NHL Imagines

Lost and Found (William Nylander x Reader)

The Golden Knights were playing the Leafs for the first in their short franchise history. The game was on home ice in the new arena and you were making your way through the halls towards the dressing room. Your brother had been a part of the expansion draft and you were living with him in Vegas for the time being as he adjusted to the new team.

Going to the dressing room before and after games was something you were used to doing. You did it for every home game and you tried to go to every practice you could. The Golden Knights, in their short time together, had really become a family and you were a part of that family.

You fell into habit as you made your way towards the dressing room. You were in the underneath part of the arena where no fans were supposed to be, the place for the athletes and the personal and whatnot, when you came across a guy with blond hair dressed in a suit.

His brows were furrowed as he slowly walked around, going one way before walking back the other way. You couldn't stop yourself from laughing a little, shaking your head as you approached him.

"Do you need some help?"

He let out a deep breath when you asked him that and nodded. "Yeah, I do. First game here and I have no idea which way to go."

You chuckled. "Leafs player I'm assuming?" You asked, wanting to make sure you were correct.

He nodded and extended his hand to you. "William Nylander. You can call me Willy though."

You shook his hand before gesturing down a hall. "Come on, I'll take you where you need to go."

You started to walk in that direction and he fell into step besides you.

"So, what's your name?" He asked you.

"(Y/N)." You replied with a smile.

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Willy said softly causing you to blush, but you brushed it off and kept walking.

"Um thanks? So... You prepared for tonight's game?" You asked, trying to steer the conversation away from yourself while also getting information for your team.

Willy shrugged. "Best we can be. We don't really know what we're up against to be honest."

You laughed. "Did you just tell someone you found in the private section of the arena in Vegas that you aren't prepared for the game?"

"Fuck, umm..." He trailed off, realized what he had done. You wouldn't have found him unless you were working with the Golden Knights... "I guess it just seemed like I could trust you?"

You turned and looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Oh?"

He shrugged. "You seem nice and stuff and you're so beautiful that I guess I just forgot that you work for another team."

You felt yourself blush once again, but luckily you had arrived to his desired location of the visitors dressing room so you didn't have to answer.

"Here we are." You said with a smile.

He gave a forced smile back. "Thank you."

You nodded and started to walk away, but you only got a few steps away before you turned around. "Hey, Willy?"

Willy had opened the dressing room door, but he stopped immediately and turned to face you. "Yeah?"

"Have a good game."

He gave you a genuine smile and nodded. "I'll try."

--

When you were watching the game, you couldn't help as your eyes were drawn to number 29 in the visitor's jerseys. It wasn't that you were cheering for him, it was that you were interested in him, and you found that you liked to watch him play.

The game came to an end and the Golden Knights won and you were happy and you made your way back down towards the dressing room, just like you did every game. Only this time you decided to take the long way to the dressing room. The guys had to talk and shower and you were always left to sit outside the dressing room for a while, so why not take the long way and swing by the visitor's dressing room?

You honestly didn't know what you were looking for or what drove you to do that, but you felt that you had to.

So, you walked by the dressing room and the doors were closed and you could hear all the guys inside. Exactly what you were expecting. You kept walking and ignored the sound of the door opening.

"(Y/N)?" You heard Willy say and turned around.

Willy stood there, the top part of his equipment off.

"Yeah?" You asked, walking closer to him.

He shook his head. "I'd say I'm confused to see you, but you work here and not me so..." He trailed off with a laugh.

You would tell him that you didn't actually work at the arena, but that was too complicated of a story for the moment. Instead you settled for, "can I help you?"

He shook his head. "Nah, our equipment manager collected all our sticks and gloves after the game and I was just coming out to check on my stick. I hit the puck pretty hard in the final few seconds and I just wanted to make sure I didn't crack it."

You nodded your head. "Yeah, I saw that."

His eyes went a little wider and his lips twitched up. "You did?"

You nodded with a smile. "You seem like a good player."

It was his turn to blush and you felt a little proud that you were able to do that. "Thanks." He whispered.

The two of you stood in the hallway looking at each other.

"Could I like maybe get your number?" He asked you after a moment.

You laughed a little and nodded your head. "Yeah, I think I could do that."

His smile widened. "Great, just give me one second." And with that he returned to the dressing room and came back out a few moments later with a notepad and pen, which he held out to you.

(Y/N), 226-730-8529 you wrote down on the notepad and handed it back to him.

"I need to go like shower and stuff, but I will text you, I promise." He said as he slowly backed back towards the dressing room.

You shook your head with a laugh. "You better William Nylander because I have no way of contacting you."

He gave you one last smile before walking back into the dressing room, leaving you alone in the hall.