A hockey player who started his career in Salmon Arm is in the midst of his most memorable NHL season yet.
On April 5, Curtis Lazar, then playing for the Buffalo Sabres, and wife Reanne welcomed their first child, Owen.
Less than a week later, at 11 p.m. on the night before the NHL鈥檚 trade deadline of April 12, Lazar got a phone call informing him he鈥檇 been traded from Buffalo to the Boston Bruins.
Not only did this mean that he and his family would have to move to a new city , it also meant he鈥檇 be moving from a team that missed the playoffs to a team that鈥檚 a Stanley Cup contender.
Lazar originally planned to come back home to 麻豆精选 to be with Reanne while she delivered their baby. However, due to Canada鈥檚 mandatory two-week quarantine, if they did that Lazar would have been unable to play for a long time.
鈥淢y wife, the trooper that she is, at 35 weeks pregnant, she hopped on a plane and came down to Buffalo,鈥� said Lazar.
Lazar said the Sabres organization was happy he was available to play more games with them and that they helped set up all the doctors and medical attention necessary for Reanne.
鈥淥ur baby was born in Buffalo and a week later moved to Boston,鈥� said Lazar. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 definitely a cool story that he鈥檚 going to be able to tell all his friends about as he gets older.鈥�
Lazar said he was stressed about the move but that the Bruins organization is top notch and was a big help in getting his family settled in Massachusetts. His family is enjoying exploring Boston and being part of the community there.
Lazar has been settling in well with his new team too and said it was a seamless transition. He鈥檚 had a warm welcome from management and the players on the team. Lazar said that as a Bruin, you have a job to do every game 鈥� there鈥檚 no grey area.
鈥淎s a player, that鈥檚 great. Every time you step on the ice there鈥檚 a standard that鈥檚 been set and you鈥檝e got to hit that,鈥� said Lazar.
In the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins defeated the Washington Capitals in five games. During the series, Lazar won 58 per cent of the face-offs he was in.
Having his family in the stands watching him means a lot to Lazar. Even though his son is too young to understand what鈥檚 going on at the arena, Lazar wants to be a role model for him and said there鈥檚 no better time to start doing that than now.
鈥淚t puts things in perspective. Hockey, it really is just a game,鈥� said Lazar. 鈥淥bviously I love it, it鈥檚 my passion, it鈥檚 my job, but my family鈥檚 always going to come first and foremost.鈥�
Read more: Wayne Gretzky steps down from front-office role with Edmonton Oilers
Read more: Ageless wonder: Mickelson, 50, becomes oldest golfer to win a major with PGA Championship title
@roman_reports
zachary.roman@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
