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Arkonius · 08-20-2022, 06:09 PM

Lazos Otasrob - LD

At a whopping 6’4, 215lbs Lazos Otasrob enters the SMJHL draft ready to take on the league. I was lucky enough to have a meeting with Lazos to get to know the prospect better and ask… where this nickname “LION” came from.

From the Beginning:

Growing up, Lazos and his older brother Davos lived for competition. May it be wrestling in their basement pretending to be Stone Cold Steve Austin, or Dwayne The Rock Johnson, to playing street hockey, no matter what, winning was all that mattered. Lazos had the desire to be the best at whatever he put his mind to which all began with weightlifting. On a school trip to his local public library, he came across the Encyclopedia of Body Building. Learning from the greats like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath, and Frank Zane, Lazos was able to quickly go from a tall lanky kid to a monster. His determination to learn everything he can, from dieting to technique, allowed him to quickly see results which continued to fuel his desire to be as strong and big as he could be.

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Early Hockey Career:

As he began to put on a lot of mass, it started to affect his performance on the ice. Smaller, faster players would start skating around him and his ability to slow them down with a hit or any form of aggression failed. His size started to cause more problems than not. Lazos knew the dynamics of hockey have been changing, and started to realize that his lack of speed and agility were hindering his game. This made Lazos rethink his training routine and just like bodybuilding, he wanted to find a mentor to help him transform his game. Being a huge hockey fan growing up, he remembers following the career of Gary Roborts. When Roborts retired, he started his own performance company known as Gary Roborts Performance. Roborts always focused on nutrition and was a monster in his own right in the gym. Lazos knew he needed help and wanted to learn from the best. For the past 3 years, Lazos has been working under Gary Roborts to redefine his game on and off the ice.

The Gary Roborts Experience:

“We learn so much in the gym, we learn on the ice, but when you come here, you come to the gym, you’re working with Sylvie and she’s such a good nutritionist and Adrian and Lucas and Gary himself. The list goes on and on but they’re all smart people here. I’m very lucky to work with such a great group here.”

— Connor McDoogle

“The speed work and agility work is huge for hockey players, there are so many lateral movements that you have to do on the ice. And to be able to play with the best players you’ve got to be able to do that stuff off the ice.”

— Josh Andersun

“I haven’t seen or been a part of anything quite like this. That’s why you see the same guys every summer coming back because of how great it is and just how stress-free and easy it is for us as players. We’re excited to come to the gym every day for just the atmosphere that is here and the friendships that we’ve made.”

— Steven Stamkins

Lazos went on to explain how he was able to train with many hockey greats. Learning from their experiences in their own leagues and the importance of not only strength, but the importance of hockey smarts and how to be agile on his skates. Roborts system focused on three areas: Fuel, Train, and Recover. Lazos took this all in and did everything he was asked to do.

The unique physique and intelligence that Lazos possessed intrigued Gary Roborts from day one, Lazos explained. As the days went on, they worked together to really understand the strengths and weaknesses of his game and were able to put together a blueprint on the player he should become. This is where the nickname LION was born. Longevity, Intelligence, Offense, and Nimble. This unconventional style and focus on key areas had made Lazos turn into something the SMJHL has never seen. A 6’4 215-pound offensive defenseman that uses his hockey smarts, stick work, and speed to shut down his opponents while avoiding using his body. Lazos explained the reasoning behind this in more detail. As a proponent of having a long healthy career, Lazos knew that playing a physical style of game could cut that short. As well, with his high hockey IQ, utilizing his stick can be just as effective as a hit, if not better. He was able to show me in some more detail what he has been working on relative to the LION motto.

Longevity – Low Hitting / Shot Blocking

Intelligence – High Offensive Read / Defensive Read

Offense – High Getting Open / Puckhandling / Shooting Accuracy / Shooting Range

Nimble – High Agility / Balance / Speed

Onto the Draft:

It was great to sit down with Lazos and to learn more about how he changed his game into the LION he is today. Lazos is an intriguing prospect and would be a great addition for any of the SMJHL teams! His focus on specific areas of his game will be interesting to see how it resonates in the SMJHL and if this “specialized left shot offensive defenceman” will continue to be the offensive threat that he has been throughout his young career. I look forward to seeing where he will be drafted and what kind of hockey player he turns into.

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