Zachary Lauzon was living the dream of every young hockey player. At 18-years-old, he was drafted by an NHL team, selected 51st overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017. But the dream came crashing down when the defenseman suffered a concussion later that same year in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs with his junior team, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
It wasn't Lauzon's first concussion and he spent much of his first development camp in and out of hospital . The Penguins attempted to help him, sending him to rehab and to the same neurologist that Sidney Crosby saw following his own concussion. He missed his second development camp completely while trying to get better. However, things didn't go as he had hoped. Earlier this year, Pittsburgh relinquished Lauzon's entry-level rights, making him a free agent.
Lauzon started attending the University of New Brunswick, hoping to play for their hockey team and attempting to make a comeback, According to an article by TVA Sports, from the first training session in late August the headaches and dizziness returned. Lauzon then made the decision that it was time to retire.
"I'm proud to have gone all the way," the native of Val d'Or, Quebec told TVA Sports. "It is a mature decision. "I could have played hockey for a long time, but I'm no longer willing to take chances."
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