A hockey player whose career began in Salmon Arm has signed with a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, NY.
On July 1, the Buffalo Sabres announced the team had signed forward Curtis Lazar to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $700,000.
Lazar spent the last two full seasons as a winger with the Calgary Flames which acquired him from the Ottawa Senators in March 2017. Between the two teams, Lazar has recorded 51 points in 246 career NHL games.
Read more: Silverbacks coach wins hockey award
Read more: Top women’s hockey player Natalie Spooner coming to the Okanagan
Lazar was feeling the need for a change of pace and a new team.
“The way that Calgary was trending I really didn’t see myself as a part of the plan so they offered me a contract and I actually refused that,” Lazar said. “It has been very interesting getting pitched by other teams; I had a few options and some teams calling, telling me what they were offering.”
None stood out to Lazar as much as the Sabres did. Soon after the team made contact, Lazar was able to make a decision.
“Buffalo stood out to me as the best opportunity so I had some great dialogue with a bunch of their management as well as their head coach, and one thing led to another and I’m thrilled have put pen to paper with the Sabres.”
Read more: Youth seeks help taking hockey dreams to next level
Read more: BC Hockey selects 60 players for U16 provincial camp in Shawnigan Lake
Lazar started playing hockey in Salmon Arm when he was four-years-old and joined minor hockey when he was five. He lived in Salmon Arm for 10 years before moving to Vernon but credits Salmon Arm for being the place where his career began.
@CameronJHTCameron.thomson@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
