Chapter 43: Excerpt from Season’s Change - Olly Järvinen and Benji Bryzinski
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with Olly Järvinen, a twenty-four-year-old center recently traded to the Washington Eagles, struggling through the first day of training camp. He vomits repeatedly during fitness testing, a consequence of neglecting his offseason training. Olly hides his physical and mental exhaustion behind terse replies, avoiding captain Mike Dewitt’s welcoming gestures. Meanwhile, rookie defenseman Benji Bryzinski arrives in Rosslyn, Virginia, delighted with his new apartment and confident he will make the final roster. Benji’s older sister Krista is helping him furnish the place while dealing with her husband’s infidelity. Benji goes for a walk along the Mount Vernon Trail to manage his anger about Krista’s situation. The chapter ends with Krista answering the door for Olly, who is Benji’s new roommate.
Key Events
- Olly Järvinen vomits during a treadmill endurance test and again after on-ice testing, underscoring his poor physical condition.
- Captain Mike Dewitt attempts to welcome Olly to the team and informs him about the shared apartment with a rookie; Olly reacts with unease, worried about his roster spot.
- Benji Bryzinski stands on his balcony overlooking the Potomac, thrilled with his contract and apartment ahead of the season.
- Krista Bryzinski video-calls Benji about choosing furniture, revealing she is staying with Benji after discovering her husband’s affair.
- Benji takes a walk to calm his fury over Krista’s marriage, then returns home to find Krista decorating; the doorbell announces Olly’s arrival.
Character Development
- Olly Järvinen is depicted as a disciplined player who has lost his way. He feels shame about his lack of preparation and avoids engaging with teammates, haunted by a past roommate situation he refuses to discuss. His internal conflict between wanting to quit and his professional pride drives his behavior.
- Benji Bryzinski emerges as confident and grounded, yet deeply protective of his sister. He uses mindfulness techniques (like those from his college therapist) to manage anger. His attachment to his old truck as a good-luck charm and his indifference to image suggest a character focused on substance over appearance.
- Krista Bryzinski is a supportive sister who masks her pain by helping Benji settle in. Her critique of Benji’s truck and insistence on image hints at her own need for control in a chaotic personal life.
- Mike Dewitt (Dewey) fulfills his role as team captain by checking in on new players, though Olly’s resistance reveals the limits of such outreach.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Physical and Emotional Disconnect: Olly’s vomiting mirrors his inner turmoil—his body rejects the demands of camp just as his mind rejects the emotional fallout from his previous season.
- Fresh Starts vs. Burdens: Benji’s excitement for his new apartment and contract contrasts with Olly’s dread of the same housing arrangement. The balcony overlooking the river symbolizes opportunity for Benji, while for Olly it may represent a precarious ledge.
- Sibling Bonds: Krista’s presence in Benji’s life shows a family support system, a stark difference from Olly’s isolation (he avoids his father’s calls and left his trainer in Duluth).
- Luck and Ritual: Benji’s truck is a talisman from his youth hockey days; Olly has no such touchstone, adrift in his preparation.
Why This Chapter Matters
As a crossover excerpt from another novel, Chapter 43 expands the universe of The Long Game by introducing two new perspectives on the Washington Eagles organization. Olly’s struggle provides a raw, unglamorous look at professional hockey’s mental health challenges, while Benji’s arc offers a counterpoint of optimism. The chapter deepens the world of the sports romance genre, showing that even within the same team, players face vastly different personal battles. It also sets up a potential future storyline: Olly and Benji as roommates with contrasting temperaments.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Cait Nary use vomiting as a physical symbol in Olly’s opening scene?
Olly’s repeated vomiting during fitness tests symbolizes his lack of readiness, both physical and emotional. It visually represents his body rejecting the demands of training camp, mirroring his mental rejection of his new team and his own recent failures. The act also isolates him from the camaraderie around him, as he refuses help and keeps his head down.
2. Compare the attitudes of Olly and Benji toward their shared apartment. What does this reveal about their current mindsets?
Olly views the apartment as a threat to his precarious roster spot—he finds it unusual to receive housing before the final cut, and he dreads the new living situation. Benji, by contrast, sees the apartment as a reward for years of hard work and a confirmation that he has “arrived.” Olly’s anxiety contrasts with Benji’s excitement, highlighting Olly’s insecurity and Benji’s confidence.
3. What purpose does Krista serve in Benji’s introductory chapter?
Krista provides a mirror for Benji’s character: her marital troubles allow him to express protectiveness and controlled anger, showing his emotional depth. Her focus on Benji’s “image” and her driving him to shop for furniture also illustrate the family support that grounds him. Without Krista, Benji might appear one-dimensionally enthusiastic; she adds complexity and stakes beyond hockey.