Former Spitfires’ goalie DiPietro set to make his sixth appearance with Hockey Canada

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Amherstburg’s Mike DiPietro remains the same affable and easygoing player that showed up on the Windsor Spitfires’ doorstep in 2015 and promptly went on to rewrite the club’s modern-era record book for goalies.

The Sun County minor hockey product was just 15 at the time, but no one referred to him as Michael. The moniker Mikey seemed a good fit for the young prospect that always seemed to be smiling.

Still, after becoming the club’s all-time leader in wins, the Ontario Hockey League’s career shutout king, a 2017 Memorial Cup champion and the league’s goalie-of-the-year, DiPietro’s first name has not matured after two seasons of pro hockey in the Vancouver Canucks’ organization.

“I’m never outgrowing Mikey,” said DiPietro, who will turn 22 next month. “I refuse and just because I get a little older doesn’t mean I’m not a kid at heart.”

Maybe his demeanor is partly why Hockey Canada has once again turned to DiPietro, who has only appeared in two career NHL games, to join the team for this year’s IIHF World Championship in Latvia.

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“When you do get a chance to represent your country, my personal opinion is, you never turn it down because you don’t know if or when it will happen again,” DiPietro said. “For myself, I’m super excited and it’s a true honour to represent Canada.”

This will be the sixth time that DiPietro has donned a Canadian jersey. He represented Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, was part of Canada’s World Championship Under-18 team as well as the summer team. He was Canada’s starting goalie at the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship just a year after Hockey Canada brought him to the World Championships while he was still playing for the Spitfires.

“I just want, for me, to be a good teammate and a good guy to be around who always has a smile on his face and brings positive energy whether I’m playing, backing up or not dressing,” DiPietro said. “I take great pride in being part of Hockey Canada.”
DiPietro will join a pair of former Spitfires on the Canadian roster in Los Angeles Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi, who won the Memorial Cup with DiPietro in 2017, and Anaheim Ducks centre Adam Henrique, who is now a 10-year NHL veteran and won back-to-back Memorial Cups with the Spitfires in 2009 and 2010. Former Spitfires’ head coach Mikey Kelly will also serve as an assistant coach on the team.

“I haven’t seen Gabe in a while and I’m super happy for him,” DiPietro said. “I don’t know (Henrique) too well, but I watched him play when I was younger and all that. It’s funny how things come full circle.”

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It’s not clear what role DiPietro will have on the team with Canada also bringing the Arizona tandem of Adin Hill and Darcy Kuemper. In a year where all athletes have been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, few could deny DiPietro has had one of the more trying seasons.

He played his last in the American Hockey League on March 11, 2020 before the pandemic shut things down. The Canucks opted to keep him on the team’s taxi roster during the season, but he did not play a game. He was finally returned to Utica last month and went 414 days between starts in net.

“This year has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my hockey career or life in general,” DiPietro said. “To say this year has been full of highs and lows is an understatement.

“You’re trying to do all the right things and trying to be a good soldier and learn as much as you can and apply it in practice.”
Most people have become all too familiar with Zoom meetings and DiPietro had plenty with Canucks’ goaltending consultant Curtis Sanford, to Vancouver goalie coach Ian Clark and even Perry Wilson, who was his goalie coach with the Spitfires.

“You won’t see me here complaining or feeling sorry for myself,” DiPietro said. “I think the biggest thing is keeping busy and finding ways to get better.

“Obviously, a crazy year, but I’ve never felt so good about my game and confident in my game.”

DiPietro will meet up with his Canadian teammates in New Jersey on Saturday before the team flies to Lativa. Canada opens the World Championship on Friday against the host team. The tournament is set to run through the medal round on June 6 and, as he has done with every appearance with Hockey Canada and what has probably helped make him a popular choice for Team Canada, DiPietro will go in being a good teammate, regardless of the role, and see how things play out.

“I’m just going in with open mind and accepting my role and try to get better every day,” DiPietro said. “I don’t put labels on things. I let things happen as they happen. I want to win and everyone else in that locker room does, too.”

jpparker@postmedia.com

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