Chris DiDomenico explained

Birth Date:20 February 1989
Birth Place:Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:174
Position:Centre
Shoots:Right
League:NL
Team:HC Fribourg-Gottéron
Former Teams:Asiago HC
SCL Tigers
Ottawa Senators
SC Bern
Draft:164th overall
Draft Year:2007
Draft Team:Toronto Maple Leafs
Career Start:2010

Christopher DiDomenico (born February 20, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for SC Bern of the National League (NL). DiDomenico was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round (164th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and sporadically played in the National Hockey League with the Ottawa Senators about a decade later.

Playing career

Amateur

Before turning professional, DiDomenico played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the Saint John Sea Dogs and the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Nearing the conclusion of the 2008–09 season with the Voltigeurs, DiDomenico was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with his draft team, the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 14, 2009.[1]

Professional

On June 30, 2010, the Maple Leafs traded DiDomenico, along with Viktor Stålberg and Philippe Paradis, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Kris Versteeg and Bill Sweatt.[2] After reporting to the Blackhawks 2010 training camp, DiDomenico made his professional debut in the 2010–11 season with American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

DiDomenico played two years within the Blackhawks' system, toiling between the AHL and East Coast Hockey League before opting to leave as a restricted free agent in the offseason to join Asiago HC of the Italian Serie A league in 2012. After two years with Asiago, DiDomenico left Italy but remained in Europe after agreeing to join Swiss club, SCL Tigers of the then National League B for their post-season campaign on February 12, 2012.

Helping the Tigers return to the top flight National League A, and in his fourth season with the Tigers in 2016–17, DiDomenico was approached with NHL interest. While leading the Tigers in scoring with 38 points in 48 games, DiDomenico was reluctantly released from his contract with SCL immediately after agreeing to a two-year deal to pursue his NHL ambitions with the Ottawa Senators under former junior coach Guy Boucher on February 27, 2017.[3] In signing with the Senators mid-season, DiDomenico was subject to waivers before joining the club. DiDomenico successfully cleared waivers on February 28, 2017, and joined the Senators. DiDomenico made his NHL debut on March 9, 2017 against the Arizona Coyotes.[4]

In the 2017–18 season, DiDomenico began the year with the Senators AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators. After 4 games he was recalled and later scored his first NHL goal with Ottawa on October 27, 2017, against the New Jersey Devils with a late game-tying goal.[5] On November 23, 2017, after appearing in 12 games DiDomenico was waived by the Senators, and was then claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 24.[6] [7] He was immediately assigned on a conditioning loan to the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. DiDomenico appeared in 3 games for the Crunch, scoring 1 goal.

On December 2, 2017, DiDomenico was claimed off waivers to return to the Senators organization.[8] On February 15, 2018, DiDomenico again left the Senators organization as he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Ville Pokka.[9] He was assigned to the Blackhawks AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, where he quickly transitioned as the club's top offensive player by posting 23 points in 22 games to end the regular season.

After the season, DiDomenico as an impending free agent, opted to recommence his European career by returning to his former Swiss club, SCL Tigers, on an optional three-year contract on June 13, 2018.[10]

During the 2019–20 season, while in his sixth with the SCL Tigers, on January 15, 2020, DiDomenico agreed to a two-year contract commencing from the 2020–21 season to join fellow NL club, HC Fribourg-Gottéron.[11] After the regular season and before the relegation round, the Tigers immediately released DiDomenico following bad behavior and lack of respect for the team.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2004–05North York RangersOPJHL20000
2005–06North York RangersOPJHL22020
2006–07Saint John Sea DogsQMJHL7025507560
2007–08Saint John Sea DogsQMJHL70395695103148111920
2008–09Saint John Sea DogsQMJHL2611233434
2008–09Drummondville VoltigeursQMJHL258172528154313524
2009–10Drummondville VoltigeursQMJHL127152210147142118
2010–11Rockford IceHogsAHL250446
2010–11Toledo WalleyeECHL379162531
2011–12Rockford IceHogsAHL492111324
2011–12Toledo WalleyeECHL174131714
2012–13Asiago HCITL37223860821511314234
2013–14Asiago HCITL3124487250
2013–14SCL TigersNLB100001510122234
2014–15SCL TigersNLB4325386375197283552
2015–16SCL TigersNLA4612263842
2016–17SCL TigersNLA4810283830
2016–17Ottawa SenatorsNHL30006
2017–18Belleville SenatorsAHL 25591431
2017–18Ottawa SenatorsNHL2464108
2017–18Syracuse CrunchAHL 31010
2017–18Rockford IceHogsAHL228152344137111822
2018–19SCL TigersNL48103646134741552
2019–20SCL TigersNL4311283974
2020–21HC Fribourg-GottéronNL4815314648502220
2021–22HC Fribourg-GottéronNL491539549295101535
2022–23SC BernNL4623305365926838
NL totals328962183144852191322107
NHL totals27641014

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2009CanadaWJC62574
2014CanadaSC4th20006
2015CanadaSC41342
2016CanadaSC514518
2018CanadaSC41124
2019CanadaSC41232
2022CanadaSC5th31016
2023CanadaSC4th423516
Junior totals62574
Senior totals267132054

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
All-Rookie Team 2006–07[12]
Jean Rougeau Trophy2008-09[13]
President's Cup Champion2008-09[14]
Champion2012-13
Supercup Champion2013-14
Champion 2014–15
Promotion to LNA2014–15
Media All-Star Team2021–22
IIHF World U20 Championship gold medal 2009[15]
Continental Cup Best Forward2013-14
Spengler Cup gold medal 2015, 2016, 2019

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maple Leafs sign forward Chris DiDomenico . . 2009-03-14 . 2017-02-21.
  2. Web site: Leafs Add Versteeg & Sweatt . . 2010-06-30 . 2010-06-30.
  3. Web site: . Chris DiDomenico signs with Senators from Switzerland . 2017-02-27 . 2017-02-27.
  4. Web site: NHL . Ottawa Senators - Arizona Coyotes - March 9th, 2017 . March 9, 2017.
  5. Web site: NHL . DiDomenico nets first NHL goal . October 27, 2017.
  6. Web site: Flames' Eddie Lack, Senators' Chris DiDomenico placed on waivers. Sportsnet.ca. November 25, 2017. November 23, 2017.
  7. Web site: Lightning claim forward Chris DiDomenico from Ottawa. NHL.com. November 24, 2017. November 24, 2017.
  8. News: Senators bring back DiDomenico . . 2017-12-02 . 2017-12-02 .
  9. Web site: Blackhawks acquire DiDomenico from Ottawa. NHL.com. February 16, 2018. February 15, 2018.
  10. Web site: Chris DiDomenico back at the Tigers . . 2018-06-13 . 2018-06-13 . German.
  11. Web site: Chris DiDomenico joins HC Fribourg-Gottéron. . January 15, 2020 . January 15, 2020 . French .
  12. Web site: DiDomenico selected to All-Rookie Team. . 2007-03-27 . 2012-03-04 .
  13. Web site: Les Voltigeurs reçoivent le trophée Jean-Rougeau . . 2009-03-20 . 2024-01-29 . French.
  14. Web site: La conquête des Voltigeurs . . 2009-05-13 . 2024-01-29 . French.
  15. Web site: Leafs prospect and junior star DiDomenico traded . . 2010-06-30 . 2010-06-30.