In 1989 the Soviet Union officially fell and the once prestigious Soviet athletic programs began selling their players to the highest bidders. Martin Ostrowski is a hockey player, and also Polish. He never belonged in Russia in the first place and now that Russia offers him no future and Poland offers him no past, if he wants to continue to play hockey professionally he has no choice but to try his luck in North America.

But he doesn't really fit in with his team in New York: not with the Americans, certainly not with the Canadians, and curiously not with the Russians either. Life in the Soviet Union was one where you kept your head down and being famous might be the worst thing that could happen to you; now Martin has to learn to thrive in an American society obsessed with cults of personality, with autograph signings, with agents, with charity events and reporters.