- Spoiler: Click to reveal
As with any alternate history, there was a point of divergence from our world. In the case of Red Journey, it happens to be my birth - namely my disability at birth. I was born with Cerebral Palsy - I cannot skate or play any sports. However, I have always been as athletic as my disability permits - in Red Journey I was born without complications.
That may be pretentious but it factors into the universe.
State of Calgary
We pick up our story in October 2001. By this point the Calgary Flames have won back-to-back Stanley Cups on the back of Peter Forsberg (Acquired in July 1999 as a FA), Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay are his wingmen. Iginla, with proper supports, has emerged as the best Right Winger in the league, he is fresh of a Hart Trophy season which saw him score 79 points, 47 of which were goals. Other forwards include the captain Mark Messier as well as both Bure brothers. On the blueline, Mathias Ohlund and Derek Morris form the top pairing, meanwhile, a young Zdeno Chara and Robyn Regher add depth to the blueline. In net is the greatest tandem currently in the league - Roberto Luongo emerged as the defacto starter late in the 2000-01 season after he was called up to replace an injured Artus Irbe, he won 4 straight games while Jean-Sebastian Giguere was given rest. From February to April the Flames alternated between the two Quebec natives until Luongo was given the starting position for the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs during which he played 21 games. With 16 wins and 5 losses, Luongo posted a 1.62 GAA and a 0.930 S% - an impressive performance that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy. Now debate rages in the media as to whom the Flames should keep, with Giguere rumoured to be potentially available - for a return of a hefty load of picks.
Calgary could very well three-peat, but the greater challenge will be keeping this young group (an average age of 26) together - all of this is happening while Calgary keeps their eye out for the next best prospect to be the last piece of their near complete masterpiece. Putting Giguere and potentially Morris on the board for picks.
So begins the Red Journey.