Local hockey player DiGiacinto on Italian Olympic team

Former Windsor Spitfire has home in Amherstburg. Photo from Elite Prospects

When the puck drops at next month’s men’s Olympic hockey tournament, the Town of Amherstburg will be well represented.

Christano DiGiacinto, a forward with the Italian professional team HC Bolzano, is looking forward to representing the host country and says some fans could be surprised at how well the Italian side will do.

“We are playing the best-of-the-best in the world. We are definitely seen as the underdog going into the tournament but our team is ready to perform and prove to the world how far hockey Italia has come,” he told the River Town Times last week.

Originally from Hamilton, DiGiacinto moved to Essex County in 2013 when he became a member of the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. Over four regular game seasons, he amassed 149 points in 223 games and helped the Spits win the Memorial Cup when they hosted it in 2017.

“My family back in Amherstburg is of course very excited. I met my wife while playing in Windsor and have now moved to Amherstburg.”

That 2017 cup championship team featured Amherstburg’s Michael DiPietro in net who has international experience as well as he was a member of Canada’s World U18 team.

In the off-season, DiGiacinto will be training and staying in shape at the local Garage Gym to hopefully return to Bolzano which is in the Austrian league. 

DiGiacinto is now in his third season and thus far, this campaign, the leftwinger/centre has 18 points in 38 games to go along with 41 penalty minutes.

“Over the past couple of months, we have had two international tryouts. I was informed early in January that I was selected.”

Six of his Bolzano teammates, including fellow Canadian Matthew Bradley, are on the Italian team which has its first game Feb. 11 against Sweden. Pool play in the 12-team event being held in Milano, Italy will see the hosts take on Slovakia Feb. 13 and the next day versus Finland.

“The caliber of hockey is very similar to that of professional hockey in North America,” said DiGiacinto of the Austrian league. “Most of the import players in my league have North American experience.”

After playing for the Spits, DiGiacinto was at Nova Scotia’s Acadia University before playing pro in both the AHL and the ECHL. He was drafted in the sixth round by the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014.

Team Canada will have its first game at this year’s Olympics Feb. 12 against the Czechs.

Local hockey player DiGiacinto on Italian Olympic team

By Fred Groves