from Erich Duhatschek of The Athletic,

I devoured Paper Lion as a kid, which is probably why, when the idea was first pitched to me — of mimicking the Plimpton experience and trying out for the Calgary Flames in their inaugural 1980-81 season — I didn’t dismiss it completely out of hand. I was young, new to the job and not confident enough to turn down a very intimidating editor.

Accordingly, when the formal offer came, on Flames’ letterhead, signed by general manager, Cliff Fletcher, I said yes. Fletcher was pals with Mark Mulvoy, dating back to Mulvoy’s days as Sports Illustrated’s hockey writer and Plimpton originally wrote Paper Lion as a two-part series for SI – so Cliff was familiar with the schtick. Apparently, the year before, someone in Atlanta – a novice skater – tried to do something similar. In the days before I started, everyone in the organization gleefully told me how Willie Plett had unceremoniously tripped him at every opportunity because of how out of place he looked. I figured I could do a little better than that.

much more (paid) plus other topics including the fitness of players coming to camp...