Michael DiPietro might have moved up quite a few draft boards after his showing at the Memorial Cup this week in Windsor.
The athletic goalie was the backbone of a Spitfires team that went undefeated in round robin play — never allowing more than two goals — and then came up big in the championship game against the Erie Otters on Sunday night as Windsor became the first host team since 2012 to hoist the Memorial Cup.
DiPietro finished with a .932 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average in four games on the biggest stage and all 31 teams NHL — including Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill — were in attendance for the top domestic tournament in junior hockey.
When the NHL Draft roles around next month DiPietro will likely be one of the first three goalies drafted and that could be an attractive option for the Stars with the 29th or 39th pick.
The Stars may also have more direct insight on DiPietro, who has no relation for former Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro, than anyone else. Dallas has reportedly hired Jim Bedard as its new AHL goalie coach (the team has yet to confirm the hire), and Bedard spent the past season as a goalie consultant with Windsor and hoisted the Memorial Cup alongside the goalie on Sunday.
Quickness and athleticism come to mind right away with DiPietro and it helps make up for his relative short (for an NHL goalie) stature at 6-foot. DiPietro is quick to challenge the shooter, has incredibly effective lateral movement, and when he does get forced into a so-called “scramble mode” he’ll use any limb possible to get a piece of the puck.
DiPietro reminds me of an unrefined Jonathan Quick and he tracks the puck well. His shoulders are typically squared to the shooter and he never loses site of the puck. He does a great job of finding the puck through traffic and his rebound control in the Memorial Cup — either engulfing rebounds or spiking them to the corners — was superb.
The Memorial Cup was also another example of DiPietro, who is still only 17, showing up as “big-game goalie.” Before the OHL season he had a fine showing for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (.920 save percentage in three games) and in the OHL Playoffs he did everything he could against the London Knights in a seven-game series.
A couple scouts I’ve spoken with have raved about DiPietro’s mental fortitude in a game. He’s composed and in control in the crease, and he tends to play the same game whether his team is up by five or down by five — and he certainly isn’t a quitter in any situation.
The Stars are going to take a goalie in this draft. While Dallas secured it’s present day goalie by signing Ben Bishop to a six-year, $29.5 million contract, there still isn’t a can’t-miss prospect in the pipeline and there hasn’t been since the Jack Campbell experiment fizzled out.
The search for the Stars starting goalie in 2023-24 season has already started and DiPietro could be the answer.
DrewL says
Sean, given your background as a goalie and what you’ve seen from some of the top goalie prospects, which goaltender would you take first? Is Oettinger your top guy if available when the Stars pick or do you go with Dipietro? What would Stars do?
Sean Shapiro says
I’d be comfortable picking either, but ultimately I’d give Oettinger a slight edge and take him if both were available when the Stars pick at No. 29. It might be a gut thing, but I think there is a better chance of Oettinger panning out — and this isn’t a slight against DiPietro, I believe both have NHL starter potential.
I could see a situation playing out where Dallas takes a forward at No. 29 and goes with DiPietro at No. 39 with Oettinger off the board.