Windsor Spitfires goaltender Michael DiPietro has been named the Ontario Hockey League Goalie of the Year.
The Amherstburg native is the first Spitfire goalie to win this award in its 31-year existence.
DiPietro, 18, appeared in 56 games this season carrying a 29-21-3-1 record. He produced a league-high seven shutouts while posting the league’s third lowest goals-against-average with a mark of 2.79 and a save percentage of .910 that tied for fourth overall. His seven shutouts not only led the OHL this season but established a new Spitfires single season record surpassing the mark of six he set in 2016-17. It also raised his career total to 15, also a team best.
"It's a great honour to be recognized with this award," DiPietro said from Denmark, where he's competing with Team Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Championship. "But I owe a great deal of the credit to the people that support me - my mom and dad, my teammates and the entire Spitfires organization, my coaches from way back, Brian Spearing and Perry Wilson.”
“It's because of these people and many more that I've been able to enjoy success to this point in my hockey life," he adds.
Head Coach Trevor Letowski says DiPietro earned it the old-fashioned way.
"Mikey is so deserving of this," said Letowski, who finished third in OHL Coach of the Year voting. "No one works harder or is more dedicated. Even though he doesn't wear a letter, he's the leader of our team. He cares about his teammates, his community and doing things the right way. We're all so proud of him."
In three seasons with his hometown Spitfires, DiPietro has compiled 75 career wins and sits just three behind franchise record holder Andrew Engelage with 78 from 2006-09. His 15 career shutouts are also one shy of the OHL record 16 set by Thomas McCollum between Guelph and Brampton from 2006-09.
Last season he backstopped the Spitfires to a Mastercard Memorial Cup title winning on home ice where he was named top goaltender and to the tournament’s all-star team. He was selected by the Canucks in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft going 64th overall.
DiPietro, who finished third in voting last season for the award, received 70 points atop the voting process. He finished just slightly ahead of Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jeremy Helvig of the Kingston Frontenacs who was runner-up with 65 voting points, followed by Los Angeles Kings prospect Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds who finished in third place with 21 voting points.
DiPietro will be formally presented with the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year Award on Wednesday June 6 at the OHL Awards Ceremony held at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
He is also the OHL’s nominee for CHL Goaltender of the Year to be announced on Saturday May 26 at the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup in Regina.
