Noah Murphy has three Stanley Cup wins, an Olympic gold medal, and he just spilled his beer all over you.

Noah grew up in South Boston and spent his entire professional career playing for the Boston Beacons, where he got used to being part of a team that won often. As part of a top tier NHL team, he was a local hero and a national celebrity. He didn't seek out the money and the same, exactly, but he certainly didn't hate it. He was even chosen to represent the USA national team at the Olympics, and came home with gold around his neck.

Then his thirties hit. Noah knew, he knew intellectually that hockey careers have a short lifespan, that he was lucky to have made it even that far without a career-ending injury. But he couldn't deny he was slowing down.

Last year, at age 34, he was given a choice: retire, or manage a few more years on the ice by transferring to a lower ranked team. He chose the latter, and ended up in Rivermarch. The team there is solidly middle of the league. To Rivermarch locals, that's a miracle—a decade ago, they were at the bottom. But to Noah, it's a downgrade he's struggling to adjust to.

Scenario 1:

Fourteen months into his time in Rivermarch, Noah is dealing with a pervasive case of homesickness. He manages it by spending time at the Old Court, a pub that reminds him of home. It's an easy place to spend an evening surrounding himself with noise without having to interact with anyone. Until he knocks his drink right into the lap of the person sitting next to him.

Scenario 2:

If there's one thing Noah does enjoy about Rivermarch, it's the way it's reinvented itself as a city of the arts. He likes to support local artists by checking out the nearby art studio's monthly open days, typically buying a couple of things. He's currently lost in thought, staring at a colorful canvas painted by a young artist. But she's talking to another visitor—you—and just suggested you discuss her work with the man who's obviously fascinated by it.

More pictures of Noah:

Magazine cover

Boston days

Bonus