Photo Credit: The Flyers
A 21-year-old young man and Jamie Drysdale was just hanging out with the guys when he got a call from Anaheim Dodge general manager Pat for beak stating that he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. He went from looking forward to putting his injury woes behind him (Torn Labrum and a lower body injury), to altering his entire life, “My mind was kind of in a blender, didn’t see it coming at all,” Drysdale said.
He’s only 21 years old and he was just traded for the first time in his professional career. Drysdale went from having everything figured out, to a new city, new team, new surroundings, no home at that. Everything was just brand new, all he knew was one of his best friends Cam York. He immediately texted York, to let him know he was traded to the Flyers.
Drysdale finished hanging out with his old teammates, didn’t really sleep back at the hotel, and called a flight at 5:45 in the morning out of Nashville, the head to Philadelphia and meet his new teammates at practice by noon in Voorhees, NJ.
“I mean, I feel like you can’t draw it up better,” Drysdale said following the game against the Montreal Canadiens. “Exciting game, great crowd, great fans. Came out with the win.”
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Fortunately, after the dust settled he recalls some familiar faces, and that was a way for him to integrate much easier with his new teammates, with the likes of Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost, Cam York, and Nic Deslauriers. He will live with York and Carter Hart for the time being, until at least he can figure out another permanent status.
Then came the easiest part, thinking about playing for a hard nurse coached in John Tortorella. Many people said that he was a fair coach, and you know exactly where you stand with him via text messages or phone calls, “People that have actually played for him. I have only heard good things in terms of people that have reached out to me,” Drysdale said. “They said he’s a very honest guy, black and white. You’re never wondering where you’re at with him. He shoots you straight and I feel like that’s all us players can ask for. It’s just to make you better at the end of the day. I’m excited to play for him and learn from him.”
Drysdale made it through morning skate, tried taking a nap to no avail. One of the first things Danny Briere asked him on Monday was if he wanted his parents to be in attendance at his first Flyers game on Wednesday night, to which Drysdale said absolutely. In true Briere fashion and class he made it happen.
It was still a nervous, tough home debut at first for Drysdale personally, “I think it was a mix of butterflies and excitement. Just kind of wondering how it’s gonna go. You hear that Philly’s a great sports city, hockey city. You don’t really know until you actually experience it,” Drysdale said following Wednesday’s game.
Even with that, Drysdale made one hell of a Flyers debut. Lots of Flyers fans had old Ivan Provorov Jersey’s, to which they put a cardboard name plate or paper name plate covering programs name and wrote Drysdale on the name card and taped it up with duct tape. It was something pretty neat, “I haven’t heard a crowd that loud. It’s pretty cool to play in front of them. It was awesome,” Drysdale said.
Jamie, if you thought that was cool, you haven’t seen nothing yet. It will only get better with the fans from here.
