Special Night North Of The Boarder

Getting drafted into the NHL, or any pro sports league for that matter, is a big deal. Being a late round draft pick won't get you much of a spotlight, but it means that a team is willing to take a chance on you. That's what happened to goalie Matt Tomkins. He was taken 199th overall in 2012 by the Chicago Blackhawks. He had left North American hockey to go play in Europe, because he wasn't getting any bites at the big time. This year, eleven years after getting drafted, he got his chance.,. He then got his first win.

When the season started, he was signed to a two year deal with the Lighting. There wasn't much light as to how much playing time he was going to get at the NHL level. That all changed at the start of training camp when Bolts starter Andrei Vasilevskiy went down with injury. Jonas Johansson, slated to be the backup, became the number one man. Which means that Tomkins was getting his shot to be the backup. He finally got his first taste of NHL action on October 15th, a loss to the Ottawa Senators.

Now, eleven years after he was drafted, Tomkins finally picked up his first career win, a 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on November 7th.

For a guy like this, who has had to fight for every minute of playing time he's gotten, this win has to feel good. Like really good. Its a validation that that 199th overall pick eleven years ago wasn't a total waste. Tomkins stuck with it and finally had a wish come true in winning a game at the highest level of professional hockey. You never forget your first win and I don't think Tomkins will either!