A player I expect to get a good shot at making the Maple Leafs this fall is Chris DiDomenico. He is a local kid (Woodbridge) who has partly flown under the radar because of injuries.
He was passed over in the OHL draft and began his major junior career the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Quebec league in 2006–07 where DiDomenico scored 25 goals, 50 assists and 75 points, establishing Sea Dogs club records for a rookie. That summer, he was drafted in the 6th round (164th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. The next season he finished sixth in league scoring with 95 points in 65 games.
In his third season as a junior DiDomenico was traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He completed the season with a combined 59 points in 51 games between Drummondville and Saint John. He also represented Canada at the World Junior Chamionships in 2009. Then he went on a tear in the playoffs recording a playoff-high 31 assists to go with 4 goals in 15 games before suffering a broken femur in a collision.
DiDomenico played his first game since the injury on February 17 of this year after a nine-month layoff. He scored a goal and added two assists in his first game back, and in 12 games he managed seven goals and 22 points along with a plus-18 rating.
He is a gifted scorer something the Leafs are in short supply. But he also has tremondous character and determination. He is only listed at 5'11" and 165 lbs and just an ordinary skater. But DiDomenico is an excellent penalty killer and at taking face offs. The only thing working against him is the lost 2009-10 season which likely held back his development.
No comments:
Post a Comment