Kamloops Blazers forward Connor Zary says while its tough being cut from the World Juniors team, he was grateful for the opportunity to get a camp invite, even if it was as an injury replacement.

“For me being an 18-year-old, there’s always next year for me so it’s kind of the way I look at it,” he said. “It’s obviously hard coming in late as an injury addition kind of thing, but I still went out there and gave it my best and it didn’t quite work out.”

Zary plans to use the experience from camp to motivate him for the rest of the season with the Blazers.

“Every time you’re on the ice [at camp] it’s different roles you play, different amounts of ice time that what you are used to,” Zary noted. “It’s my draft year so I think it’s just coming to every game ready and showing everyone that I’m still a good player and I had the chance to be here.”

Zary says whenever he faces adversity – whether it was being listed as a B rated prospect by Central Scouting, or questions whether he would make Team WHL for the Canada-Russia series – he says he tries to look for the positives, letting his on-ice performance speak for itself.

So far this Blazers season, Zary has 41 points in 28 games, and he’s expected to be in the lineup in his hometown tonight, when the Blazers face off against the Saskatoon Blades.