This post was originally published at The Hockey Writers
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| Patrick O'Sullivan is playing in Finland |
A week ago, former NHL top prospect Patrick O'Sullivan quietly signed with a Finnish team, HIFK Helsinki.
It would be easy
to see this move as just another disappointing twist in a
star-crossed career.
There
was a time when O'Sullivan's story seemed destined to be adapted into a sports
drama about perseverance starring Shia LeBeouf, tentatively titled, "Won't
Back Down."
There's
the verbally and
physically abusive "sports dad" that a 16-year-old
stands up to,
eventually leading to a restraining order against John O'Sullivan.
There's
the heartbreaking
freefall
in the 2003 Entry Draft, where a top-five talent drops to 56th pick, partly due
to concerns about the mental and emotional
trauma
inflicted by an abusive father.
But
then, there's the Minnesota Wild swooping in to save the day and a hockey god
descending with words of
encouragement.
There's
scoring the winning goal to clinch the USA's first-ever World Junior
Championship gold medal in 2004.
There's
torching the AHL with 47 goals as a 20-year-old to win the Dudley Garrett Award
for best rookie in 2006.
There's
being traded to the
Los Angeles Kings
that summer for world-class playmaker, Pavol Demitra.
There's
scoring 22 goals in 2008 in his second NHL season, poised to cap a Hollywood
story by becoming a
leading man
for LA's young, rising Kings.
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| I believed in Patty, spending $80 on this one-color patch rookie card |
The
next season, however, there's a contract squabble that eventually nets a
lucrative three-year contract, but causes him to miss the entirety of training
camp.
There's
middling play leading the Kings to cut bait in the first year of his new deal,
where he lands in Carolina and a state away from his still-estranged father, only
to be quickly re-routed to Edmonton.
There's
a public clash with Edmonton's
head coach about icetime and microscopic
scrutiny
in a hockey-mad market about his "soft" play and a -35 in 2010 which contribute
to the Oilers dumping him onto Phoenix for journeyman defenseman, Jim
Vandermeer.
There's
having the remainder of his lucrative three-year contract bought out
immediately by Phoenix, then being waived by Carolina, and appropriately enough,
Minnesota, over the next couple of seasons.
There's
watching the Kings and the core of youngsters that he was supposed to grow with
hoist the
Stanley Cup
in 2012.
There's
being cut by Phoenix again, and finally, returning to Helsinki, the site of his
most enduring athletic success, eight years after deciding the World Juniors.
There. The story of a "bust."
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Wild,
Kings, Oilers, Hurricanes, and Coyotes fans gather around a virtual campfire,
shaking their heads, "What a disappointment. Just another journeyman. But he had a really bad dad. I hope he makes it."
Patrick
O'Sullivan was supposed to be a star. A
shining example of overcoming abuse. The
hero rising from tragic origin.
John
O'Sullivan also thought his son was supposed to be a star. A shining example of overcoming hard
knocks. The hero rising from a father's
sacrifices.
An
overbearing father and overzealous fans had unwittingly written similar scripts
for Patrick to follow.
For
John, it's probably too late. But for
us? We can stop judging Patrick
O'Sullivan's career against what we perceive as should have been.
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I wonder what he sees.
When
he skates, does the shadow of his father's hand creep into his peripheral
vision every once in a while? Does he
battle along the boards as a survivor?
Or a victim?
Maybe
he's having more fun than we could ever imagine as still one of the world's
better players of a child's game.
I
shouldn't write any more scripts for him.
But
perhaps...
