Joe Drennan
Sports Editor

Little boys in Minnesota grow up dreaming of growing up and playing professional hockey. The harsh reality is only a portion play varsity hockey in high school, fewer go on to play Division I college hockey and only the smallest of fractions go on to earn a living playing pro hockey. Forest Lake native Aaron Forsythe is one of the lucky few who has made his way into the professional ranks.

Last season Forsythe was finishing up his senior year at Minnesota State Mankato where he played four years, scoring 2 goals, 23 assists and racking up 168 penalty minutes. After graduation, with a degree in social studies history, Forsythe took a chance and waited for a professional hockey contract. Waiting for the contract was quite a game with a looming NHL lockout, but the South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League offered him one.

Forsythe made his way to South Carolina and fell in love with his surroundings. It wasnít long before Forsythe was christened into pro hockey and got into his first fight.

ìThe situation was the guy ran my defensive partner and the guy was also the franchise leader in penalty minutes,î Forsythe said. ìI knew something had to be done and our tough guy wasnít on the ice so I went up to him and said, ëwe have to do this.í

ìIt was all kind of a blur, but I remember thinking I had to stop him from getting his right hand free while at the same time getting my right hand free. Little did I know he was left handed.î

With his first fight behind him, Forsythe said it was a good experience and something heíll certainly do again if the situation calls for it.

ìThatís just the way the game is played,î Forsythe said. ìNow sometimes there are guys who will fight for no reason and there is no need for that in the game.î

Not long after his first fight, Forsythe got another taste of what pro hockey is all about when he was traded to the Peoria, IL, Rivermen.

ìThat was tough to swallow,î Forsythe said. ìGrowing up I heard about trades and I thought about the sports side of it, but I had a group of great friends in South Carolina and the city was amazing.î

After catching up with the Rivermen in Las Vegas, Forsythe then had to head back to South Carolina to gather his belongings and move to Peoria. In all it took him about a week to get adjusted to his new team.

ìIt was a different experience being traded and I am glad it happened,î Forsythe said. ìHockey-wise it is better here and the funny thing is the trade was more pushed by money than anything else and that is a part I never thought about and how much money goes into the decision making.î

With his new team, the Rivermen were playing the San Diego Gulls on Jan. 28. With time running out in the first period, Forsythe scored his first pro goal, giving the Rivermen a 1-0 lead. The Rivermen went on to win the game 3-0.

ìIt was a great experience,î Forsythe said. ìIím not a guy who cares about scoring goals, but I am not going to lie, it was a great feelings, specially since it was the game winner.î

Step up

Since making the step from college hockey to pro hockey, Forsythe has seen an improvement in his game.

ìThere is no doubt my game has improved,î Forsythe said. ìMy game has gotten better and there is no doubt that my game is more suited for the pro level than it was to the college level.î

Forsythe says he has been able to adapt to the clutching and grabbing, slashing, and the flow of plays is much more deliberate.
One thing Forsythe misses from college hockey is the time off between games. ìSometimes I get jealous that I donít have that week of rest because nagging injuries and bruises can take their toll.î

The ECHL schedule has the Rivermen playing seven games in nine nights right now. The schedule also has Forsythe and his teammates traveling around the country, seeing cities he might not otherwise see.

NHL lockout

With the NHL locked out, the NHL players have looked elsewhere to play hockey. Many players have gone to Europe to play, but a good number of them also stayed this side of the Atlantic Ocean and are playing in the American Hockey League and ECHL.
While playing with the Stingrays, Forsythe was teammates with former Wild player Jeremy Stevenson and has played against New Jersey Devil Scott Gomez when he traveled to Alaska to take on the Aces.

ìKnowing there is no NHL you know your window of opportunity to play is small right now,î Forsythe said. ìI just have to stay positive and do what I can.î

If the lockout carries over into next season it is likely many of the players with NHL experience will be back in the minor league ranks again, taking up roster spots that would otherwise be available to players like Forsythe.

When the season is over Forsythe is going to have the difficult decision of deciding if he will come back and play or retire from playing. It is a decision that will be made easier or harder depending on the situation of the lockout.

ìItís going to be hard because hockey has been everything to me for as long as I can remember,î Forsythe said. ìI love playing the game and it is so much and itís nice that I can make a living at it. My decision is going to be a matter of whatís best for me.î

Top of Page

Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605