The Natural

By forrest m.

  • Chp. 2

    Jay first sees Trent Play in PeeWees.

  • Chp 3

    Jay narrates about starting insurance business in 19902

  • Chp. 4

    Intent on playing hockey, Trent goes to school at Finlandia

  • Chp 5

    Trent gives up on college hockey enrolls in Mich Tech

  • Chp 6

    Jay calls coach tries to get Trent on Mich Tech team

  • Chp 7

    Trent prepares to graduate. Jay calls Trent asks if he would consider going pro if he had the chance. Spring 2007

  • Chp 1

    Intro to get reader into story: Jay calls Red Wings gets a tryout

  • Chp 8

    Jay goes after the “biggest big guy (he) ever heard of, Kenny Hollands.” Gets tryout contract with Generals. Jay lends Trent his car.

  • Chp 9

    Trent’s first Flint Generals game. ’Your best freakin’ player is sitting in the stands’ Jay is in watching in stands.

  • Chp 10

    Trent gets in lineup 2nd game based on what Jay told the owners about him. Trent plays only a few minutes at end of game. Gets a scoring chance.

  • Chp. 11

    Coach cuts Trent. But offers Trent a chance to try out next fall.

  • Cp 12

    Jay gets call from Pete South General Manager of Flint Generals two weeks before tryouts. The Red Wings are “loaded this year.

  • Chp 13

    NEHL has new team Cooper City Chiefs of Rome New York. Trent could tryout there

  • Chp. 14

    Pete South connects Jay with Chiefs coach, Mike Beavis Jay calls Bea

  • Chp. 15

    Jay calls Trent, tells of bad news with Generals, and makes plan to fly Trent going to fly him out to Rome, NY for training camp.

  • Chp. 16

    Mike Beavis calls Jay tells him the owner is folding team, the entire NEHL folds.

  • Chp. 17

    Low point of Trent and Jay’s quest.Trent and Jay exhausted by the ups and downs.

  • Chp. 18

    In dismay, dejected. Jays calls friend Tim, Who has an in with Bob Macnamara Grand Rapid Griffins, General Manager.

  • Chp 19

    Grand Rapid Griffins Pete South in the stadium “Who’s that #7” Bruce McNamara gets tryout with Bruce Ramsey in Muskegon.

  • Chp 20

    Bruce Ramsey looks at him for 3 days. Cuts

  • Chp. 21

    Jay lines up tryout with Ft. Huron. They cut him. Try out Bloomington January 2008. Bloomington cuts him.

  • Chp. 22

    Call with Nick Bootlin. Kalamazoo.

  • Chp. 23

    Trent with Kalamazoo playing Flint Generals. Battaglia Second line center for kalamazoo gets knocked out of game. Jay sitting behind the bench. “play him." Trent into game. Trent scores a goal. Sets up tying goal.

  • Chp 24

    Trent with Kalamazoo playing Flint Generals. Battaglia Second line center for kalamazoo gets knocked out of game. Jay sitting behind the bench. “play him." Trent into game. Trent scores a goal. Sets up tying goal.

  • Chp. 25

    Jay gets Trent a trainer

  • Chp. 26

    Jay sees Trent. Trent looks a lot different, has bulked up.

  • Chp 27

    Jay starts calling NHL team, since he scored 18 points in 20 games. Trent gets invited to NY Rangers rookie training camp. This gets Bootlin's attention. NY Ranger - we'll campout eat peanut butter slammers.

  • Chp 28

    John Tortilla “hard-ass” coach. Trent works so hard he nearly kills himself during tryouts.

  • Chp. 29

    Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) where he stays plays 15 games, gets called up by Adirondack Phantoms (Philly Flyer AHL farm team)

  • Chp 30

    Calls Bob McNamara (Griffins) Why aren’t playing him plays 2 games on the 4th line. Gets 1 point, goal.
  • Period: to

    Chp. 31

    K Wings First line Center forward. Leads to the second round of the finals

  • Chp 32

    Trent’s wife announces her pregnancy. A wedding is planned.

  • Chp. 33

    Preparing for 2011-12 season, Trent’s hockey life now includes a famil
  • Period: to

    Chp. 34

    Trent and family moving around North America. Kalamazoo, Mi; Glenn Falls, NY; Grand Rapids, MI; Newfoundland, CA; Chicago, ILL; Cleveland, OH; Loveland, CO.

  • Chp. 35

    begins 4 years with Colorado, Eagles. Trent is captain of the team 2014-2016 under coach Chris Stewart.

  • Chp. 36

    Trent’s wife becomes pregnant with third child.

  • Chp. 37

    Trent decides to hang-up his skates, pursue career as structural engineer. Heads back to Howell with family.

  • Chp. 38

    Trent and family move home to Howell, settles in.

  • Chp. 39

    Jay receives a letter from Tampa Bay Lighting. All are thrilled, but Trent is satisfied with his hockey career, and sticks to his plan to raise family in Howell.

  • Chp. 40

    Trent and Jay watching their kids playing hockey on the pond in Trent’s Backyard