Travis Boyd (31 years old) is a professional hockey player who clings to his dream of establishing himself in the NHL, a league in which he has skated 297 times. But a league in which he had not been called up, before Saturday, since the start of the 2024-2025 regular season.
In the most competitive category of play in the world, the American striker is what is called a “depth player.” Or a “jersey-filling guy.” Last season, when he was teammates with Icelandic defender Janis Moser in Arizona, his average playing time was only 9’37”.
During the summer of 2024, Travis Boyd agreed on the basis of a one-year contract, at minimum salary (775,000 US dollars) with the Minnesota Wild, the organization of the region where he spent his childhood. But, at the end of training camp, he was placed on waivers, ignored by the 31 other NHL teams and placed with the Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s school club in the American Hockey League.
Not the expected scenario, really…
And now, after seven weeks in the so-called minor leagues, Travis Boyd received the long-awaited call on Saturday. Like, the general manager telling him, “Join us in Calgary, you’re playing tonight.”
Boyd quickly boarded a plane for Calgary. At the airport, he is greeted by a member of the organization. But it gets tough on the road towards the Saddledome, the Flames’ ice rink.
Caught in the snow and traffic jams, he abandons the vehicle on the side of the road and starts running in his street shoes without socks. “Dom (editor’s note: the person who came to pick him up) and I literally had to get out of our car and run down the street,” he said. I had my bag on my shoulder and Dom carried my canes, running through the snow in a suit and dress shoes with a bag on his back.”
He arrived on time for the match lost on penalties (4-3 tab) during which he played for 8’23”. “I will remember this day as a great day,” he added. What a crazy story. But I can say I played a game for the Wild now. It’s a childhood dream.”
