Edmonton hockey referee Derek Zalaski knows that every time he steps onto the ice he is going to be yelled at, berated, castigated and cursed. He is going to be the most unpopular person in every arena he enters.
And he’s fine with it.
“It’s definitely not a job for everyone,” said Zalaski, 36, who has been named as one of the 12 referees for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Calgary, Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. “You have to have a unique personality.