The star goaltender is sitting on a couch at his new billet's house, which backs onto a golf course where Tiger Woods won the same PGA tournament three times.

He will soon be guarding the home crease at an arena that, though it doesn't look like much from outside, is being transformed into one of the most progressive and functional facilities in major junior hockey history.

He and his mates are supported by a deep-pocketed owner, whose recent buck-spending suggests he treats this puck journey the same way Michigan rapper Eminem saw his career: "You only get one shot, do not miss your chance . . . this opportunity comes once in a lifetime."

This is hockey, Flint style.

Luxury, where it may be least expected.

"The first impression I got when we heard the team was moving from Plymouth last season was word of mouth -- just like everyone else," said Alex Nedeljkovic, the OHL's top goalie two years ago. "That Flint is kind of run down. But I got here and that's not the case. It's really nice and a hockey-rich community.

"Anybody would be lucky to come play here four years and spend their career with the Firebirds."

The only kind of luck people have linked to Flint, in recently memory, is tough.

It built an unenviable reputation as one of the most dangerous places in America. Not long ago, there were more murders here than in Baghdad.

If native son Michael Moore's films didn't paint a bleak enough picture of the economic decline in Vehicle City, the mayor described the mass exodus of jobs as "national tragedy."

On the list of places where the image-conscious Canadian Hockey League would put one of its clubs, this sports-mad city of 100,000, about 100 km northwest of Detroit, appeared buried in bedrock.

Instead, it's a diamond in the rough.

The community is on the comeback, the people are enthralled by team owner Rolf Nilsen's investment, and if this works out, it will go down as the OHL's greatest success story.

"This is bigger than hockey," Firebirds president Costa Papista, a former London Knight and Sudbury Wolves defenceman, said. "Hockey is the catalyst but it's also about bringing a building that hasn't been high on the radar for a while back to life. People are noticing the improvements. It's a big community project and we have some momentum. You can sense the economy coming back here and corporations have the ability to come on board and support a project like this."

Six significant companies -- including Dort Federal Credit Union, which bought the rink naming rights, and rising star Diplomat Pharmacy -- have jumped in skates first.

This is no longer an auto-only zone, though General Motors has started to reinvest in the area -- $600 million a few years ago and another $877 million to solidify the business for years to come.

The main drag downtown, which has undergone a Detroit-like resurgence, features a handful of institutes of higher learning -- perfect for a place trying to restore pride in itself.

There are also three major hospital systems in town.

"People assume Flint and Genesee County are the same as they read about," Janice Karcher, the chamber of commerce vice-president of economic development who made sure a couple of Canuck visitors knew her maiden name was 'Orr'. "We're trying to get past some of the old images they've had. Much has changed with a lot of effort gone into diversifying the economy. The unemployment rate is at record lows. When (OHL commissioner) David Branch visited (last January), it was a chance to show him and the executive what's happening here.

"There's a real groundswell across the region and people say, unprompted, they can't wait to get back in the arena to watch the Flint hockey team."

Hamilton is getting its eighth shot at major junior hockey this season. Flint knows it needs to make this work now.

Nilsen, a Norwegian who made his fortune in watertight doors for ships and drilling rigs, isn't cutting corners at the rink he bought. One of the best ways to prove you're an NHL-worthy owner is to run an NHL-like organization.

"People underestimate Rolf's passion for this sport," Firebirds GM Terry Christensen said. "He's an extremely successful businessman and he wants this done the right way. He believe if he can make a (private) investment in the facility, our fan base and customers have a great venue to watch hockey. We're trying to create a situation where there's a love affair between the city and the owner of the team."

In junior hockey, you can boast the world's greatest owner and the most intelligent scouting staff. But if you can't recruit and get top-tier players to report, you will finish last.

The Firebirds want to make the playoffs. They would love to average 3,500 fans a game in this first season.

Their first-round choice Ryan McLeod didn't show up so Christensen flipped him to Mississauga, where he wanted to play with his brother, for a boat-load of future draft picks.

"This year, we're basically promoting ourselves," the GM said. "After people come through this building the first time and opposing teams and players see the facility and experience our crowds, we'll have the beginning of a history. There will be information we can dispense to people and it's going to be much easier next year to promote our product.

"I would say this is the best-kept secret in the league right now."

Flint must turn itself into a destination spot.

Papista, in one of his previous puck jobs, helped launch the Saginaw franchise. The Spirit had players turn them down over safety concerns.

"It's a great place to play, but there is fear of the unknown," he said. "I understand because I have a 14-year-old daughter and if she was going away for the first time, I would want to come and make sure for myself it's a great community. I believe we have a county that is very safe. It's unfortunate there are pockets of crime, just like Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Toronto, but it's not in our area. We need people to visit once and they'll see that.

"My prediction is this is going to be a solid market, one the league can be proud of. It'll never be a London, but it can work here."

Flint native Matt Shegos spent 29 years as an official in U.S. college hockey. The well-known ref worked six NCAA championship finals, as well as the Wolverines-Spartans 'Big Chill at the Big House' outdoor game at the University of Michigan football field that drew a then-record of over 100,000 spectators.

He and his wife Lynn have taken Nedeljkovic into their Grand Blanc home for the season.

"These players are just getting to their prime and I wanted to give a young man in the Flint area a nice, comfortable setting so he can hopefully attain his dreams of making the National Hockey League," Shegos said. "There's an awful lot happening here, a rebirth if you will. It's a very nice place to raise a family. We're used to having a professional team. We used to have the (Buick Open) golf tournament right on this (Warwick Hills) golf course, but it left six years ago with the auto industry downturn.

"This area is grasping for a team, and in the Firebirds, they'll have that."

He believes local fans, used to the old rock 'em, sock 'em pro game, will be stunned by the quality and finesse brand of OHL hockey.

But the biggest eye-opener in the game today just might be Flint itself.

ryan.pyette@sunmedia.ca

Twitter.com/RyanatLFPress

THE FLINT PROMISE