Surely you remember last year's training camp drama? No, not whether junior-eligible Josh Bailey would be kept with the team, but rather the drama involving who would be the Islanders' part-time, Bridgeport-shuttling enforcer. The job eventually went to the now-departed Mitch Fritz and the still-here-with-upside Joel Rechlicz. But there was a sentimental favorite for many in the form of Brandon Sugden, who had a difficult back story but was driven by a pledge to his dying father.
There was an added wrinkle for Sugden in that, to attend camp after previously officially "retiring," all 30 NHL teams had to give clearance -- yes, even the Rangers. In the early stages of Point Blank v. 2.0 (and late stages of v. 1.0), Chris Botta followed Sugden's story religiously until it ended with a cut.
Well, after spending last season with AHL Hartford, now Sugden has landed with the Capitals' affiliate in Hershey. [h/t Japers' Rink]. He's just on an AHL deal, but you never know. For Sugden, with his priorities focused and in order, the dream lives on.