Chris DiDomenico Off To Italy

Former Saint John Sea Dogs star Chris DiDomenico will be playing in Italy this season.

HC Asiago officially announced the signing of DiDomenico today. The forward has been tweeting about Italy for the past few weeks.

The 23-year old has spent the last two seasons playing professionally in the Chicago Blackhawks organization with the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs and the East Coast Hockey League’s Toledo Walleye. He recorded 13 points in 49 games in the AHL last year and 17 in 17 games in the ECHL.

DiDomenico, a sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2007 National Hockey League Draft, was once a legit NHL prospect after a couple seasons in Saint John and a prominent role on the 2009 Canadian World Junior team. Things started to go downhill after severely injuring his leg in the 2009 President’s Cup Final while playing with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He missed nearly a year of action and the Maple Leafs eventually sent him to Chicago in the Kris Versteeg trade.

The Woodbridge, Ont. native made the Sea Dogs in 2006-07 and recorded 25 goals and 50 assists in 70 games. He was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team that year.

DiDomenico had one of the best offensive seasons in Sea Dogs history the following year, recording 39 goals and 56 assists in 70 games. He added 19 points in 14 playoff games, helping the Dogs reach the QMJHL semi-finals for the first time.

He registered 34 points in 26 games with the Dogs during the first half of the disappointing 2008-09 season. He helped Canada win gold at the World Juniors that year and was then traded to Drummondville where he helped the Volts win the President’s Cup. He was unable to play in the Memorial Cup because of the leg injury he suffered when he was thrown awkwardly into the end boards.