They say slow and steady wins the race.

Curtis Hall is hoping slow and steady helps win the gold medal for Team USA at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship and leads to a long career in the NHL.

The son of a former minor league player, Hall grew up in a Cleveland suburb dreaming about a hockey career of his own. But his career didn’t have the meteoric rise like many of his USA teammates.

While he was a star on his local youth hockey teams as a point per game player, it became clear as he tried to take his game to the next level that he’d pave that path with a lot of grit and hard work, not highlight-reel goals.

“It’s been a slow progression as I’ve grown up and my body has gotten bigger,” said the 6-foot-3, 196-pound centreman. ”With each step I’ve taken, I wouldn’t say my goal scoring