Sean Durzi has been through his fair share of adversity. Whether it was getting cut from AAA, or going undrafted in 2017, the Mississauga native has used it as a form of motivation.
And when the Owen Sound Attack took a chance on him at the OHL Draft, Durzi set out to prove himself and get drafted to the NHL.
"I bet on myself, I knew I had two years to get drafted to the NHL," Durzi said. "I thought if I put everything I have into this, I believe I could have a good career and get my shot."
At the 2018 NHL Draft, he was selected 52nd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, only to be later traded to the LA Kings in a package deal for Jake Muzzin in January of 2019.
🔊 - Hear from Sean Durzi on coming into the AHL as one of 4 rookie blueliners this season, plus tricks to spell Mississauga & "Durz-IN or Durz-OUT" on quarantine fads on the latest Reigny Day Podcast!
Since joining the Ontario Reign at the beginning of this season, Durzi has proven he can be an asset on the power play and distribute the puck with speed. Just 39 games into his first year of a three-year entry-level contract, the right-shot defenseman is hoping to break through to the NHL level in the coming seasons.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get there," Durzi said. "I think about the opportunity I have and think about the resources around... it's right in the cusp of my hands and it's up to me to go out and work for it."