The flurry of trades by the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline necessitated some call ups from the Hurricanes American Hockey league affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. One of those call ups was 29 year old center Derek Ryan. Ryan made his National Hockey League debut against the New Jersey Devils. Ryan has toured the globe playing hockey from Spokane, Washington to Canada, Austria, and Sweden before getting into his first NHL game. He has been a scorer at every stop he has made and was the leading scorer (17 goals and 25 assists) with the Checkers when he was recalled.
You do not hear of too many professional athletes making their professional debuts in any sport at 29 years old. It is probably more common in baseball than in any other sport and even then, it is a rarity. Derek Ryan scored a power play goal in his first NHL game and is the oldest player to score a goal in his debut in Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise history according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
I do not know if hockey has a fictional equivalent like the Natural in baseball but Derek Ryan would have to come very close. The Hurricanes could use a feel good story about now especially after trading long time Hurricane and captain Eric Staal and Ryan is off to an excellent start.
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