Page 149 of Cheap Shot

“Isn’t contract stuff all supposed to go through Mac?” Luke shot a questioning glance at Gavin.

He waggled his hand back and forth. “Traditionally, yes. There’s nothing in the CBA preventing us from speaking like this, however.”

“Okay,” Luke said warily, stabbing his fork into his pasta and twirling. He trusted Gavin to know what the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ union had agreed on.

“I also spoke to Mac earlier and he gave me permission to speak to you directly,” Gavin said.

Luke nodded, chewing.

Gavin might not be a traditional general manager, but he was a good dude. Had integrity.

Luke’s opinion of him hadn’t changed since he learned that Gavin had committed a robbery when he was eighteen, and Thad had gone to prison in his place, in an attempt to save him. They werebothgood dudes, as far as Luke was concerned.

People made mistakes—especially at that age—but Luke respected when someone learned from theirs. He’d done his share of stupid shit himself. He’d just been lucky enough to not get caught.

Gavin leaned forward. “We’re getting nowhere on your contract negotiations.”

“Yeah, I had noticed that,” Luke said drily.

Gavin cracked a smile. “Look, I want to make one thing clear. My unwillingness to offer you two years has nothing to do with what I think of you as a player or your value to the team.”

“Then what is it?” Luke glanced down at his pasta.

“If I can be perfectly blunt, I don’t know where this team is going to be in two years,” Gavin said with a sigh. “We have a lot riding on this postseason.”

“I know.”

“I am sure you also know Connor’s shoulder could use some work.”

Luke nodded.

“Getting him through the postseason is going to be difficult.”

Luke twirled more pasta around his fork. “Sure.”

“And if wedon’twin, and he has to have surgery in the off-season, he’ll be out for a good chunk of next season.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Luke said.

Gavin sighed and sat back. “My task has been to re-tool this team to get us in contention without completely sacrificing the future. I’ve done as much as I can to simultaneously add depth and acquire future prospects for the organization. And clearly, it’s working. I’ve been incredibly impressed with what you’ve all done so far this season. But being without our captain and one of our top scorers for an extended period of time, well …”

Luke chewed his pasta and nodded. Without Connor, they’d be hurting.

“If we lose in the postseason this year, we’ve maybe got one more year to turn it around and go hard,” Gavin said. “After that …” He gestured as if to say it was out of his hands.

“Ownership will start thinking about a teardown,” Luke guessed.

“Realistically, yes,” Gavin stabbed a piece of broccoli, glowering at it. Luke wasn’t sure if he hated the vegetable, the idea of a teardown, or both.

“And I wouldn’t be part of that, yeah?” He lifted his eyebrows.

“You’re turning thirty-five this summer, Luke.” Gavin’s tone was surprisingly gentle now. “Would I love to have you play two more seasons? Absolutely. But are you going to be able to?Physically, are you confident your body will continue to perform at the level you’re at?”

Luke tore into a piece of garlicky sourdough bread as he thought about his growing aches and pains. How much more effort it took to recover from every game this season. And they were in March now, the intensity of the regular season building like always. March and April were always the hardest months of the season, and the postseason would only ramp that up further.

How would he feel when he was playing playoff hockey?

If they did get knocked out, would a shortened off-season be enough recovery time? Could he go into another season or two and play like he had been?