Recap: When last we left our heros they had just secured the ‘cup’ and were putting the final stages of their plan for the draft selection into motion…

At the NHL DRAFT reception, Bettman enters the conference room which is buzzing with activity. He greets a number of NHL executives. Trailing behind are a few interns, who look stressed and tired. Each holding cell phones, as they trade phones back and forth with Bettman, and each other. Murphy stands off to the side, in a waiters outfit. He floats around the room re-filling drinks; never taking his eyes off Bettman.

In an adjoining conference room, Trottier lounges at a table, surrounded by reports. The tall-tales are following like water, as he spots his mark. Pierre was sweating profusely, as he reviewed his script. Trottier walks over to him.

• Trottier: Hey there Pierre, how nice to see you here. I haven’t seen you since the 2003 Draft.

As he shakes his well manicured hand, Pierre stares fixated on Trot’z 1980 Stanley cup ring.

Pierre grew up in New Jersey as an Islander fan, and then when he attended Hobart College, he practiced playing defense by imaging that he was going up against the great Bryan Trottier. When he got the opportunity to work with him as an assistant coach, he couldn’t believe his luck.

• Pierre: Hey Bryan, it’s so good to see you. What brings you into town?
• Trottier: You know, I’m just trying to be you. (friendly laugh) I’m thinking about getting into the broadcast ring. Hey, do you think I can follow you around today? You know, just to observe. You’re one of the best in the business, and it would really help me out.
• Pierre: Well, yeah sure, you can hang around. No problem, let me just let my team know.

Trottier pulls Pierre in for a big hug. “Thanks Pierre”. As he watches Pierre walk over to his production crew, Trottier turns around and walks past an waiting Tocchet. He passes Tocchet the press badge.

Tocchet walks out the room, and hands the pass to Roberts.

Then he sits on a bench in front of the elevator, as Roberts and Stevens enter the elevator.

In the hotel basement, Kasparaitis, Jagr, and Jagr’s brother-in-law Dalek wait by the freight elevator. Jagr looks at his watch, as he hears car tires screech nearby. He sees Paek and Samuelsson walking towards them. Samuelsson paused, as he looks at Dalek.

Jagr: You’re late.
Samuelsson: Come on Jags, this is New York, give me a break. (looking at Dalek) Wow, you really do look like “him.”

The elevator opens and a maid waves them in. Kasparaitis hugs her, and explains to the group that the woman goes to church with his sister.

The elevator doors open on the 22nd floor, and Roberts and Stevens enter. The woman badges to the 35th floor, and lets all the men off. The men head to the restroom, and Paek opens the brief case on the counter. Inside is a single ping pong ball, with the number 12, all over it.

Jagr turns to Dalek, and the two appear to be arguing in Czech.

• Dalek: pořádku! I won’t mess up. Geef me de ball. [He looks in the mirror to fix his suit. Dalek reaches for the briefcase, but Roberts snaps it shut. He looks squarely into Dalek face.
• Roberts: I want you to visualize the ball, the case, the room. Do you have it? (Dalek nods) I want you visualized crowd and the things you will talk about. Do you have it? (Dalek nods again) Now, I want you to visualize what I will do to you if you mess up, because I need to win a cup. This is my one chance, and I will hurt you if you get caught. I WILL make you bleed.

Dalek turtles…

Jagr: Easy Robby. Dalek knows what must be done.

Tocchet calls Murphy, who says Brettman has started the Board of Governors meeting. He then calls Trottier, who informs him that Pierre is currently in make-up. Tocchet gives a thumb up to Stevens, and he pulls Dalek out of the restroom. The men walk to the main conference room, where they are stopped by what appears to be an overly eager hall monitor. She begins to informed them that the room is restricted, but Dalek points at his press badge.

Dalek: Excuse me, don’t you know who I am? I am covering this for CBC, and my good friend President Brettman said I could do a quick intro in the room.

She glances at a grizzly Stevens, as she asks about the lack of cameras. To which Stevens response, by tapping the case.

Dalek: Shall I call Brettman to get clarification?
Patrick: There will be no need for that.

Craig Patrick shakes Stevens hand, then lightly chuckles as he shakes Dalek’s hand.

She let the men pass, but warns that the lottery meeting will be starting in 15 min. Inside, Steven breathes a sigh, and looks at Patrick.

Patrick: Mario figured you may need back up, so he called me. Did you bring the remote?

In the corner is the lottery case and ball machine. Stevens slyly removes the ball from the case, along with a 35mm camera. Stevens works quickly to find and remove the 12 ball, while pretending to take pictures of the room. He hands the case to Dalek, and Dalek slips the remote into Craig’s pocket. The two men then strike up conversation with the other GMs.

He coughs loudly, as he exits the room. He heads down the side stairs, just as Brettman, and his team get off the elevator. Murphy speeds ahead in front of the crowd, then grabs his neck in pain, and falls to the ground.

The pause gives Stevens enough time to get to the stairs, and he calls Dalek to tell him to get out of there.

After many ‘thank yous’ and ‘I’m ok’, Murphy heads back to the elevator, and calls Mario.

Murphy: The switch was made, now it’s up Patrick. Are you at the park?
Mario: I am, I’ll see you later. Head to the meet up location.

In the bathroom, Jagr gets an SOS text from Dalek, who is stuck on another floor, because some CBC and NBC crew are in the stairwell. Kasparaitis calls Shelly the maid for aid. He leaves with Samuelsson and they head back to the freight elevator. They find Dalek hiding behind a plant on the 30th floor. Shelly, smartly, brings a supply cart, which is big enough to shove Dalek into.

They take an elevator to the basement, and find Roberts standing next to an opened, un-mark, white van. The 3 men shove the cart into the van, and hop in.

Mario and Caufield leave the Ranger event and head to the Sheraton hotel. The car sits in the parking garage until Mario gets a phone call.

He sigh and closes his eyes, as he hangs up the phone.

Patrick walks outside the hotel lobby, to an awaiting town car. Inside he shares a toast with Mario and Caufield.

The car heads into the bright New York lights. In the back room of Schiller’s Liquour bar, the rest of the men await Mario’s arrival. They arranged an Apple desk top, in the center of the room. It is set on the NHL network, and it is about to show the drawing, as Mario, Patrick, and Caufield entered the room. Jagr hands Mario a Bourbon, and they both smile at the loud cheers in the air, as the screen shows the #12 ball.

The men hug, laugh, and shake each other. Gary grabs another drink and quietly releases one happy tear.

Paek and Kasper throw Dalek on their shoulders while screaming “Ole Ole”.

Mario quietly disappears into the night, while the gang drink and dance the night away. He has an early tee time with Jordan, and he loves to take his money.

Meanwhile, at a Sears portrait studio, sits a shy 18 year old named Sidney Crosby

El fin.

Special thanks to The Artist for creating the vision.