Training Camp Stories

The Minnesota Warbirds training camp in Iceland would kick off but it was the off ice activities that have stolen the show to date.

With Seals Phil Alkevicz stowing away and showing up to try out in net for the Warbirds, the drama was already notched up when team practical joker Scott Edmonds would get going.

Edmonds would be responsible for a pair of transvestite teeth missing prostitutes visiting the rooms of rookie Sawyer Withers and of head man Greg Ezell. There’s no word on how much they were paid but Ezell seemed less than amused.

“ Did you see them? Seriously what the hell? I think I need to take a bath in bleach to just feel clean from looking at them. Where the hell is security in this place?”

The pranking would continue with Edmonds teaming up with Chris Bell to drive netminder Robi Albert insane through the night with a scheme Bell called “penny tapping”. Using a bolt tied to some fishing line, Edmonds would tape a folded over matchbook cover above Albert’s door and slip the bolt and line through it. Out of sight around the corner, Bell and Edmonds then spent the next few hours letting the bolt drop and tap against Albert’s door.

“ Did you hear that? Seriously you heard that right?” Albert was heard asking anyone walking through the hallway.

“ He can’t stop what he can’t see. Poor guy will be sleeping through the game tomorrow!” Bell quipped when asked about the stunt.

Hotel security also had to step in when Edmonds, Bell, Priscilla Williams, and Chris Coogan were found with an extensive collection of pre-made water balloons which they were gleefully dropping on people coming in and out of the hotel’s main entranceway.

Kristian Marosi and Eric Baily would find themselves targets and soaking wet.

“ Those bastards ruined my white suit!” Marosi would complain after discovering he had been hit with a water balloon with red dye added into it.

“ I didn’t like the suit either, but come on! We’re their team mates! Damn those guys!” Baily would mutter before going to seek some dry clothing.

Miika Kemppinen however would team up with Edmonds in perhaps one of the best pranks, as they and a few other undisclosed accomplices snuck into the rooms of Chris Hie, Patrick Ng, and Matt Mahoney where they would crazy glue the furniture upside down to the ceiling, and hung their clothing out on clothes lines they strung from the hotel to another building adjacent for all to see.

“ Nice Mighty Mouse boxers there.” One unknown Icelandic local would comment upon seeing the clothing. It was unknown as to the exact player owning those as none of the three would comment.

Police would also wind up called as Priscilla Williams would be caught in her room doorway answering for room service and nearly giving the poor old bellhop a heart attack answering the door in a small towel showing her team colours proudly.

“ What can I say? I thought they were more liberal here. You mean I can’t go topless in the hot springs?” Williams laughed about the incident.

If the Warbirds are half as crazy and unpredictable on the ice as they are off it, this should be one hell of a season to remember. And to think this comes only two days into the opening of training camp.