Down on the Farm: There is No Place Like Home

For those that have grown up in the United States and not spent much time in Minnesota, you have missed what is arguably the greatest hockey culture in the country. There is a reason Minnesota is referred to as "The State of Hockey," because it truly is.
Imagine growing up in this hockey-crazed community lined with outdoor rinks and a plethora of competition on the ice.

"It was awesome," said Edina native, Sammy Walker. "Especially in the winters, you feel like there was an outdoor rink on every corner. Every Saturday you could always find a pickup game somewhere close by. My parents would drop us off early and then we would be there all morning."
"I was in elementary school during the time where I played a lot down the street. The games were always competitive with a large variety of people skating. There would be adults out there and high schoolers. It made it fun, that's for sure."
The competition was fueled with sibling rivalry at the Walker house. Sammy grew up with two older brothers (Ben and Jack), one older sister (Bailey), and one younger sister (Izzy). They are all athletically gifted in their own way. Bailey excelled in gymnastics, while Izzy currently plays high school soccer. Ben and Jack are talented hockey players, who both went on to play professionally. It's the older brothers' hockey talents that inspired Sammy's play and ignited a competitive fire.
"It was always really competitive in the house," explained the former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher. "It didn't matter if we were playing roller hockey in the driveway or mini sticks. It made for more intense games, and I feel that is where my competitive edge comes from, because I just wanted to beat them. It was a lot of fun growing up in our house."
Despite his admiration for his older brothers, he didn't follow their hockey path. In his final high school season, Sammy potted 28 goals and totaled 58 points in 25 games with the Edina Hornets. Walker added another 10 points in three state tournament games. After an incredible run at Edina High School, which included Walker claiming Minnesota's Mr. Hockey award as a senior in 2017, he decided to stay close to home. The speedster committed to his hometown University of Minnesota Gophers, where he would play the next four years.
"Both of my brothers left home early, and I never really wanted to," said the 5-foot-10, 180-pound forward. "I wanted to stay in high school with some of my best friends growing up my whole life. We tried to win a state tournament. I was fortunate enough to go to the University of Minnesota. That was awesome and a blast there, all four years."
Walker was the team captain for three seasons and helped lead the Gophers to a Frozen Four appearance his senior year. Although Sammy was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in 2017 (#200 overall), he played through college and never signed with the Lightning, allowing him to become a free agent on August 15. That is when his hockey journey turned into a dream scenario.
On August 18, Walker signed a two-year, entry-level contract with his hometown Minnesota Wild. The contract allows him an incredibly rare opportunity to accomplish something nearly most boys growing up in Minnesota dream of their whole life. He could one day lace up his skates and take the ice at the Xcel Energy Center while donning the Wild jersey. The same jersey his childhood heroes wore in St. Paul. He remembers watching the likes of Marian Gaborik and Zach Parise at the "X" as a kid.
"It is an unbelievable dream," said the first-year pro with a wide grin. "It is really hard for me to describe, other than it's unbelievable. It is a dream come true. To have this opportunity. It's fun for me. Fun for my family and my friends. It has been awesome so far and one day I hope to get a crack at it."
Based on the start to his professional career, Walker may get a "crack" at it sooner than later. Through the first month of the season with Minnesota's AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, Walker has been one of the American Hockey League's top scoring rookies. Walker leads Iowa in scoring, which includes six goals and 12 points in the first 11 games of the season. Iowa's Head Coach Tim Army thinks specific skills have led to Sammy's success.
"His quickness," explained Army. "He is elusive. His puck skills complement that quickness and elusiveness. He is a very smart player who can make plays and has a good nose for the net. I think that is a good synopsis of what kind of hockey player he is."
"He has great speed going north-south. He has great lateral movement, with quickness and edging in tight areas. He has terrific mobility and speed, combine that with his elusiveness, it allows him to knife through traffic. He has nifty hands that help him make some big plays. He has a well-rounded offensive game."
Forward Mitchell Chaffee, who plays on a line with Walker, echoed the report.
"He (Walker) is extremely fast," said Chaffee. "He is a shifty player that is good at making plays. He is good in little areas. He finds ways to get the puck to people in scoring positions and he possesses a super sneaky shot."
Walker's wide-ranging skills make it a challenge to project where he can land in the NHL. The 23-year-old is versatile and possesses the ability to play in the top 6. Then again, he could also find himself playing on a third or fourth line. Either way, there is a strong belief the Wild have a "player" in Sammy Walker.
If he continues his path, Walker should find himself back home and fulfilling a dream sooner than later.
Jake Middleton](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d1pYLdC5ac)