Page 107 of Rookie Rules

The answer was clean and technical.

"Trigger?"

"His right skate opens before the pass."

Vale played the clip. Kaito received, shifted weight, and moved the puck behind the first pressure exactly as Finn described.

Luca looked from the screen to Finn.

Knowledge could come from repetition. Rowan knew Luca's routes because he had watched hours of tape and shared hundreds of shifts. Finn had played against Kaito for years. Nothing required a hidden story.

Nothing explained the lace still pulled too tight around his skate.

The broadcast cut from Kaito's goal to a short interview recorded after his last game.

"Northstar is playing faster," a reporter said. "What has changed?"

Kaito removed one glove finger by finger. "Their rookie finishes. Hale gives him structure. Mercer covers what they leave behind."

The answer was accurate enough to sound dismissive.

"Any special preparation for Mercer? You two have had difficult matchups for years."

Something moved behind Kaito's expression and vanished.

"Finn knows my game," he said. "I know his."

First name again.

This time the room heard it.

Jace looked toward Finn. Mateo's brows rose. Eli, incapable of pretending not to notice data, opened his mouth.

Rowan paused the screen.

"Their second line takes most defensive-zone starts," he said. "That is the relevant information."

The redirection gave everyone instructions about what not to ask.

Finn leaned back in his chair. "Look at that. Famous."

His tone recovered the joke. His eyes remained on the black screen after Rowan changed the clip.

Luca understood the room's response. Veterans had private histories with opponents: junior teams, national camps, agents, trades, summers in the same training cities. Curiosity could become distraction fast.

Still, two first names had crossed opposing interviews like a wire pulled tight.

After the meeting, Rowan caught the line near the equipment racks.

"Ten minutes of entries before the main group," he said. "Their middle pressure changes the second option."

Finn nodded. "I'll be ready."

"I know."

The exchange carried something Luca could not place. Rowan trusted Finn more than almost anyone. If he had noticed the first-name slip, he gave no sign.

On the ice, Finn was perfect.