forever & always.

retirement.

<>owen pov<>

"the show, the nhl, really just in general, hockey. team canada, the olympics, chicago steel, university of michigan, buffalo sabers, detroit red wings, and countless little league teams. thank you. i would say most people don't understand what frozen water and a rubber puck can teach a guy, but im here to say it taught me love, patience, respect, failure, and discipline. i learned discipline after every cross-checking, hooking, fighting, slashing, tripping, and delaying of game that sent me to the box for 2 minutes. respect for players i not only played with, but against. failure, from lost championship games to losing in driveway hockey, i learned that you cant win without failing first. love & patience, the two that i learned mostly through 5 girls. patience, when my wife, katie, & i had our firstborn i was ready to leave that hospital and take her to the rink, but katie scolded me for that. when our triplets were born, i learned more about patience, i learned that the 3am feedings & diaper changes were chaos with 3 babies and 2 adults, but over time we learned a process making the early mornings and late nights easier. i learned patience when we taught the girls how to skate, which involved a lot of crying. on the ice i learned that i have to be patient with teammates, i had to learn to wait for an opening to take a shot, i had to learn how to be patient for the puck. lastly, love," i teared up.

i looked off the stage at katie, baby OP, love, rowdy-kate, & parker. surrounded by family, friends, teammates, and coaches.

"theres a reason we named one of our daughters lovelyn, because her mom loves so greatly. i've known katie my whole life, i truly think katie loves me more than my own mom loves me. ive learned so much through katie, i watched her play hockey, i watched her bounce back after what doctors said was a career ending injury, i watch her be a mom & a best friend to our girls, i watch her open our house to young hockey players who have big dreams and she supports them so greatly after knowing them for 10 minutes. love; a four letter word, that 5 girls taught me more about. i had a huge love for the game of hockey that often over shadowed being a boyfriend, a husband, and father, but my girls never left my side, they wore my jerseys with pride. i missed games & tournaments, but i also taught them the game that i loved. after games the girls would facetime me telling me about it as i sat in a hotel room, those were times where i wanted to give up hockey but katie said, and i quote, "the girls play because of you, you play for them." so olivia, love, parker & rowdy-kate, thank you for allowing be to fall back in love with the sport that i hated at times. ive been up here for a awhile so for my closing i want to thank buffalo for welcoming me at 19, i spent 5 years away from here but im very grateful to be retiring in the royal blue & gold. sabers nations, thank you for a final year. thank you to my coaches and teammates for allowing me to wear the C. but im hanging the skates up & turning the barn lights off, and getting back to being a dad. thank you or as rowdy-kate wants me to say, hashtag 25 out."

i smiled and wiped a tear, as the crowd clapped, my girls running for me.

"i love you dad." they said

i hugged them back, i looked up and katie walking over to me, her eyes red and her face stained from tears, "i love you OP."

"forever & always, jo." i hugged her.

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surprise, its clark! bet yall weren't expecting that for the finale! this book has officially ended, and it makes me sad to say that, but thank you guys for the love & comments! i try to reply to comments so drop an idea or a laugh or go to my conversations board, its a party there sometimes.

thank you again🤍 (also owen first & last line in the book is "forever & always jo." i think thats a cute added touch.)

p.s. JAMIE DRYSDALE BOOK IS COMING SOON!!!