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As the face of Canada’s world junior team, Dylan Strome still flashes the odd grimace when he thinks about the twist his career has taken. And understandably so.

For the first seven weeks of the NHL season, the rookie forward would walk into the Arizona Coyotes dressing room each and every game day and look at the lineup board on the wall, searching to see if his number would be part of the team’s four lines or if it was listed among the healthy scratches.

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All that changed a week ago, when word came down from management: You are being returned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters.

“I’m not going to lie — it sucked,” Strome said from Erie on Wednesday, discussing his candid feelings about being sent back to junior.

It’s easy to relate to the kid’s disappointment, his frustration, his concerns. At the same time, he’s using these emotions as positive motivation, fanning his determination to overcome the immediate challenges that lie ahead.