertain.

“Ah, there’s my prince charming,” Keely smiles, looking up at him through her darkened eyelashes. The combination of her words and her stare has Andrei faltering once more, his own eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“Prince charming?”

“For helping me across the ice, of course,” she lightly explains, her lips wrapping around the straw of her drink.

A light chuckle falls from Andrei’s lips as he tries to brush off his confusion, attempting to copy the bold and confident attitude that the woman sitting across from him displayed.

“Right, of course. Well, I guess Crosby – I mean, Sidney – would also be your prince charming.”

Keely hums, her head moving to glance behind her, towards Sidney, now talking with someone else a few paces away. Andrei takes Keely’s momentary distraction as an opportunity to let his gaze rake down.

With her head turned, he could see that the baseball cap perched backwards on her head was a Boston Celtics cap, her city loyalty on full display. The leather jacket that had previously been thrown over her shoulders was now draped over the back of the chair, revealing the rest of her all-black ensemble. The corset top that highlighted her chest and waist, a highlight that most other men would’ve been eyeing shamelessly. Andrei would’ve joined in but his eyes had drifted lower, to the skirt/short combo that seemingly had a built-in buckled garter, stretching across her upper thigh.

A gentle clearing of a throat causes Andrei’s eyes to snap back up, his face flushing when he sees Keely’s eyes glued back to him.

“He is gentleman, that’s for sure,” Keely speaks, continuing the prior conversation, blissfully not responding to Andrei’s blatant stare. That is, until her own eyes shamelessly rake up and down his body. “But Sid’s not nearly attractive enough to be my prince charming.”

While being caught red-handed threw him off-guard, Keely outright giving him some of the most seductive bedroom eyes that Andrei had seen in his life threw him entirely off-kilter.

“What?” he said, not being able to stop his bewilderment at – what seemed like – the sudden turn of events. Keely’s laughter makes his cheeks flush again, her leaning back in her chair, her legs stretching out causing Andrei’s eyes to dart back to that damnable garter.

“What’s the matter all-star? Never had a girl flirt with you?”

“N-no. I’ve had lots,” Andrei stutters out before his brain registers how bad his response sounded. “I-I mean… um…”

His fumbled words were once again cutoff with a gentle laugh from Keely, her body leaning towards him again. This time, her expression is soft, a slight smile on her face that looked amused but not at all condescending.

“You aren’t very good at this, are you?”

“Not when it’s a celebrity, like you. And not when I feel like I’ve made a mistake every time I’ve opened my mouth,” Andrei confesses, his own lips quirking in a soft grin.

“That’s actually one of the things I like,” Keely replies, silencing Andrei’s fears but bringing forth more confusion. The question is clearly painted on his face because Keely’s explanation continues. “Do you know how many men try to act all suave and basically lie through their teeth to get close to me? It’s nice to see something genuine – even if you may not have intended it.”

“Glad to know I haven’t messed up that bad.”

“Not at all.”

The initial awkwardness evaporates as fast as mist in the morning sun, the conversation between Keely and Andrei now flowing seamlessly. She asks about his life, details which he gladly offered up and he asks hers, the details she gave a little vaguer. But Andrei found that he didn’t really care.

He knew enough about who she was – a celebrity that probably had every aspect of her life splashed on front pages and over social media, whether she agreed to it or not. He was more than willing to let her tell him what she wanted to. Regardless of what she decided to tell him, he sat, enraptured. Her stories only made him admire her more: her passion, her drive, her unapologetic attitude concerning everything.

“I wish I could be that confident,” he says in reply to her return to the public eye.

“Andrei Svechnikov, all-star hockey player, wishes that he could be more confident?”

“I guess, more off the ice. I know who I am as a hockey player but when I don’t have skates on, I feel… not as bold.”

“Maybe I can help.”

Andrei’s eyebrows once again jump up in a question, every word that falls from this woman’s mouth intriguing him more.

“I’ll ask you some questions, and you respond with the honest truth,” she explains, her eyes sparkling with a sense of mischief that Andrei wanted to uncover.

After a moment of pondering, he responds with a small nod. His acceptance makes Keely smile and she leans back in her chair again, her blue irises staring him down.

“What’s your favorite lunch?”

“Really?” Andrei asks, her first question catching him off-guard once again – another tick mark to add to the mystery of the woman in front of him.

“Have to keep you on your toes.”

“Chicken and pasta.”

“Dogs or cats?”

“Dogs.”

“Favorite thing to do in your free time?”

“Fishing.”

“Person you trust the most?”

“My brother, Evgeni.”

“Girlfriend?”

The question draws Andrei’s attention, his brown eyes connecting with Keely’s blue. He can see the seriousness of the question within them. And, even deeper, the flicking of mistrust lurking in the aquamarine pools. That spark, that glimmer, hits Andrei squarely in the chest. He knew very little about Keely, not even the tabloid version, but that hesitation… it told him that she had been hurt, deeply. And in response, a fire flickered within him, one that vowed to make sure he never gave her a reason to distrust him.

“I don’t have one,” he replies, his voice steady and serious, hoping that the intensity of his feelings was matched by his voice.

Judging by how Keely relaxed back in her chair, it seems as if he got his wish.

“Why’d you come over here, Andrei?”

It was another challenge, another chance for him to be bold and tell the absolute truth. And this time, he didn’t wait for the best moment, didn’t dance around the words. Instead, he took a deep breath, met her gaze, and spoke the truth he was thinking the minute she stepped onto the stage at Scotiabank Arena.

“I think you’re beautiful. And… I’d like to spend a night with you.”

A slow smile twists across Keely’s face, taking in the sight of him sitting in front of her; maybe still a little uncertain but at least solid in his convictions.

“There you go. Confidence,” she says, the words slow and seductive.

There is a brief pause, the air between them thrumming with electricity before Keely breaks the spell, sighing and stretching her arms over her head before glancing down at her empty glass.

“Well, I was planning on going to bed once this drink was gone and it is. So, I guess I’ll head out,” she explains, her voice breezy and casual. She slides off the chair, grabbing her jacket and tossing it over her shoulders.

Andrei watches, a flash of confusion fliting through him as she reaches into her pocket, sliding out a thin card – presumably a credit card. However, that thought is disproved when she boldly takes a hold of his wrist, turning his hand palm-side up and placing the cool plastic into his hand.

“Top floor, room 15C. Don’t keep me waiting too long.” 

Those statements and the cherry of her perfume was what she left him with as she swiftly turns and waltzes out of the hotel bar. Andrei’s eyes stay on her until she is out of sight and only then does he glance down at the card placed in his hand.

Keely had slipped him a copy of her hotel keycard.

The invitation is clear. She was offering the key to her room for him to use if he desired – if he truly wanted the things he said he did. But it was also another challenge for him to be bold and honest and maybe a bit brash.

The decision was entirely his.

And he wasn’t going to say no. He was going to see Keely. He was going to take full advantage of the night and of the opportunity she presented him.

He just needed to wait, just long enough as to not draw suspicion. He was under more of a microscope up here in Toronto than in Raleigh. But Keely had eyes on her no matter where she went. He wasn’t about to bring more drama into her life.

So, for the second time that night, he lingers. He chats to the people around him, give some quotes to the media, does as much as he can to make it seem like this was a normal night during an All-Star Weekend. He pretends that he can’t feel the weight of the keycard in his pocket and the ticking of the time.

Finally, he deems it long enough and, after paying for his drinks and giving the bartender a healthy tip, he extricates himself from the hotel bar. His sneakers barely make a sound as he crosses the plush carpet of the lobby, taking a direct route to the elevator. He is thankful that no one stops him, thankful that the elevator doors seem to open as soon as he presses the up button and thankful that he is alone in the space. Andrei hits the button emblazoned with 15 and watches the numbers on the LED screen rise, flying past the fourth floor (his room) towards his true destination.

The soft ding of the elevator sounds, the doors sliding open with a whoosh and he steps out. There is only one hallway stretching out in front of him, two doors on either side. Andrei steps out slowly, eyes locating the plaques with the room numbers next to each door.

His mind repeats the number that Keely gave him like a mantra, passing one door and then the next before stopping in front of room 15C. He stands in front of the entrance, the wood looking exactly like the doors around him, looking exactly like the door to his own room. But inside…

A myriad of images sprung into Andrei’s head, fantasies of what was waiting for him, each more intoxicating than the last. If there was any hesitation still lingering in his body, it was burned away but the hot flash of need and desire that surged through him. He slips the plain black keycard from his pocket, holding it over the doorknob until the light above turns from red to green. The door handle, cool in his hand, turns and he steps in.

And the sight that awaits him makes him stop in his tracks.

Every image that he had conjured up in his mind was nothing compared to what was now in front of his eyes: Keely, lying in bed, her hair splayed over the pillows, wearing nothing but an oversized band shirt, the hem scrunched up around her waist, and her hands between her open thighs.

Her soft moans hit his ears and Andrei cannot help but stare as her elegant fingers trace over her folds, glistening in the low lamplight of the bedroom. He watches the way her back arches when she presses the pads of her fingers against her clit, a whine emanating from her throat as she gently rubs the bundle of nerves before her hands slips back down. It is her middle and marriage fingers that plunge into her center, her head lolling to the side as she lets out a satisfied sigh.

Andrei feels like he is in a trance, helpless to do anything but let the scene in front of him unfold. His eyes trail up Keely’s body to connect to her face, taking in the bliss so clearly displayed. It isn’t until that moment do her eyelids flutter open, those electrifying blue irises connecting to his frame still lingering in the doorway. A cheeky smile tugs at her lips, even while her hands never cease their movements.

“Are you going to join me or just stand there with the door wide open?”

Her words snap Andrei out of whatever reverie he was in, his body moving at a speed that even he can’t comprehend. The door is kicked shut behind him, the force of it making the wood vibrate on its hinges. Andrei doesn’t seem to notice or even care. Of course he didn’t care. How could he worry about anything else besides the woman in front of him?

There is no hesitation in his body, no uncertainty any more. His hands move to tear his grey t-shirt away from his body, feeling his confidence only grow at the soft moan that falls from Keely’s mouth, her eyes unabashedly raking down his muscular frame. The only response he gives is a small grin, before kicking off his shoe and sinking down to his knees, his eyes now directly focused on the soaked space between her thighs.

He drinks in the sight of her fingers still buried in her folds, like something out of one of his wet dreams or a porno made just for him. He watches as she slips the slender digits from her core, her soft skin glistening with her arousal, acting like a silver webbing between her fingers as she runs them across her cunt.

“Do you need more of an invitation?” Her voice echoes through the room, the words twinged with a tease but also with a desperation that makes Andrei’s dick twitch in his jeans. “You kept me waiting long enough. Gonna make me wait some more?”

She was right, of course. While watching her was surely something he never thought he would experience, it wasn’t as if she was on a screen or miles away, untouchable. She was right there, almost begging for him. Who was he to refuse a superstar?

His body lifts, strong hands wrapping around each ankle, guiding her legs over his broad shoulders. Andrei can hear the whine that vibrates from her throat, her hips lifting as if to entice him further. Her knees hook over the muscle of his shoulders and he allows himself the chance to press a kiss onto the supple skin of her inner thighs.

The heat that emanates from her stokes the fire that burns within him and he slowly descends, wanting to savor every second even though he can hear the way Keely whines, clearly impatient. Finally, finally, he lets his lips connect to her drenched center.

There is nothing in the world that could stop the moan that rumbles from his chest as his tongue makes contact with her slick, the sweetness that pours from her core tasting as heavenly as ambrosia. He hears her satisfied sigh from above, feels one of her hands tangle into this hair as a gentle encouragement for more – a silent request he is all too willing to oblige.

His tongue moves, tracing every crevice, lapping every bit of nectar that floods his tastebuds. He wanted to devour her, wanted to be able to taste her even when this weekend was long over. His mouth rises slowly, finding her clit nestled at the apex of her folds and wraps his lips around it, suckling. The way her fingers tighten in his hair, her hips bucking up is all the confirmation he needs that he’s doing something right and he is more than happy to continue.

One of the hands that had been keeping a tight grip on her upper thigh moves to join his mouth, retracing the places that his tongue had previously been. His fingers circle her entrance, collecting the wetness practically pouring from her before one of them plunges into her core.

Their mutual moan fills the room and Andrei still can’t believe that this isn’t a fantasy. But judging from the way her cunt is clenching around his finger, he knows it’s not. She is warm and wet and real and all those things has Andrei pumping his wrist, coaxing even more of those intoxicating sounds from her mouth.

He’s slow at first, wanting to give her time and as much pleasure as he could. But when Keely raises her hips to meet his hand, he reads her desperation with ease and slides another finger inside. He works her open, each languid thrust met with more of those desperate noises, each buck of her hips just pulling him deeper. His tongue never ceases its movements against her clit, each suckle and flick releasing more of her sweet arousal which he greedily laps up like it was water and he was dying of thirst. His brown eyes watch her, registering which moves makes her head fall back, exposing the pale column of her throat, and which has her body trembling. He wanted to memorize everything – the way she sounds, the way she feels, the way she tastes.

It was only when he gently curled his fingers does her already strangled moans turn staccato gasps, her pussy fluttering around the thick digits. The smile that twists on Andrei’s lips is devilish as he moves again, his lips wrapping around her clit and suckling in time with the movement within her. It only takes three instances of the dual combination for Keely’s orgasm to hit, her body trembling with the force of it, her mouth wide in an almost silent moan.

The sensation of it, of her squeezing his fingers, of her release flooding his mouth makes Andrei groan in kind, his tongue busily working to lap up every drop, not wanting any to go to waste. It is only when he is satisfied with his work does he allow his fingers to slip from her core. His eyes dart up to connect with hers, eyelids heavy with lust as she stares down at him.

“Well,” she says, her voice breathless. “You might not know how to talk to a celebrity but you sure know how to make her come.”

The chuckle that rumbles from his chest at her words melds with her own breathless giggle. Andrei lets a moment pass before he presses his lips against her inner thighs, sliding her legs off from their perch on his shoulders and lifting his body upwards until his frame is hovering over the entirety of her.

“Want to do it again,” he murmurs.

“Confidence,” she replies, echoing her words from earlier, her eyes flashing with the same amount of desire as he was sure was reflected in his own pupils. A sly grin twists on her face. “I like how it looks on you.”

He wants to kiss her. God, does he want to kiss her. That desire had been brewing since he first saw her, but now; with the flush of her cheeks, her hair creating a halo on the pillowcases, the slight sheen of sweat on her skin, her eyes looking up at him… he needed to kiss her.

But before he could even think of leaning down to press his lips against hers, Keely once again surprises him by hooking a leg over his hip, knocking one of his hands out from under him and using his falling momentum to her advantage, successfully flipping him over so it was his back that was now pressed against the hotel sheets.

A giggle falls from Keely at the bewildered expression on Andrei’s face and he gladly lets his initial shock morph into insane wonder at the woman he met only hours ago. Any words that he thought about uttering, any praise that may have fallen from his lips was silenced as Keely peels the cotton of her oversized shirt away from her body, exposing the entirety of her to him.

She was always beautiful but now, sitting naked above him, she was drop-dead gorgeous. She had a great body, that was obvious, but he was sure she knew what she was doing when she got the bejeweled tattoo that stretched across her abdomen and curved around her chest. The green jewels truly seem to glitter and only highlight her breasts even more, enticing him to reach towards her, his fingers tracing the design before moving over the soft skin of her breasts, teasing over the pebbled nipples. She arches to his touch, her hips moving against him and he can’t stifle the moan that falls from him at the friction of her soaked core against his still clothed cock.

“How many times do I have to tell you to fuck me, Andrei?” she questions from above him, her hips grinding against him again. He wants to give in right then and there, her body feeling so good against his already and he wanted to find out how good she would feel around him. But he also wanted her to voice her own desire for him. Not as a hot random stranger that she chose out of a dozen, but him alone.

“Maybe just one more,” he replies, his hands falling from her chest and tracing down the curves of her body. “Beg for it.”

“Oh,” Keely laughs, clearly taken aback by his demand. But that surprised huff turns into a softer more desperate gasp when Andrei grips her hips and deliberately grinds her core against his, the more intense friction against her still sensitive core causing her to shudder.  

“Oh fuck,” she quietly curses, her hands planting onto Andrei’s muscular chest as she attempts to drag herself against him again. But this time, his strong hands hold her in place, denying her. Her blue eyes dart up to him, the pure lust displayed there making his own resolve falter. Until he hears what he had been waiting for fall from her lips.

“Please.”

That single syllable word is all Andrei needs.

His hands fall from Keely’s hips, darting between her thighs to hurriedly undo his jeans. Keely’s soft hands join his, twisting underneath the waistband of his pants and boxers and aiding him in shoving them down his legs, his hard cock bobbing up. Andrei tries not to preen as Keely’s tongue flicks over her lips at the sight before her gaze flits up to meet his again.

There are no words spoken between them, nothing verbally exchanged. Instead, Keely’s palms return to Andrei’s chest, steadying herself before lowering her body. Andrei grips himself, squeezing the base gently, willing himself to not finish the very moment she sinks onto him. His free hand returns to her hip, guiding her down, running the head over her folds a couple of times before aligning with her center.

The sensation of her heat wrapping around his length causes Andrei’s head to fall back, a guttural groan leaving his chest as she sinks lower. The feeling must be just as pleasurable to Keely, her own whispered curses hitting his eardrums as she shifts until their hips are flush against each other.

There is a stillness; no movement but the rise and fall of their chests, no sound but their heavy breathing. Andrei wills his eyes open and reconnects his gaze with Keely. The sight of her above him is a vision, her looking more like an angel appearing in a dream than something real. Hell, part of him still wasn’t 100% sure he wasn’t dreaming.

But when Keely’s hips move, grinding against him, any doubt is erased from his brain. Even in his darkest deepest fantasies, he could never imagine something this good.

It is a dance, a sensual tango. Her hands are poised on his chest and his hands tight against her hips as she moves her core against him, each press of her along his length as sinful as the last. Andrei wants to keep his eyes open, wants to memorize every miniscule detail: the way her hair falls in her face, the roll of her hips, the shadows that are cast across her skin. But it is hard to do anything but lay back and let her ride him, let her take whatever she wanted from him, anything and everything that he could give.

Keely shifts slightly, a gasp falling from her and Andrei picks up on her reaction, thrusting his hips upward to meet the same spot. Another gasp sounds from her and is about to turn into a moan when Andrei sees her bite her lip, stifling the sound even as she desperately chases the sensation once again. One of Andrei’s hands lifts to cup her jaw. The feeling of his calloused skin against her porcelain cheek causes her eyes to open, gazing down at him.

His thumb stretches across her jawline, the tip of it pressing underneath her lip, gently pulling the flesh from between her teeth.

“Want to hear you,” he groans. “Want to hear the pretty sounds you make.”

She laughs, the sound wavering a little as their hips never stop moving against each other.

“Have to save my voice so you and everyone else can hear how pretty I sing,” she attempts to explain.

“You have a whole day. Want to hear how pretty you sound just for me.”

“Just for you?”

The question isn’t meant to be cruel and yet, Andrei can feel the bite of it. He knows, intrinsically, that he is not the only man that Keely has allowed into her bed and – considering their circumstances – he certainly wouldn’t be the last. But he lets that sting fuel him, drive him.

Initially, he wanted to kiss her. Now, he wanted to make sure that she knew no one else could make her feel the way he does.

The hand that was on her cheek descends again, taking time to carefully caress every ridge and dip of her body, paying close attention to the places that make her shudder and her movements on top of him falter. Slowly, almost painstakingly so, his hand returns to her hip, holding her tight and stopping her movements. He gets a small whine from her in response, a whimper that makes his lips curl in a smirk.

“I want to hear how good its feels,” Andrei says, his voice thick and low. “How good I make you feel.”

Keely is about to laugh again – that breathless teasing giggle that Andrei had come to know – but the sound is cut-off as Andrei thrusts his hips up, his thumb stretching to press against her clit. She moans, unabashedly now, the noises she makes crystal clear and as melodic as any song that he had ever heard. Andrei continues his pace and his movements within and against her, his eyes never leaving her, committing the sight into memory, something to get off to once this weekend was over and she was back to being a celebrity on his phone screen and a voice through his radio speakers.

He watches the way her body trembles, feels her nails dig into the muscle of his chest, and hears those beautiful noises falling from her mouth become shaky. He doesn’t stop, not until she is clenching around him, a jumble of curses and moans and – even more exquisitely – the sound of his name falling from her mouth as her orgasm rushes through her. It is maddening, the feeling of her pussy fluttering around him as she comes down.

It takes every modicum of Andrei’s self-control not to come undone as well, his hands gripping her hips so tightly he worries there would be bruises the next day. He can feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathes deeply, his own eyes closed with a focus that he had only ever displayed on the ice. It is Keely’s soft laugh and the feeling of her lips pressing against his jawline that has him returning to the moment. The feeling of her kissing his skin blissfully distracts him from the sensation of her lifting off him, his still rigid cock slapping against his equally hard stomach.

He groans, his own desperation getting the better of him as his hips lift to chase her but she stills his movements with the grip of her soft hand wrapping around him. It isn’t nearly as good as her cunt but he is too far gone to complain.

“Want me to take care of this for you, all-star?” she whispers into his ear, delivering a slow languid stroke to emphasize her words. Her movements bring forth a moan from his own mouth, as well as a desperate nod of his head. He didn’t care how or what she had planned, he just needed her.

“Now it’s your turn to show me how pretty you sound,” Keely continues, her lips descending to kiss his jawline. And when she starts to slowly pump her hand, Andrei complies.

Even if he wanted to, he could not stop the moans that fell from him, the muttered Russian curses, the way his hips jumped up to meet her hand. She truly had him wrapped around her finger and he didn’t care. All he cared about was her: the feeling of her body pressed against his side, the touch of her hand against his cock, the sensation of her lips sucking hickeys onto his throat.

It is a twist of her hand coupled with a nip of her teeth against his skin that finally has his own orgasm hit, his body stilling as his cum paints his abdomen in thick creamy lines. Keely doesn’t stop her hand until he is spent, a soft hiss coming from his lips at the sensitivity.

She releases his cock, her fingers trailing up his body, collecting his release. Andrei opens his eyes just in time to see her seductively run her fingers over her lips before plunging them into her mouth, moaning at the taste of him on her tongue. He feels his dick twitch with renewed interest, now needing to know how those plush lips would look wrapped around him.

Releasing her fingers with a wet pop, Keely smiles at him, either blissfully unaware of the power she held or happy to wield it as casually as possible. Whatever it may be, she curls back into his side, her head coming to nestle on his shoulder as her legs tangle around his. He stays there with her, his own hand running up and down her side gently, content to bask in the golden glow of the moment.

Eventually, the sensation of dried sweat and slick become uncomfortable and Andrei moves, carefully departing from Keely. He didn’t want to, of course. If it was up to him, he would’ve quit his job to fly around on private jets and be backstage at all her shows if it meant spending more nights with her in his arms. But that wasn’t what this was. He knew that.

“Headed out?” Keely asks, her voice drowsy with a combination of sleep and exhaustion.

“Need to get back to my room. Get some sleep for tomorrow,” he explains.

“Probably for the best,” come her reply, understanding the situation as well as he did. “But you are welcome to use my shower before you leave.”

In his mind, he knew that he would be able to ride the elevator down to his floor in mild discomfort and clean up in the privacy of his own room. But something made him nod in agreement. Perhaps he wanted to spend more time in Keely’s presence, maybe the offer allowed him to look more into her world. Whatever the reason, he walks around the bed to the bathroom and switches on the lights.

He is greeted with the exact same layout as his own bathroom but with some slight differences, things that were distinctively Keely.

The makeup bag spilled open on the counter, the red candy bar shaped perfume bottle, the small ceramic dish that held a necklace and a ring with two hands holding a crowned heart, and a candle that was still burning, releasing the smell of eucalyptus and lavender in the air.

Andrei smiles at the small glimpses of her personality before stepping into the shower, letting the water wash off the remnants of their tryst. He debates using the body wash sitting in the green bottle but defaults to the complimentary bar of soap, cleaning himself before turning off the water.

After drying his skin with the plush bath towel and blowing out the candle on the counter, he returns to the bedroom to find Keely curled up under the white covers, her breath slow and steady as she sleeps. Silently, Andrei moves around the room, picking up his clothes and returning them to his frame. He sits down at the desk to tie his shoes and once again debates whether he should scribble his number down on the pad of paper perched next to him.

He wants to be bold and confident, like Keely liked, but without her gentle smile encouraging him, everything felt like he was walking a tightrope and one wrong misstep could ruin it all. So, he plays it safe. The only thing that he allows himself to indulge a kiss pressed against her temple before he slips out of her hotel room.

~*~*~*~*~

When Andrei walks into the locker room on Saturday, a sigh of relief whooshes from him when he sees Keely, decked out in the yellow of her own All-Star jersey, standing next to Nathan’s stall, listening to him and Sidney talk, a smile on her face.

It had been a little over twenty-four hours since he had left her hotel room and this was the first time he saw her again. She wasn’t around during the Skills Competition the day prior which Andrei found odd considering that the other celebrity captains were wandering around the ice. He had soothed the panicked part of his brain with the rational of her hanging with her family or rehearsing for her performance, instead of immediately assuming it was because of him. But he wouldn’t be certain until he could talk to her again.

He glances in her direction, hoping to catch her eye. Her head eventually turns towards him, their eyes meeting and once again, Andrei’s heart skips a beat when she smiles at him, her eyes bright. It feels like a sign that they would both be able to get through today without it being terribly awkward.

He tries to focus, let his body go through the muscle memory of his pre-game ritual – no different than he does every Carolina Hurricanes game. Occasionally, he still glances in Keely’s direction, watches her mill around and take a few pictures for media, noticing that he hasn’t heard her voice. The answer as to why hits his ear a few moments later – vocal rest for her performance – and a part of him deflates at not being able to hear her cheer or celebrate.

Eventually, everyone makes it to the bench and the first round of the All-Star game starts, Team MacKinnon against Team McDavid. Andrei lets himself be lost in the familiar feeling of the ice gliding beneath his skates, the music of the puck being passed from stick to stick. He only momentarily gets distracted by the smell of a familiar cherry perfume behind him, causing images – images that were entirely inappropriate to be thinking about during a hockey game – to pop into his head. He manages to pull them out of his brain but Team MacKinnon were unable to pull out the win, losing in a shootout to Team McDavid.

He doesn’t let the loss shake him too bad, knowing that it doesn’t mean anything except the inability to win more money – something that he feels he has too much of already. Instead, he lets himself strip back down to the sweatpants and branded hoodie combo that he arrived in, content to sit and watch for the rest of the day.

After Team Matthews overtakes Team Hughes in another shootout, Andrei finds himself wandering onto the ice, a stage now set up in the center and a smaller one to the left. He finds some of the benches that were previously used for the draft pressed against the penalty boxes and takes a seat, joined shortly by some other players like Marner, Swayman, the Hughes brothers, and Wilson.

The lights dim, the cheer from the crowd going up as the bassline emanates from the speakers and Andrei watches as dancers file out before being followed by Keely herself. Gone is the bright yellow of her All-Star jersey, now replaced with a black bodysuit that shimmers under the spotlight, highlighting every curve.

If the world faded when she stepped out onto the stage, it all but vanished completely when she started singing. Andrei leans in, listening, intent on picking up every detail that he could. And what he hears makes his heart ache.

It isn’t the first song that catches his attention (although he would agree that he had never met a girl like her before) but the last three songs that cleared some lingering questions in his mind.

You have more pieces of me than the desert has sand & I have less pieces of you than I can hold in my hand.

You were my everything and all that you did was make me fucking sad.

I’ll play the villain in your life – whatever helps you sleep at night.

He didn’t follow celebrity gossip, didn’t make note social media headlines, but here, right now, it felt like Keely herself was telling him everything: a story of heartbreak and betrayal. It felt as if he could see her for exactly who she was; someone who had every pain inflicted upon them and still carried those feelings with them, despite the front she presented to the world.

Andrei feels like he is cheering the loudest of them all when she strikes her final pose, the spotlights shining down. She smiles to the crowd, giving a small bow and a wave to the stadium around her before turning and heading back down the locker room tunnel.

It takes Andrei a few minutes of wandering through the tunnels of Scotiabank before he finds Keely again, this time leaning against the wall in a nice shirt and casual jeans, a glass of white wine perched in one hand and her phone in the other.

“Hey,” he says, walking those final few paces towards her. The sound of his voice causes her head to lift, a smile appearing on her lips when her eyes land on him.

“Hey, yourself.”

“I, um… I wanted to say that you were really good. Performing, I mean.”

“Oh. So, I wasn’t good Thursday night?” Keely teases, taking another casual sip of her wine, no doubt relishing the sight of Andrei’s cheeks turning pink as those images return easily to his mind.

“No, you were… you were fucking fantastic that night,” he says, watching as Keely’s own smile grows.

The two of them stand there in silence, the space between them feeling as much of a contradiction as their own connection. What did it mean to know someone in such an intimate way but also be so detached from each other in every other possible aspect? The rockstar and the hockey player: a pairing that no one would have guessed.

Andrei hated it – hated the distance between them that would only widen after this weekend. But he didn’t want to lose Keely, even though all logic stated that he should forget about their tryst and not pursue her further. But his desire to have her close overwhelmed his rational mind, which had his next words falling from his lips.

“Listen,” he begins, his voice still a tad uncertain. “I’m not sure what your life looks like right now – I know mine is only going to get busier – but I really enjoyed being with you. Not just in bed but in general. And if you want to connect later, I’ll be available.”

Andrei waits, studying her face and every miniscule expression that passes over her. He doesn’t pry, doesn’t backtrack, doesn’t do anything except let the silence linger between them as Keely thinks. He watches as her blue eyes lift to meet his and for the first time since he spoke to her, he can see a vulnerability glimmer in those sapphire pools, the sight of it making his heart ache.

“Would you wait for me, Andrei?” she asks, her voice quiet and he can feel the weight of that question rest on his shoulders. How many badly had people hurt her? How deep was the betrayal that she experienced that made her this uncertain? Whatever the answer was to those questions, he knew the resounding answer to hers.

“I would.”

Keely’s lips lift in a small smile, clearly able to hear the conviction in his voice.

“Confidence,” she whispers, echoing the words from that first night once again. She takes a sip of her wine and Andrei watches as her demeanor shifts back into the savvy rockstar that he had known. “Well, then… I might take you up on that offer.”

He doesn’t say anything, just smiles brightly. He is content to give her a nod, turning away from her and ready to walk back down the tunnel. But then a thought nags at the back of his brain, yelling at him in the same tone as an annoyingly familiar voice. Andrei spins and returns to stand in front of Keely, an adorably amused but somewhat confused expression on her face.

“I have one last favor to ask you,” he says, reaching into his pocket and fishing out his phone. “Could you make a video for my teammate Seth? He’s a huge fan.”

The sound of her laughter echoing down the hallway at his request makes Andrei smile, slightly chuckling with her.

“Not what I thought you would say but of course. Anything for a fan,” she replies, the bright lilt in her voice matching her laughter. “Seth? That’s his name?”

Andrei nods and holds his phone up towards her, watching through the screen as she places her wine glass down on the ground and turn towards him. A small nod of her head gives him the go-head to start the recording.

“Hi Seth. I heard from someone here at the All-Star game that you were a big fan. It’s wild to think that my music is listened to by professional hockey players and who knows, maybe I have you to thank for getting me to Toronto. Maybe next All-Star game, I’ll see you here.”

Keely ends the video with a wink and even a cheeky kiss blown in the cameras direction before waving goodbye. Andrei stops the recording, saving it to his photos and he feels Keely slide up next to him. His fingers hit the play button and they both watch the video back. Keely hums softly and he looks down at her, an embarrassed grimace on her face.

“That last bit might have been too much,” she explains and Andrei drags the play-bar back, watching the video of Keely’s wink and kiss. And looking at it again, he can see that her eyes are not trained at the camera lens but at the cameraman – him. It makes his heartbeat increase at the sight of her so boldly flirting with him but he also understands her hesitation. Seth would surely notice and ask questions and Andrei did not want… whatever was happening between them, to leak before they even had a chance to discover what it all meant.

“Do you think you could edit it out?”

“Sure,” he replies.  

Andrei is quick to nod his head, even faster to open the editor and cut that small section out of the video. He pauses over the save button, the app asking if he wants to save the new video separately or replace the old one with it. His eyes flick back to Keely, her own blue irises sparkling up at him, seeing his hesitation.

“Mind if I keep that last bit for myself?” he questions. The proposal brings another smile onto Keely’s face and he can almost see the quiet laughter in her eyes.

“Not at all. It was meant for you anyway.”

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[stereax]

is it too soon to ask for some mock trades and analyses for Marner, Mo Rielly, and/or Tavares?

Not too soon, anon! Sorry I didn't get to you earlier, I've been working on this ask for about a week now, sorry it's taken so long! Let's take a look under the cut, shall we?

We're going to go backwards in this request - from Tavares to Rielly and last Marner. Bring up the drama and suspense, discuss what's easiest and move to harder topics later. Without further ado:

JOHN TAVARES: UNMOVABLE

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Tavares's contract is way too much money for his current production. He plays as a 2C and sometimes even 3C in Toronto's system. That's not a player you can pay 11 million dollars. Even if the "real price" is lower once his signing bonus is paid, it's still a terrible contract cap-wise. Additionally, Tavares's NMC makes moving him tough. It's been speculated that, even if him moving would benefit the team by allowing them to hold onto Marner, that he would not accept that proposition and would exercise his NMC to stay in Toronto with his family. It must also be considered that not many teams have room to add an $11m player who isn't playing to that potential.

This is probably one of the only trades I see making sense. Chicago is one of the only teams with the room to take on all $11m of that contract and not get an elite player out of it. We know they've been in the market for old men (see: the Foligno contract, the Hall contract, the Mrazek contract, the Perry contract...) and want players to play with Bedard in the short term. As such, you pay to dump Tavares's contract with Liljegren and a first. I don't think that's enough, but Toronto has no other good draft picks unless they add their 2026 1st. In both cases, you're hamstringing a potential retool at its knees.

Likelihood: 2/10. It makes sense but for Tavares's NMC. You'd have to strong-arm him to waive it. Additionally, the first(s) you give up are vital to a retool and could be used to trade for better players, not just the lack of players.

MORGAN RIELLY: UNFATHOMABLE

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Toronto needs good, puck-moving defensemen. Morgan Rielly is a good, puck-moving defenseman. Why are we trading him? What do I not see here? He has a full NMC for four more years, plus an M-NTC for the next two. Why?

Well. Um. Lemme think here.

Rielly is a left shot defenseman making $7.5m against the cap for the next six years. He's the only defenseman the Leafs currently have making more than $2m against the cap. That being said, there are questions about whether he's a true #1 defenseman or an above average #2.

To explain, let me pull up some JFresh cards of three #1 defensemen -

So we notice that Rielly is middling in EV offense WAR, bad at EV defense WAR, and very good at PP WAR. Karlsson is very good at EVO WAR, bad at EVD WAR, very good at PP WAR. Makar is middling in EVO WAR, good at EVD WAR, and good at PP WAR.

Past that, take a look at the microstats. Karlsson is only below average in entry denial rate, prevention of entry with possession, and hits; most of the rest of his stat sheet is bright blue, very good. Makar is only below average in d-zone retrievals (by one percentage point) and hits; past that, just about all of his stats are bright blue, very good. Rielly, however, is low on many microstat metrics, including primary shot assists, passes (yikes), and in-zone offense. This has led many to underline that he's not a "true" #1 defenseman in the way Karlsson and Makar are. Additionally, see the scouting report: he "plays too much" at 24:00 TOI, which is not #1 defenseman caliber.

All this being said, it still makes no sense to trade Rielly. He's your best defenseman by a country mile, you're in a contention window, and the rest of your defense isn't going to be able to replace that. The only way I see them moving off Rielly is if they pursue a top free agent #1 defenseman (Skjei, Montour) or someone who they believe can be a #1 defenseman (Ekman-Larsson comes to mind here). Unless they're going to try to trade for a top defenseman? No idea who would take that, though. Chychrun? But I doubt Ottawa would want to trade him to the Leafs.

Alright. Let's see a trade or three.

This is an idea where you're going Mittelstadt-for-Byram, Hall-for-Larsson, 1-for-1 trade. The difference between Rielly and Power is a little more significant, however; hence, I threw in some prospects on both sides to make it a little more palatable. Robertson is an NHL caliber player who's forced down the depth chart with the Leafs and could benefit from a team with fewer expectations and more chances for him to crack the top six; Kozak is a decent two-way player who could act as a third-line center; Hirvonen could probably will himself onto the Sabres' roster if his life so far has been any indication. Power gets a chance to be a true #1 without Dahlin in the way; Rielly acts as both a good "role model" and can play top-line minutes if needed.

Another 1-for-1, but one that's "easier", so to speak. Winnipeg has made it clear that Ehlers is on the trade block and that they're intending to contend for the near future. Rielly helps Winnipeg's defense, plus the term on his contract is enticing for a team that only has Morrissey signed past next season. Ehlers gives the core another top six winger to play with, one that's chronically underrated as well, and reduces the need to re-sign Bertuzzi and/or Domi. Here, however, you'd need to pursue a Montour or Skjei or other top defenseman in free agency.

This is a Gauthier-style trade that lets Toronto do what it really wants to - escape the cap hit of Rielly to be able to land a top defenseman in free agency. Attard is big, he's "offensive minded", and also he's very large. He seems to be a tweener at best from his career so far, but he may be able to thrive in the right system (and we know old-style hockey people like Treliving and Berube love their big defensemen). The picks get flipped later on for things like, you know, a goalie. Philly, for its part, picks up a player who is instantly their best defenseman.

Likelihood: 1/10. I don't think Treliving and company seriously want to move off Rielly. If the opportunity to upgrade presents itself, maybe, but I don't think Rielly is as "on the table" as they're saying.

MITCH MARNER: UNPALATABLE

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This is the big one. Marner's great. Nobody's doubting that. The problem is, Marner is expensive and projected to be expensive for the significant future. Additionally, Marner is, unlike Tavares, a player you can sell without having to pay for it. However, moving Marner means you either play Nylander with Matthews or play people like Bertuzzi and Knies with Matthews. Neither is optimal - Nylander has to drive his own line, especially without Marner, and Matthews needs a set-up man like Marner to unlock his full potential. Remember that one Quiz where they flat-out called Marner Matthews's superpower?

Let's take a look at trades before I go on too much about Marner's playstyle though. All of these will be assumed to happen after July 1, so that Marner's signing bonus can hit and the monetary payment for Marner drops significantly.

THE 1-for-1 trade. You thought the Rielly 1-for-1s were good, take a look at this. Nashville can afford the cap hit in full, would be able to give Marner top player time on a playoff team, and can move on from Saros by finally releasing Askarov from the Admirals. Toronto gets A Goaltender, specifically a top goaltender, which they are in desperate need of, with the possibility of extending him if they don't like what they're seeing from Woll or maybe Hildeby. It seems like Nashville is the foregone destination conclusion for Marner, but let's see some other ideas.

Toronto gets Binnington, who, despite being a... feisty player, is still a very good goalie, plus Faulk, who's a competent RHD to pair with Rielly, thus hitting their two biggest concerns. St Louis can clear a bit of cap here and picks up Marner, thus opening up Buchnevich even further for a trade to pick up assets. However, St Louis would have to grab a goalie as well if they intend on competing - Hofer is good, but not good enough to play 82 games a season. Maybe they can pick up Gibson at 50% retained, or maybe Martin Jones?

This is a fun one - Marner becoming the face of Utah Hockey. Toronto picks up a good offensive defenseman in Durzi and a solid, cost-controlled winger in Crouse, as well as what may be a near-first-round caliber 2nd and their own 2nd back. Utah is closer to contention - or at least wildcard playoff losses - than many of the non-playoff teams in the league. If not for that 14 loss streak (you know the one) they could have ended within striking distance of a wildcard. Marner might be what they need to get them there and is a clear upgrade on Crouse. Durzi's loss is compensated by the ability of Lamoureux to crack the lineup in a significant role.

Likelihood: 5/10. This seems to be what Treliving would want - to trade Marner off - but I'm not sure how feasible it really is. If I had to guess, I'm betting it's to Nashville, but the Utah idea is growing on me. It all depends if and how Marner waives his NMC.

Well! There ya have it, anon! Mock trades and ideas for all of Tavares, Rielly, and Marner. Sorry it took so long, again, and I really hope this answers your question!

If you enjoyed, drop a like, maybe reblog? It's up to you, though. Thanks for the ask, I really enjoyed working on it!

[puck-luck]

can you please explain to me how fantasy hockey works? I would love to have my own little team next season but I just don’t understand how it works 😭

ok so this is my first season doing fantasy hockey!! i am by nooooo means an expert.

we are using ESPN fantasy. i already had an account from March Madness Bracket challenges in the past, so i didn't have to make a new one. we only have four people in the league i'm in: cappy, hanz, me, and one of hanz's hometown friends (who, btw, hasn't lost a week yet... but i'm kicking his BUTT now that i know how to use fantasy). in other years, i'm probably going to want to have more people in the league– or maybe we all could do a league together next season! it would be soooo cutie to have a little puck-luck league.

drafting involves setting a date and time where everyone is available to make picks (which is why it would be really difficult for a puck-luck league to exist, sigh), then you choose your picks in a pre-determined order: person a, b, c, d, d again, c, b, a, a again... etc. each person in my league chose 9 forwards, 5 defense, 1 utility, 5 bench players, and 2 goalies. hanz somehow chose 3 goalies, so i think she only has 8 forwards. there is also a spot for an IR player: mine is currently taken up by Mr. Mattias Samuelsson... the man with glass bones. i cannot drop him because i love him.

you can add/drop players at any time (unless they're actively playing a game). cappy is a fucking menace when it comes to add/drop, whereas i've only dropped one player in order to clear my IR spot for Titibear. if you want to know about add/drop in fantasy... go ask cappy. i don't do it enough to know about it.

there IS a list of "undroppables," which are predetermined by ESPN. there are 4 players from each position under undroppables, and three goalies. The list is as follows (the players on MY team are highlighted in green): (C) McDavid, Draisaitl, Matthews, MacKinnon. (LW) Panarin, B. Tkachuk, J. Robertson, Ovechkin. (RW) Rantanen, Pastrnak, M. Tkachuk, Kucherov. (D) Josi, Makar, Fox, Q. Hughes. (G) Shesterkin, Hellebuyck, Valisevskiy. SO, even if i wanted to, which i DON'T, i would not be able to drop draisaitl, mackinnon, ovechkin, or hellebuyck.

each day you have to move players from your bench to your active roster IF THEY ARE PLAYING. you want your players with games today to be in one of your forward or defense spots– example: Cole Caufield is not playing today. He was one of my forwards last night. Sidney Crosby IS playing today. He was not playing last night, so he was on my bench. I moved Sidney to Cole's forward spot, now Cole is on my bench. Tomorrow morning, I will move my players around again.

Every week, you face someone from your league and get points throughout the week. Whoever's team has the most points wins. If there are an odd number of people in your league, one person has a bye week. The bye week rotates. Cappy is currently on her bye week for ANOTHER league, but since our league only has four people, we play each other constantly. I faced Cappy last week and I beat her, since my team scored 162.8 points, while hers only scored 90.7. there were a lot of games last week, so that's why there were so many points... my current status is 73.6 vs. my opponent's 54.1, and there are three days remaining for us to score points (friday's games, saturday's games, and sunday's games). then, i will face a new opponent for the next week.

i hope my NOT brief explanation of fantasy hockey helped you! it was super fun to type this out. i may be wrong about some things, but this is the way iiiiiii understand ESPN Fantasy Hockey, and i'm just a girl who has literally never participated in fantasy sports before <3

[scotianostra]

On 13th August 1867 William Craigie, the Scottish lexicographer, was born.

Isn’t it funny that us Scots started some of the most famous English establishments, like William Paterson who gave them The Bank of England, then Professor James Murray, the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1879 until his death.

And we come to today’s subject, Sir William Craigie, a Scotsman from Dundee he was the third editor of the what is now commonly referred to as the ‘Oxford Dictionary’ or the ‘Oxford English Dictionary’(OED). He was editor of it for over 30 years.

It wasn’t always the English words for oor William though, born the youngest son of James Craigie and Christina Gow, William Craigie spent his formative years in his birth town of Dundee where, under the tutelage of his grandfather and older brother, he was introduced to Scottish Gaelic. This early taste of insular languages instilled in Craigie a passion that would endure for the rest of his lifetime. During his time studying at the West End Academy, Dundee, he began voraciously consuming the works of the early Scottish “Makars” – Robert Henryson, William Dunbar and Gavin Douglas – who would later become known among literary critics as the Scots Chaucerians for their role as the founding fathers of Scots literature.

As well as studying at St Andrews and Balliol College Oxford, where he learnt German, French, Danish and Icelandic, Craigie found himself at the University of Copenhagen where he added Medieval and Modern Icelandic to his ever-increasing list of languages.

Come 1897 Craigie’s lexicographical career began to take flight when the editorial board of the Philological Society’s New English Dictionary (soon to become the OED) were desperate to find a third Editor and Craigie’s name was put forward as a potential candidate. When Craigie received the fateful letter inviting him to work on the Dictionary on a trial basis; he was so keen, he even postponed his honeymoon with his newly wedded wife, Jessie Kinmond, to take up the position alongside the aforementioned James Murray, so you now had two Scots at the head of putting together the greatest collection of English words ever undertaken!

Let’s not forget, while he was employed full time on the English dictionary, Craigie continued with his other passion, A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (DOST) and in 1907, gave a lecture in Dundee on the action necessary to involve local people in collecting ‘Scots words, ballads, legends, and traditions still current’. The DOST was compiled over the following 8 decades and covers the language of Scotland from its earliest beginnings up to 1700. DOST has over 50,000 separate entries with over 581,000 illustrative quotations, and the 12 large printed volumes contain a total of 8,104 pages.

The print edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was once a constant companion to students, academics and writers across the English-speaking world. The Internet has now replaced it, but in it's day it was a priceless item, maybe not the OED, as it is known, but I think most households had a print edition dictionary, ours was used both for our homework from school, and many many games of scrabble, it certainly helped me understand the meanings of words and how they are spelled.

[sophsicle]

I feel (fear?) that you are the only person I can come to with this question. I have recently become enamored with hockey. I followed KYD and also read quite a few books you recommended (Thrown Off the Ice, my beloved ❤️), and so I got hooked. I’m watching random games and loving it and learning so much. However…the problem is…I need a team. I have no connection to hockey whatsoever, and there isn’t even a team in my state (I’m sorry to tell you I’m *cough* north american all lowercase *cough*). I want a team to root for, but I don’t want to pick something ~obvious~ because I don’t want to feel so bandwagony, but also I want a fun team with players I can both root for and swoon over (I’m only human). Ugh, I’m just lost. Help. If you were starting from scratch with no loyalties, who would choose?!?

hmmmmm interesting

I feel like I might go for the Canucks? like, wholesome captain Quinn Hughes who loves his brothers, constantly looks confused or afraid (which is very relatable 2 me personally) and is also a stellar hockey player, plus they're like sort of the underdog that's rising up out of the ashes of years of hardship doing way better than anyone thought, and while i don't think they'll win it this year, I feel like they have the potential to be stanley cup contenders in the future so cheering for them will not break your soul,

I'll throw the habs (the montreal canadians) in there because i love them so i gotta, no one believes in them right now but they're also not doing as bad as people thought they would, and you have Cole Caulfield who is tiny and smiley and jumps on his teammates and his best friend Nick Suzuki who is two years older than him and yet acts like his dad (i can fully see nick putting a leash on cole just so he doesn't get lost when they go out), they are kind of in a rebuild but the dream is that over the next few years they will just be getting better and better, there's potential is what i'm trying to say!

im partial to the Avs too (colorado Avalanche) because Nate MacKinnon is just a lil boy who is trying so so hard always and is full of self doubt and anxiety (which, again, very relatable 2 me), and also Cale Makar who is like a mathlete who can fuck you up

these are the teams currently coming to mind!

[laughingsour]

Wind’s father figures.

Okay, this is definitely one fic I gotta write when I finish my current one for One Piece:

Before meeting the Chain, Wind has had a total of three people he's considered his dad.

Everyone talks about Linebeck and how he's Wind dad even if he won't admit it, so for now I'll leave him be and focus on the other two.

-First it was his birth father that tragically died when he was 5. He was a famous cartographer from whom Wind inherited his love for the sea and navigation skills.

-Wind's father would tell him the legend of the Hero of Time himself and other stories about his journeys across the Great Sea while they would both stare longingly at the waves.

-When Wind was born, he stopped sailing for some time because he was afriad of leaving his family alone if something happened to him. But when Wind's mother got pregnant with Aryll, the family was suddenly in need of more money.

-It was then that someone offered Wind's father a huge sum for drawing a map to locate the infamous ghost ship of the Great Sea. He took the job because the money would be enough for the family, but he'd have to lie to say he wasn't happy to get back on the waves one more time.

-Wind's father was able to complete the map and even discovered what was the supposed treasure in it's cargo. But before he could tell anyone, he mysteriously died and his map dissappeared.

-Since the map was nowhere to be found, the rich man who commissioned him refused to pay his familiy. This is one of the reasons Wind started to embrace the pirate's life while sailing the Great Sea.

-Wind's mom died when she gave birth to Aryll and so her two children were left to be raised by their grandma.

-During Wind Waker, Wind bonds with the King of Red Lions/King Daphnes

-I imagine King Daphnes as an opposite to King Roahm, but just as tragic and unintentionally harmfull. While Roahm didn't make sure to let Zelda know that he was in her corner, Daphnes innocently put too much pressure in Wind by remaining supportive, but still placing all his hopes in him.

-Think of Shifu's line to Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda, "I loved you too much to realize what I was turning you into. I'm sorry."

-King Daphnes is not only is the first to believe that Wind has the makings of a Hero, he remains his biggest supporter through their journey.

-King Daphnes is the one who teaches Wind how to navigate and sail and Wind is ecstatic to find out he inherited his father's skills as a natural navigator and cartographer.

-He also encourages Wind to explore the Great Sea as he's wanted to his entire life, on the basis that it'll help him become strong enough to face Ganondorf. More importantly though, Daphnes just wants Wind to be as much of a kid as he can be in their situation.

-It's not long before they start to see each other as father and son. Daphnes tells him that, even if the gods thought otherwise, to him he would always be as brave and heroic as any old legend and that he's proud no matter what happens.

-This does become a problem because Daphnes has such belief and pride in Wind that he fails to realize in how much danger he's dragging his boy into. A brave boy, yes. But still a boy who shouldn't have to fight a man's battle.

-Because of that, he never stops to think about persuading Wind to stop and let an adult handle it. Wind would've refused of course, but that conversation between them never happens.

-It's not until Wind's friends start to be chosen one by one to fullfill their duties as Princess and Sages that Wind starts to question Daphnes and the kingdom's importance.

-Makar becoming a Sage is the last straw for Wind and he and Daphnes have a terrible disagreement. In the end, Wind tells Daphnes that he'll keep fighting to save his friends but that he was a fool for getting attached to someone who's just using him.

-That serves as a wake-up call to Daphnes to what he's doing and he starts to wonder if this world would be better off without Hyrule.

-Wind not only discovers his father's ghost ship map but also manages to hunt the ship down and recover the treasure aboard: A piece of the Triforce. He still doesn't find out what truly happened to his father but he's glad that his final work wasn't for nothing in the end.

-His expirience aboard the ship leaves him very shaken, but he still refuses to speak or listen to Daphnes unless necessary.

-When Wind gets appointed as the new Hero Spirit before descending to Hyrule again, Wind no longer feels as excited as he thought he would be in that moment.

-When Daphnes wishes for Hyrule to be drowned, part of him wants to come with Wind to keep raising his boy, if he'll have him. But the other is too weighted down by regret over failing his kingdom before and his son in the present.

-To this day, Wind is still guilt-ridden over saying Daphnes never cared for him. He'd give anything to be able to take it back.

-Wind is very much aware that Daphnes put him and his loved ones in danger and he's conflicted on why he chose to stay to drown. But he can't find it in him to stop missing the King or loving him.

[theenemyod]

go into deep ramble about why your current favorite character is your favorite character

(OBVIOUSLY NOT FORCED 😋 only if you want)

Fave character is Alex Strike from Magisterium

I don't really know. Aaron was my fave for ages and he's still up their (probably betrayed as fuck that my new fave is his murderer) but I can give a few unorganised bullet points

The concept of the Devoured of Chaos could be really interesting if tgt didn't fuck it up

how he spent so long trying to become like Constantine

Also him compared to Call as a really fucking good opposite

Like Call trying so hard after finding out he has Constantine's soul to be like Constantine while Alex is trying so hard to be like Constantine/be Constantine

Him and Drew

Just random headcanons about him that can make him slightly more human

IF THE SILVER MASK HAD DONE THINGS FUCKING WELL

(tsm remains my fave book because I can fix it. Not because it's done well)

I can project onto him a bunch. transmasc headcanons.

I too would do all that for attention

"Call called on everything he'd ever learned about the soul tap and sent his concentration spinning towards Alex. He could see Alex's soul, the glow and light of it, no longer blackened with chaos. He felt it, almost as though he held it in his hands, pulsing and sparking, wrapped around with cords of hate, ambition, and pain. Call could see the kid who had liked being popular, who liked being Master Rufus's assistant, but who felt like it was never enough. He saw the kid who had crafted elaborate illusions out of movies, weaving in his friends and himself, always himself -- as the winner, the victor, the person who got everything in the end. Call saw the part of Alex that had felt bereft when his father died, abandoned to a woman with her own agenda, her own obsession. He saw his ambition grow and bloom and twist. Saw his hatred of Call, his resentment, his desire to be the winner. Call saw all of that, saw Alex's soul, whole and human and flawed."

THAT PARAGRAPH

HOLY FUCKINF SHIT THAT I HATE TGT BUT THAT FUCKINH BIT

his and josephs relationship like him trying so hard to impress joseph and joseph just wont have it jospeh does not see him as any good

" "If you can't find Drew's soul, then you must not be much of a Makar" he heard Master Joseph say from the other side of the door "Perhaps you should be the vessel for Drew's return. Perhaps Callum Hunt can push Drew's soul in and your soul out" // "I'm a Makar," Alex whined. "You can't do that." " ... " "your powers are stolen and you are inferior" Master Joseph said, his voice thich with rage. "You were never meant to wield chaos magic." // "I can do this," Alex said. "I can!" There was a scraping noise. "Just give me some room to work." "

That bit

actually there are a lot of tsm moments

"I ought to be Constantine" who tf uses the word "ought" bitch

I too would be pissed off if someone exploded a stoat on me tbh

emo boy

he is 100% an MCR fan okay

cannot stand Call for five seconds

That one picture in tsm WHY ARE YOU SITTING LIKE THAT

what is an evil overlord-y look I wanna see it

He did a lot of it for attention and honestly if you're gonna go that far for attention I think you deserve to get some

I could fix chaos devoured him. Not in a "I could fix him I could make him a good person" way in a "I could make this way more in character and work better as a plot point" way

I have way too many of his lines memorised and idk why. Why do I need this shit playing on loop in my head wtf

[jimothystu]

Talk Hockey To Me

Tagged by @david-reinbacher - thank you Alek!!

1. The thing that got you hooked on hockey

So I was kind of assimilated into the hockey world through Blue Jays moots (ty <3), and it was a slow progression for me to 1) start watching 2) pick teams I liked and 3) regularly watch. BUT what really made me be like holy fuck was the final game for the Habs in the 2021/2022 season where they had 10 goals and Cole got his first hattie and people chanted Guy's name. That was insane and just gave me chills the entire time.

2. Your first ever fandom friend

Like I said, I was assimilated through Blue Jays moots, so all of them!! But probably specifically @donttelltheelff <3

3. The jersey you would most like to own

I'd love any jersey tbh. They're so expensive and I have none - so any for my favourite players would be great.

4. YOUR player (you only get ONE so choose wisely)

Jimmy Stu. James. Timmy. The wettest rag in the league. My beloved floppy piece of bread.

5. A pairing that deserves more fic

There are a lot in my humble opinion. Juraj Slafkovsky/Arber Xhekaj, Cole Caufield/Nick Suzuki, Thomas Chabot/Josh Norris (though Jeh and I have been going a lil crazy with them lately...), Quinn Hughes/Josh Norris.

6. Your favourite on-ice moment

When G got his 1000th career point and the entire Sens bench went onto the ice to hug him mid game!!!!!! Vibes per 60 were through the roof!

THEN

link someone else's art/fic/etc that you love & think everyone should check out

Anything @canadian-as-puck writes for Chabs and Josh! These fics keep me sane.

AND

link something you made & are proud of & want people to see

Honestly 99% of the fics I've written the last sixish months have been ones I'm really proud of and loved writing and rereading. But here are my top 5:

Intoxicated: Tim Stutzle/Brady Tkachuk; silly fic where Timmy's high and drunk and can only speak German

Don't break the dam or you might drown in the current: Tim Stutzle/Brady Tkachuk; my longest single chapter fic in which the weight of being the Sens captain finally gets to Brady

You don't go to parties anymore: Thomas Chabot/Josh Norris; Josh stops going to Thomas's house parties and Thomas is desperate to know why

Desperate times call for desperate measures: Tim Stutzle/Brady Tkachuk; Brady's an idiot and has to win Timmy back after not realizing they were dating

Do's and Don't's: Tim Stutzle/Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot/Josh Norris; G is sick of their pda

Tagging @donttelltheelff @canadian-as-puck @gordiemeow @graves-makar @may-the-puck-be-with-you @kylesdubas @lam-ila - no pressure + sorry if you don't wanna do it!!

[thenhlteaissuperhot]

Honestly this all star roster is the reason I think fan voting shouldn’t exist or should at least have a limited number of players per team that could join. There’s no way 9 players being from only two diff teams is fair. And who tf voted for georgiev!!!!

I am all in for the fan voting because the results usually reflect, who the fans want to see there outside of those, who had already been chosen by the league, but for heaven's sake, make limitations on how many players from each team can come.

As hot as Vancouver is this year, no one (outside of the Canucks fans) wants to see five of them there. Why are we filling five damn spots with players from a team that is nowhere near the most popular in the league? Why are we filling five spots with one team, to begin with?

I can, to a certain point, understand why there are four Maple Leafs since it is going to be held in Toronto (as much as I love him, I don't understand why Morgan was the 4th one "voted in"), but there should be maximum of three players representing a single team, no more than that.

If it was up to me - choosing those 44 players out of 32 teams, those eight allowed goalies are in italics:

Anaheim Ducks - Vatrano and Dostal

Vatrano leads the Ducks in points, it's understandable, and Dostal deserves it for the insane performances he has been putting out lately.

Honorable mention to McTavish.

Arizona Coyotes - Ingram and Keller

Another goalie, whose success the league and fans ignore.

Boston Bruins - Pastrnak, Marchand, and Swayman

This trio has everything - character, skill, popularity. Like Marchand or not, you have to admit that the content he creates for the camera is elite. Exactly what an All-Star Game needs.

And also, let's have the Toronto crowd go nuts because of three lone Bruins.

Buffalo Sabres - Dahlin

Calgary Flames - Lindholm

Carolina Hurricanes - Aho

Chicago Blackhawks - Mrazek (because Bedard is out with the operated jaw)

The only other player on the Blackhawks roster, who is worth watching. A legend.

Colorado Avalanche - McKinnon and Makar

Columbus Blue Jackets - Fantilli

Who on earth picked Boone Jenner over Fantilli?

Dallas Stars - Robertson and Oettinger

Detroit Red Wings - DeBrincat

Edmonton - McDavid and Draisaitl

Honorable mention to Hyman. I put Draisaitl there because I am biased as hell and because he is the most underrated jokester in the league.

Florida Panthers - Reinhart

Los Angeles Kings - Doughty

We need those defensemen and everyone knows Doughty. He is a funny guy and he is doing decent this season.

Minnesota Wild - Kaprizov

Montreal Canadians - Slafkovsky

He is always a hot topic, he is a comedian, great personality, shove him in there.

Nashville Predators - Forsberg and Josi

New Jersey Devils - Jack and Luke Hughes

New York Islanders - Barzal

I frankly know the bare minimum about the current state of the Islanders, so Barzal it is.

New York Rangers - Fox and Shesterkin

Ottawa Senators - Stützle

Why is it always Tkachuk? Why not switch it up a bit? Tim is leading the stats in Ottawa, has ridiculous 30+ assists, he is a funny likable guy... Let's boost the Germans in the league and have him and Draisaitl interact properly.

Philadelphia Flyers - Konecny

Pittsburgh Penguins - Crosby

Seattle Kraken - Dunn

The guy is leading the points in that team as a defenseman, he is a total social media catch lately, why isn't he on there? Why haven't the Seattle fans and his girlies voted for him?

St. Louis Blues - Thomas

Tampa Bay Lightning - Kucherov

Toronto Maple Leafs - Matthews, Marner, and Nylander

Gotta make the home audience happy.

Vancouver Canucks - Hughes and Demko

Pettersson was on here for a while too, he definitely deserves the spot, but we don't have enough space on here.

Vegas Golden Knights - Eichel

Washington Capitals - Wilson

Winnipeg Jets - Hellebyuck

Me, reading this list.

[avalanchesumich]

mastermind! au

november 8

cameron picked at her nails nervously as she sat on her bed, her laptop open in front of her. her mouse had been hovering over the join call for about three minutes.

it was time for the weekly family video call. normally, cam looks forward to it, as everyone’s always away from each other, but currently, she was dreading it. she was about to tell them she has a boyfriend.

taking a deep breath, she finally joined the call, a smile involuntarily forming as she saw the four faces she missed.

“it’s about time,” taylor tsked. “four o’clock our time, cameron. can’t be slipping up now after being the picture perfect princess for eighteen years.”

“oh, shut up,” cam rolled her eyes, laughing at him. “how is everyone?”

“we’re good honey,” gary makar answered for him and his wife.

“good over here too,” cale added in.

“yeah, same,” taylor nodded. “cammy you good?”

“yeah,” cam nodded, scrunching her nose at the nickname. she’d always hated it.

“so tell me,” laura makar told her kids. “what’s new this week? and what’s everyone got planned?”

“it’s been good,” cale said, shrugging. “just busy with practicing and stuff

“yeah, same,” taylor agreed. “just busy with school and hockey.”

noticing his daughter’s quietness, gary furrowed his brows. she was usually the first to speak up, always excited about something. “cam honey, what about you? everything alright?”

“yeah, yeah, everything’s good,” cam nodded. “i have to tell you guys something though. please don’t be upset,” she said the last part quietly and directed it to her older brothers, who had a knack for overprotectiveness after her senior year of high school.

“cameron what’s going on?” cale demanded, worried. “are you okay?”

“yeah, i’m good,” cam rushed out. “i have a boyfriend.”

laura was the first to react, grinning ear to ear. “you do?” she asked excitedly. “that’s so lovely, sweetheart! tell us everything?”

“can he fight?” taylor blurted.

“probably,” cam mumbled, her eyes darting away from the computer to her wall, where a picture of her and gabe was taped up. “um, his name is gabe. he’s on the hockey team.”

“you’re dating a hockey player?” cale asked. when she nodded, he shook his head in disagreement. “i think that’s a bad idea, cam.”

“i think you don’t even know him,” cam snapped back unintentionally, upset he’s already disapproving the relationship. he hasn’t even met the guy.

“guys,” gary warned. “don’t fight. not now,” he demanded. “cam, i think this is nice. me and your mother will have to come up and visit soon so we can meet him.”

“yeah, i’ll be doing that too,” taylor grumbled. “so, he’s on the team?”

“he is,” cam nodded in confirmation. “if you do visit, please tell me; especially you, tay. i will not spring a family meeting on him.”

“how’d you even meet him?” cale asked sharply.

“we met at school,” cam dumbed down the story, knowing cale won’t be having any of it no matter what she says. “i know what you’re thinking, cale. he’s not like that. gabe is not like him.”

“you can’t be too sure,” cale said dismissively.

“i am sure,” cam whispered. “can’t you be happy for me, cale?”

“not if it’s going to get you hurt in the end,” cale denied immediately. “you’re my baby sister, cam. i won’t sit around and watch you get hurt over another boy like that,” he added on. “and he’s a hockey player; he isn’t good news.”

“you’re a hockey player,” cam defends her boyfriend. “taylor’s a hockey player. your argument is poor.”

“yeah, we are hockey players, that’s why i know that he’s no good for you. you deserve a better guy than that.”

cam opened her mouth to argue back, but there was a knock on the door, and gabe came in. he smiled at her as soon as she made eye contact, but his smile dropped as soon as he recognized the look in her eyes.

“whatever, cale,” she mumbled. “i have to go. love you guys.”

with that she ended the call, not waiting for anyone to respond. she closed her laptop and pushed it to the end of her bed. she looked up at gabe once again, a relieved smile falling on her lips.

“hi,” she whispered, watching as her boyfriend came and stood by the edge of her bed.

“hi,” her parroted. he watched as she moved to the edge, her legs hanging off her bed. he stepped between them, placing his hands on her knees. “is everything okay?”

“yeah,” she shrugged. “i don’t know about you, but i am hungry.”

“oh yeah?” gabe laughed. “and what would you like to eat, pretty girl?”

cam sent him the sweetest, most innocent smile she could. “chipotle?”

“you and your goddamn burritos,” gabe playfully rolled his eyes. he patted her knee. “let’s go.”

cam grinned and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in. “thank you,” she giggled as his arms came around her waist, lifting her off the bed. her legs wrapped around his waist as he started to walk.

“yeah, yeah,” gabe playfully rolled his eyes, walking them over to ger closet, where her shoes were. “you okay? you seemed pretty tense when i came in.”

“uh yeah,” cam nodded when gabe set her on her feet. “i told my family about you. they wanna meet you.”

“oh,” gabe nodded, his heart rate picking up. “when?”

“i don’t know,” cam shrugged, kneeling down to put her shoes on. “my parents said they’d visit soon. so did taylor, so soon i guess,” she stood straight and noticed how tense he’d gotten. “hey, don’t worry. they’ll love you,” cam leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “and i’d never let them ambush you. you’ll have full warning of them coming here, i promise.”

“right,” gabe said quietly, clearing his throat. he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “well, we should go and get dinner, yeah?”

cam nodded and smiled softly, grabbing his hand, allowing him to lead her out.

[scoringeffects]

Potentially fun question if you’re interested. Since you’ve garnered a few ships since last season, what is your favourite moment of each of them? + a little explanation on why those moments stand out to you the most

DELIGHTFUL QUESTION. okay.

sidclaude and in one of their fights/skirmishes (i think it was like the 2012 playoffs or smth?) claude stabs at the C on sids chest and its soooooo like claude told the world and god at large that sid was a dirty player bc he cheated on the faceoff and broke his wrists and sid had his whole 'i dont like anyone on that team' and it was claude's first year w an A and there was just so much animosity between them there likee

knieswoll is whenever someone touches joe knies Will mow them down. something about attack dogs and their owners something else about a knight and a prince. also the way that any time one of them was spotted in the offseason the other was right there w him. i would say goalie hugs too but im certain that every current leaf is half in love with him so im not too sure of thats special to them

natejo ahve so freaking many but by a narrow margin its when nate says jo is his favourite teammate ever in his hart interview like he talks about his current teammates guys he won the cup with who hes been playing with for yonks (cale, mikko, gabe) and past teammates with whom he had a very public i love him so much hes my boybestfriendship hold on What do you mean youre replacing him with the spoils of our worst season to date cale makar (tyson barrie) And then goes on to say that noted bust, walked to free agency by his hometown team, 'tampa won the segachev-drouin trade' jonathan drouin is his favourite teammate ever? nateeee. (runner up was that team north america lockerroom interview.)

connorleon is also kinda difficult bc every two weeks they'll do a presser and say words types of words normally reserved for a proposal about each other but maybe the way that after every win of last season's playoffs connor tucked his head into leons neck And then in wedding video thing was found doing the exact same thing w lauren. Normal about this. also certainly bc i reblogged it the other day but that one moment from leons first asg where connor kinda jokingly asks who do you think is gonna win :) and leon very seriously says You, always. Okay buddy. honorable ride or die mention. honorable mention to when the leon extention dropped everyone breathed a second sigh of relief because it means that connor's also going to stay on for the rest of time like noone really believed it when they both were like we want to win in edmonton and with each other until leon signed bc of course that means connor will sign Like what exactly do you mean its more believable that they want to play with eachother than they want to stay on the only team theyve ever known

not a specific moment for bradytim but rather the way timmy is so territorial over brady? girl thats your team captain

sidnate: NHL All-Star 2024.

[princesstillyenna]

Anonify the already anon: Hope you’re feeling better *hugs*

GC q(s), if they aren’t too spoilerly:

Are there any members who aren’t currently together that you believe are end game?

Is sweet bby Spence like Tbear where he’ll find his person outside of the GC?

Will Matty find his own nesting partner?

Thanks for the question Anon. I had to uh, not answer it as an ask because I wanted to delete part of it.... :D because it WAS spoilery. Maybe. idk... I. D. K it for sure alluded to a pairing that I haven't confirmed in the GCU yet... but which I might confirm in the next chapter. So, a huge part of the answer here comes down to I DON'T PLAN THIS SHIT. Like, I really really don't. If you go back and read the GC tumblr posts you can see me at the start being like "This is never ever ever going to have mattdrai in it because it is NOT a mattdrai world" and then those fuckers just fucking DID THAT TO ME Jeff and Eric were supposed to be endgame and then REAL LIFE ERIC STAAL RUINED MY PLANS which isn't even the most homophobic thing he's ever done. So I try not to be like "this person is gonna be endgame with this person" because I just can't. They will ruin it for me, I know they will. I'm trying to think if there are any pairings that it could be, and honestly, I don't think there are. We're getting progress on Clouder's romantic life in the next chapter though, I've written loads of that :D I'm a huge fan of sweet baby spence kind of, sorting himself out before he looks outwards, and so is he. He is hundo P in his healing era right now and WE STAN OK. WE FUCKING STAN. BUT... there is progress for sweet baby spence (that's his name now I don't make the rules) which I will share in terms of a snippet at the end here. Also, Matty isn't LOOKING for a nesting partner rn, because he lives with Spencer. And he likes living with Spencer and he likes that Spencer has someone to live with. It's important for both of them. If we could sit Matthew down and explain to him that romantic relationships and platonic relationships actually can function pretty much the same he'd probably realise that right now, as he is, spencer is his nesting partner and he doesn't think he's his FOREVER nesting partner, but he is for sure his right now nesting partner.

Ok, have a little snippet of our two favourite fanfic nerds chatting about writing fanfic:

Makar: But for sure if you need me to have a look over stuff, send it to me! I’m not super good at grammar and things but I can have a look.

Makar: What pairing is it?

Knighter: Oh. It’s gen.

Makar: AH AH HA HA HA HA look at me, so obsessed with shipping my teammates with each other that for a moment I lived in a world where gen fic didn’t exist.

Makar: Is it about you?

Knighter: Uh no. It’s about Sid? Which, omg feels so weird to say. Like, I’ve never spoken to him, I think he’d hate me for it.

Makar: I feel he’d mind less about gen fic than slash stuff, it’s just the slash stuff with geno that upsets him

Makar: But don’t feel bad about writing about people we know lol

Makar: I’ve literally written fic about my boyfriend railing his best friend sooooooooo

Knighter: OMG does he KNOW?

Makar: Yup.

Knighter: Can I be you when I grow up?

[matthewkniesys]

how they meet - cale makar

                     ✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧lucky number 8 au✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧      

a/n: This short fic is apart of the lucky number 8 au with cale makar. It’s the story of how Cale and Addison meet. There isn’t any romance in it yet because when they meet they are purely platonic friends!! The link for the au navigation is just above this authors note! Hope everyone enjoys this🫶             

pairing: cale makar x oc!addison blakely

warnings: some cursing, partying and a shitty boyfriend (not cale)

Before uni Addison never thought parties were her scene but when she got here she realised how wrong she was. She loves getting together with her friends and getting dressed up. She loves the atmosphere and being around all the people. She even met her current boyfriend, Connor, at a party.  

The one thing she hated though, was seeing people who looked like they weren’t having a good time at these parties. When people were just standing to the side she couldn’t resist the urge to reach out to them and invite them to join in. And that is exactly how she met Cale.

On this particular Friday night she was at a frat party with her boyfriend and 2 best friends. She offered to go get drinks for everyone and when she got in the kitchen she found a guy hanging out there all by himself. In typical very extroverted, Addison fashion she walks right over to him and introduces herself.

“Hi, I’m Addison. I’ve never seen you around. What’s your name?”

The boy tentatively lifts his gaze from his cup to around Addison’s collarbones. At first shes a little creeped out but then after a second she realises he’s actually looking at her necklace. It’s weird nobody really ever notices the simple silver chain with the number 8 pendant. He looks at her for a moment, then quietly he says, “Hi. I’m Cale.”

“ Is it Cale as in the vegetable?”

“Well yeah I guess, except it’s a C instead of a K.”

“I haven’t seen you anywhere. What’s your major?”

“Sports management,” Is all Cale says.

“Sounds fun. I know a lot of athletes pick that. Are you on any sports teams?”

“Hockey. I play for the hockey team.”

“Cool. I’m really looking forward to going to my first hockey game when the season starts. I don’t really understand anything about the game, though.”

“It’s not all the complicated. I can explain it to you right now.” Addison knows she should probably get back to her friends but the way Cale’s face lights up when he starts talking about hockey makes her want listen to him spew random facts about it all night long. 

He starts explaining and Addison starts really getting into it. Plus it seems as though Cale can make her laugh without even trying. All thoughts of the drinks and returning to her friends are long gone.

“My friend, Avery, her childhood best friend plays on the hockey team. His name is Alex.” Addison says. 

“Yeah, me and Alex are really good friends. He’s actually my roommate.”

“From the few times I’ve met him he seems really chill. And now that I think about it Avery may have mentioned you a few times.”

“He is. He’s a good guy. Is this leading to you asking me to set you up on a date with him?” Cale asks, questioningly.

“Oh gosh no. I actually have a boyfriend.”

“Oh,” Is all Cale says and Addison thinks she’s sees his face fall for the briefest second but then it’s back to smiling Cale. She must have just imagined it.

"Speaking of my boyfriend there he is right now," Addison is looking past Cale and when Cale looks over his shoulder he finds a very tall frat boy looking insanely pissed off.

"Y/n, did you forget about us? Who is this guy, anyways?" Addison's face falls when she hears the accusing tone in Connor's voice."

Addison huffs out a sigh. "Connor, stop looking at my like I'm fucking cheating on you. I came to the kitchen to get drinks but then I saw him," Addison points at Cale, "and he was alone so I wanted to make sure he was good but then we started talking about random shit and I got distracted. Get over yourself, I'm allowed to talk to other guys if I want too, so just chill out."

"You literally said you'd be back in 5 minutes and it's 2 fucking hours later. Of course my mind went to the thought that you'd be cheating."

"I feel like I've never given you a reason not to trust me so yeah I feel like your mind shouldn't automatically go to I'm cheating on you."

"Okay, okay whatever Addison. I'm sorry, can we just go now?" Addison glances over to where Cale has been silently been watching this exchange with a frown on his face.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go, but just drop me off at my place tonight." Addison can tell Connor wants to argue, probably make another shitty stab at her about cheating, but he's able to hold himself back and for that she's grateful.

"I'm just gonna go to the bathroom so go grab your coat." Connor walks off to the washroom leaving Addison and Cale in the kitchen.

"Addison, I don't want to overstep since I just met you but you know that isn't healthy, right? Like it's not okay for him to say shit like that." Cale looks at Addison with sad eyes.

And Addison did know that but when Connor was there for her he made her feel so happy. She refuses to let him make her feel bad about herself because she knows her self worth but he's her first boyfriend and she isn't sure what to do. He's comfortable and Addison knows she can fall back on him and she's scared of losing that predictability.

"I appreciate your concern but I'm gonna head out now."

He looks at you for a moment then says, "Here, at least let me give you my number. Text me if you ever need to talk. I usually don't do this but I also don't usually talk to strangers in the middle of some kitchen at a party so..."

She smiles at him, pulling out her phone to put in his number. Little did Addison know that Cale would become the most important person in her life. The one that would always be there for her. The one who shares the same lucky number as her. The one that would be her forever and always.

thanks for reading 🫶

taglist: @woodruff-edwards​ @nicohischierz​ @boldysswld​ @cobrakaisb​ @makarhughes @huggy-hischier94

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[flamestv]

mw houses and fcs?

currently,   i   would   love   to   see   some   of   the   great   houses   filled   up.   there   are   plenty   of   positions   open   in   house   martell,   house   greyjoy,   house   stark,   house   tyrell,   house   baratheon,   and   houses   lannister   and   arryn.   if   you   aren't   inclined   towards   great   houses,   i   think   having   house   darklyn,   house   royce,   house   reyne,   house   harlaw,   house   goodbrother,   house   karstark,   house   frey,   and   houses   blackwood   and   bracken   would   be   my   picks   due   to   their   potential   plot   involvement.   as   for   fcs,   i   want   to   see   emilia   clarke,   clinton   liberty ( !!! ),   sonoya   mizuno,   tom   glynn   -   carney,   steve   toussaint,   phia   saban,   gayle   rankin,   kit   harington,   kiowa   gordon,   lauren   ridloff,   ana   de   armas,   bruna   marquezine,   alfonso   herrera,   archie   renaux,   baifern   pimchanok,   bie   thassapak   hsu ( a dollar for whoever brings him as the spare ),   brian   altemus,   chienna   filomeno,   chris   evans,   chris   messina,   damla   makar,   daniel   sharman,   ewan   mitchell,   gong   jun,   gong   yoo,   han   sohee,   havana   rose   liu,   henry   cavill,   idris   elba,   jessie   mei   li,   amanda   obdam,   jane   de   leon,   jeremy   pope,   jessica   chastain,   jessica   henwick,   jonathan   bailey,   kathryn   bernardo,   keith   powers,   kylie   verzosa,   laura   harrier,   lee   sunbin,   leo   suter,   linn   mashannoad,   lucien   laviscount,   margot   robbie,   mehmet   gunsur,   mint   rachrawee,   moodka   narinrak,   nathalie   kelley,   ni   ni,   ozge   yagiz,   pat   chayanit,   prang   kannarun,   regé   jean   -   page,   richard   madden,   samantha   logan,   shay   mitchell,   sobhita   dhulipala,   valerie   thomas,   varada   sethu,   win   metawin,   wawwa   nicha,   yara   shahidi,   aditi   rao   hydari,   abbie   hern,   tessa   thompson,   tati   gabrielle,   manny   jacinto,   ben   barnes,   pedro   pascal,   khadija   red   thunder,   marina   ruy   barbosa,   ryan   corr,   michael   b.   jordan,   savannah   lee   smith,   and   jacob   anderson!

[subir-astrologer]

CAN START A BUSINESS OR CONTINUE WITH THE JOB AS PER ASTROLOGY, A CASE STUDY

The native wants to know if he can start a business or continue with the job as per Vedic astrology of his horoscope.

Based on the given birth details DOB 30-10-1987 at 4:06 PM in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India and the analysis is done as per KP Vedic astrology padhatti / system.

The plotted horoscope shows meen lagna / pisces ascendant with rahu n Jupiter in 1st house, mars n ketu in 7th house, mercury n sun in 8th house, venus n Saturn in 9th house and moon in 11th house.

The moon is in Shravan nakshatra in makar rashi / moon in Capricorn sign and the current ruling mahadasha is Jupiter.

In order to learn if the native can start a business or continue with the job as per his horoscope, one need to study the 7th and 10th cuspal sublord. The study of the current ruling mahadasha will reveal how the dasha lords are going to give their results on the events in the life of the native during their ruling periods.

From the horoscope the 7th cuspal sublord is rahu and its signifying 1,2,7,9,10 and 12th in the planet level, Saturn signifying 9,11 and 12th house in the nakshatra level and mercury signifying 4 and 7th house in the sublord level.

Mercury is in conjunction with sun signifying 6 and 7th house.

The 10th cuspal sublord is mercury signifying 4 and 7th house in the planet level, rahu signifying 1,2,7,9,10 and 12th in the sublord level and venus strongly signifying 3 and 8th house in the sub sublord level.

Mercury is in conjunction with sun signifying 6 and 7th house.

The current ruling mahadasha is Jupiter and its signifying 1 and 10th house in the planet level, mercury signifying 4 and 7th house in the nakshatra level and Saturn signifying 9,11 and 12th house in the sublord level.

Mercury is in conjunction with sun signifying 6 and 7th house.

From the analysis I conclude that the native is very much interested in doing business but it is not promise in the horoscope and so he should think twice before jumping into it.