Page 14 - December 2015

A Cinderella Story on Skates

How Hard Work, Determination, and Perseverance Led One Trooper’s Son to the NHL
by Lt. Matthew Murphy
All parents dream of success and happiness for their children:
in school, in life, and perhaps on the athletic field. When
dropping a child off at his or her first practice, even the least
sports-minded mother or father might be guilty of wondering what
it would be like for their budding athlete to make it to the highest
level someday. For most of us, dreams about 18,000 fans cheering
your son or daughter’s every move remain just that: dreams. For
Sergeant Ted Condon of the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Sec-
tion (VFAS), however, that dream has become a reality. In Octo-
ber, Ted’s son Mike became a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Many in the Montreal media felt that Mike’s rise from undrafted
college goaltender to the blue, blanc et rouge was unlikely – a Cin-
derella story on skates. To those who have followed Mike’s career
– and to those of us who have had the pleasure of working with his
father – Mike’s success is far from surprising.

Mike attended high school at Belmont Hill and headed to Prince- Bell Centre or our own TD Garden. Players not on an NHL or
ton, where his college career gained momentum slowly. In his first AHL contract make an average of $550 per week and spend long
year, he appeared in only four games; by his senior year he was the hours on sleeper buses travelling to and from games in small cities
Tigers’ starter but despite a solid year he went unnoticed in the like Peoria, Kalamazoo, and Elmira.
NHL draft and started to contemplate a career in finance. With a In Wheeling, Mike followed his father’s mantra of “head down,
senior thesis on his “to do” list, Mike was picked up by the Ontario mouth shut, and keep moving forward,” dealing with the grind of
Reign, a California ECHL (“AA” level – two rungs below the NHL) his first professional season with discipline and resolve. He more
team affiliated with the Los Angeles Kings. than held his own for the Nailers that year and, after attending the
Condon’s play for the Reign was stellar and he soon made the jump Canadiens’ training camp in the fall of 2014 was assigned to the
to the AHL’s Houston Aeros, where he stepped in when the starting Habs’ AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ontario. He was now one step
netminder was called up to the Minnesota Wild. Throughout his away from the NHL. After an excellent year in Hamilton (2.44
first months as a professional player, Mike worked on his Princeton goals against average, 0.921 save percentage), Condon was reward-
thesis in hotel rooms and on buses. Mike appeared in three playoff ed with a two-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Pundits
games, attracting the notice of a number of NHL teams. One team, believed that Mike would spend another year in the AHL
the Montreal Canadiens, had the vision to see Mike’s potential and and then, perhaps, join the parent club in Montreal for the 2016-
signed him to a two-year, entry-level contract. 2017 season.
Mike graduated from Princeton on June 4, 2013. Celebrations Mike arrived in Brossard, Quebec for Canadiens’ training camp
were brief, however, as he worked diligently during the summer to this fall in the best shape of his career, ready to challenge for a spot
improve his fitness and skills. After attending the Canadiens’ train- on the Habs’ roster. After impressing team brass with his fitness,
ing camp in the fall, Mike was assigned to the team’s ECHL affiliate: work ethic, and a number of stellar preseason performances, Mike
the Wheeling Nailers, based in Wheeling, West Virginia. Two lev-
els below the NHL, the ECHL is far from the glamor of Montreal’s was issued a Canadiens’
jersey (number 39) and
became a member of the
most storied franchise in
hockey history.

Inset Above is a close up of Montreal’s starting goal-
the graphic on the right side tender, Carey Price, is
arguably the best in the
of Mike’s helmet. NHL. It was assumed that
Mike would see minimal
playing time, allowing
Price to get a bit of rest
throughout the season.
In the first few weeks of
the season, this plan was
in effect – Mike made ap-
pearances against Ottawa

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