▁and ▁Nicholas . ▁The ▁family ▁lived ▁in ▁a ▁century - old ▁farm house ▁near ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁C ay uga . ▁ ▁Em ery ▁excel led ▁in ▁school , ▁and ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁scholar ship . ▁He ▁played ▁many ▁sports ▁other ▁than ▁ice ▁hockey , ▁including ▁golf , ▁baseball , ▁and ▁s occer . ▁In ▁hockey , ▁he ▁originally ▁played ▁as ▁a ▁def enc eman , ▁but ▁switched ▁to ▁go alt ender ▁at ▁nine ▁years ▁old ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁short age ▁of ▁go alt enders ▁in ▁his ▁league . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁Pre - N HL ▁ ▁Em ery ▁committed ▁to ▁hockey ▁on ▁the ▁advice ▁of ▁his ▁mother , ▁after ▁a ▁potential ▁scholar ship ▁during ▁his ▁purs uit ▁for ▁higher ▁education ▁pushed ▁him ▁to ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁his ▁athlet ic ▁ability . ▁At ▁ 1 6 ▁years ▁old , ▁Em ery ▁land ed ▁with ▁the ▁Ontario ▁Junior ▁Hockey ▁League ▁Junior ▁C ▁D unn ville ▁Ter riers ▁after ▁un success fully ▁trying ▁out ▁for ▁eight ▁different ▁junior ▁teams . ▁Em ery ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁league ' s ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁ ▁The ▁Ontario ▁Hockey ▁League ▁( O HL )' s ▁S ault ▁Ste . ▁Marie ▁Grey h ounds ▁draft ed ▁Em ery ▁in ▁the ▁fifth ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁O HL ▁D raft . ▁Em ery ▁split ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 – 2 0 0 0 ▁season ▁between ▁the ▁Well and ▁C oug ars ▁of ▁the ▁O HA ▁and ▁the ▁Grey h