It was the best of days and it was the worst of days for the family of Connor Zary in Saskatoon last Friday.
While dealing with the news they’ve waited a long time to hear, the family was dealing with its own heartache.
“We were going through a rollercoaster of emotions that morning,” Zary’s dad Scott told NL Sports. “We had to put down our dog Finn that morning.”
“My wife Kathleen had just returned home and we were dealing with emotions of losing a close family member. Then 15 minutes later I got this email… I read it slowly and I was like ‘Oh my goodness, my boy just made the World Junior Team!'”
Scott Zary says Dec. 11 was a day he’ll never forget. He later got to be the first person to tell Connor the news that he made Team Canada – something he called a ‘very classy gesture’ from Hockey Canada.
“The tears started to pour. Going through the lows of losing a family dog, and within 45 minutes realizing your son just realized a big dream of his,” he said. “We were both in tears.”
Scott says his wife recently found and old school journal of Connor’s from when he was in the Second grade.
“The assignment was about what you want to do when you grow up,” Scott continued. “The entry said to play for my country at the World Juniors.”
The 19 year-old Zary was a first round NHL draft pick of the Calgary Flames back in October.
The World Juniors get underway from the Edmonton bubble on Christmas Day. Radio NL will carry all Team Canada games and as well as the gold medal game starting Boxing Day against Germany.
. @blazerhockey parents really are the best. My chat with Scott (Kathleen) on Connor making Team Canada. Don’t tell me this tournament doesn’t mean anything.
LISTEN: https://t.co/zQomyHUt9W
📸 Zary family pic.twitter.com/jMwGzdFAqw— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) December 16, 2020