WHL Podcast – Episode 3: Featuring Connor Zary & Connor Rankin

Episode 3 of the WHL Podcast serves up quality conversations with a couple of Connors – Zary and Rankin.

First up is 2020 NHL Draft top prospect Connor Zary of the Kamloops Blazers. Ranked 15th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, the product of Saskatoon is navigating an unprecedented offseason, including the delay of the NHL Draft from its typical June hosting to an October date. We check in with Zary to see how preparations are coming along as he waits longer than expected for the big day.

Wrapping up the show, we have former Tri-City Americans and Calgary Hitmen forward Connor Rankin, who has recently completed his time with the Mount Royal University Cougars of Canada West. Having accessed his WHL Scholarship to pursue his post-secondary education, Rankin has started up his own youth hockey development program and is looking forward to enjoying an off-ice career in the game of hockey.

Hosted by Zach Hodder, the WHL Podcast offers insight into the world of hockey through stories and perspectives shared by some of the biggest and best names from across WHL history. Currently available on Spotify, Soundcloud, and at WHL.ca, fans will enjoy new episodes of the WHL Podcast each Wednesday.

Connor Zary, Kamloops Blazers

Zary, 18, was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team for 2019-20, represented Team WHL at the 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series, and is on the radar for both the 2020 NHL Draft and Hockey Canada’s prospective entry for the 2021 World Junior Championship.

Selected by the Blazers in the second round (37th overall) of the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft, Zary has registered 182 points (73G-109A) in 188 career WHL regular season games over the course of the past three seasons.

Connor Rankin, WHL Alumni

Rankin, 25, enjoyed five outstanding seasons in the WHL, splitting time between the Tri-City Americans and Calgary Hitmen.

Selected by the Americans seventh overall in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft, Rankin went on to collect 268 points (121G-147A) in 339 career WHL regular season games from 2010-11 through 2014-15.

Following his WHL career, Rankin accessed his WHL Scholarship to pursue an accounting degree at Mount Royal University in Calgary, where he also competed for the MRU Cougars men’s hockey program.