"When little boys on backyard rinks dream of a career in the NHL, they imagine slipping on a sweater in the first round of the draft, scoring goals at will and having their mug plastered on the latest hockey video game.

But the journey to the NHL rarely follows the imagination of a child.

"I don't think it's ever what you envisioned," Coyotes center Gilbert Brule said.

It definitely wasn't for Brule. The 25-year-old did, however, achieved the first milestone by getting selected sixth overall in 2005. But after that, nothing in Brule's career went according to plan.

A score of injuries, an inconsistent spot in the lineup and a lack of confidence have haunted Brule. He's hoping a desert scenery is just what he needs to set his career back on the path he always wanted it to steer.

Before the Coyotes nabbed Brule on Jan.10 via the waiver wire, Brule was with the Edmonton Oilers for parts of four seasons. But he didn't reach his potential during his tenure there.

He had a fantastic campaign in 2009-2010, scoring 17 goals, but with every positive, an injury lurked. The next season there was a stomach bug. An abdominal injury. A concussion.

Aside from injuries, the NHL lifestyle started to wear on Brule. There was a hectic travel schedule, a carousel of linemates, new systems to learn. When pucks would ding posts and scoring droughts lengthened, Brule focused on the negative."