Helen Umar)
“It was a little shocking,” Umar said. “I got here to try to help the team and I’m not really sure why. A lot of people are blaming me. I got an opportunity here and didn’t take it. I wish more women get to play, but of course you’re going to think about that and that’s who I am.”
In the aftermath of a 9-8 loss to St. John’s on Friday, Umar took to Twitter to criticize the coaches for not sending Umar back to action. The coach told reporters that his team could not “turn back the hands of time.”
Story continues below advertisement
Story continues below advertisement
Umar, 24, signed with the Blue Bombers as a free agent out of Eastern Washington out of the 2014 NHL draft in October, 2015.
She was named to Canada’s World Junior squad this summer. She took part in the World Junior camp but was not on the roster for the tournament.
Umar played in her first game for the Bombers against Regina on Nov. 18.
Umar, who is the second-youngest player on Canada’s World Junior roster, has played four exhibition games with the team, scoring one goal.
She was born in Ontario, but her dad is from Pakistan. She said she was moved to Canada, along with her older sister Kaitlin, when she was 3 because of the lack of proper opportunities.
Story continues below advertisement
Umar said she was not ready to leave at the time because she still had many things in Canada that she wanted to stay for.
“I felt like I shouldn’t get too far away from home. I didn’t think any of this would happen, that this was a bad thing,” she said.
Umar and Kaitlin are currently studying to become teachers in order to better prepare their daughters for future career options.
Kaitlin would just as soon be playing in the fall and Umar in the spring.
Canada is without three others on their World Junior roster – forward Meghan Duggan is injured and will not be able to play due to injury; forward Emily Menges will not play due to an undisclosed injury; and midfielder Emily Zurrer will not travel to Switzerland as she returns from a suspension.