Break the Wild

Prologue: St. Paul Minnesota

Brayden

I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE at home than when I am standing center ice. For as long as I can remember, I have found peace in the hard surface beneath my feet, the cold air against my cheeks, and the familiar weights of a stick in my hands. It's where I go to think, to breathe, to put the pieces of my life back together.

It's where I went after my dad died. Where I went when my first girlfriend broke my heart. Where I went when my mom told me she was getting remarried.

And tonight, I'm once again standing center ice on the eve of the biggest moment of my career.

My life.

Xcel Energy Center is quiet now. They empty seats stretching out in every direction like a sea of green. I take it all in: the chill in the air, the stillness, the memories stitched into every corner of this arena. This place changed everything for me.

I watched my first NHL game from these stands. Cheered on my hometown team during the playoff season. Signed my first NHL contract in the board rooms upstairs. Played my very first NHL game wearing forest green and beige.

Over the past three and a half years, I've only skated here three times - always as the enemy, wearing panthers red instead of Wild green. But every single time I've stepped foot on this ice, I got the same feeling. The feeling that this has always been where I am meant to be.

The feelings quickly disappeared the second I left the rink behind and climbed onto the Florida team bus and drove to the next game. Like clockwork, an ache grew in my chest every time I was forced to leave St. Paul. Simply there to remind me of my regret, like clockwork. Leaving this team. The way I left this team. 

Playing against my old teammates became a twisted addiction. The high of being on this ice, always worth the crash that came after. Seeing Mason and catching up with my brother was always the cherry on top. For a while I lived for those brief moments, even if they burned on the way down.

But tonight. Tonight is different.

Tonight I get to walk away from the arena without a single regret, because tonight I'm not just visiting. After three and a half seasons playing in Florida, calling myself a panther, I can finally retire my red jersey and come home. As of tomorrow morning, I am officially signing with the Minnesota Wild.

My contract with Florida ended when I turned 26, opening the door to Free Agency — giving me the power to choose where I want to play hockey.

Florida wanted me back. Desperately. After winning the Calder my rookie year — the award that is given out to the best rookie of the year, then taking home both the Hart and the Rocket Richard — for MVP and most goals, they offered me an eight year contract at $10.5 million. 

It was the easiest $10.5 million that I have ever turned down.

When my agent called and said that Minnesota was offering me a seven year contract worth $8 million, I didn't even blink. St. Paul is always where I was going to play out my career. I would have taken league min, as long as it means I can stand in this area again, representing my hometown team. So I took the major pay cut because it's all Minnesota could afford.

The point is, I'm back.

Number 17 Brayden Riva is back in St. Paul and back playing with the Wild.

And this time?

I'm not fucking going anywhere.