If you follow the Chicago Steel, the name Matteo Pietroniro might not be the first that comes to mind when you discuss the team. Flashier names like Jack Dugan and Blake McLaughlin (last season) or projected 2019 NHL draft pick Robert Mastrosimone (this season) might be the highlight reel names that you think of. There is a sheriff patrolling the Steel blue line that leads by example, though.
On December 28, Pietroniro became the all-time leader in goals for a Steel defenseman. With his nineteenth career goal, he surpassed current New Jersey Devils veteran defenseman John Moore and Kevin Roeder, who played four years at Miami University before joining the Cincinnati Cyclones for two seasons.
Matteo Pietroniro is as good of a captain as I’ve been around at any level. Our team does not function without his leadership. At the end of the season, some franchise is going to add a truly special player/person. #MenOfSteel https://t.co/z6mkXjgKIL
— Ryan Hardy (@ryanphardy) January 11, 2019
The 20-year old Steel captain and Boise, ID native sits at second amongst USHL defenseman in points. He has registered 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) placing him one point behind the league leader, and also leads the team in game-winning goals with four. Pietroniro has shown invaluable leadership when it matters most this season after finishing last season as the Steel alternate captain. The second-year veteran also leads the Steel defenseman with 68 shots, placing him second on the team behind forward Neil Shea.
Hockey runs in the Pietroniro family
Matteo’s father, Marco, spent over 10 seasons playing professionally in both Europe and the United States, following a successful QMJHL career with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs. After retiring in 2000-01, the elder Pietroniro jumped behind the bench in 2004-05 as head coach / general manager. Most recently, Marco was hired as the Manager of Hockey Operations at Bishop’s College in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Marco Pietroniro has been on hockey’s radar from as far back as 1986, when he began his QMJHL career with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs. He served as their captain the following two seasons and enjoyed a further 11-year professional career, playing in both European leagues and the WCHL. During his last year of play with the Idaho Steelheads of the WCHL, he also began coaching and founded a non-profit Youth Hockey program for young players from Atom to Midget. Since his retirement as a player, he has carved out an impressive coaching career throughout North America, in both league and national team capacities. Notable placements include a seven-year tenure as the President, GM, and Head Coach of the CHL’s Arizona Sundogs; Head Coach of Team Quebec’s 2015 Canada Games U16 team; and Head Coach of Team Canada’s U17 2015-2016 campaign. He has also coached in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), as Assistant Coach of the Val d’Or Foreurs (winning the President’s Cup in 2014) and Head Coach of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
Not only is his father deeply rooted in the world of international professional hockey but his brothers Massimo (16), Kris (18), Chad (22) and Phil (24) all play hockey at high levels. Massimo and Kris both play at Bishop’s College, under Marco, while Chad and Phil play in Italy for Asiago in the AlpsHL. During his time in the QMJHL, Matteo played one season with his brother Chad for Baie-Comeau, and skated against his brother, Phil, during one season, as well.
His left-handed shot from the back end paced Baie-Comeau Drakkar for two seasons, after skating ten games for the Blainville-Boisbraind Armada in his first stint in the QMJHL. In 2016, he left the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and took his game to the USHL with the Steel.
Matteo Pietroniro takes a knee and scores the insurance goal @ChicagoSteel lead by ✌️ with under 2️⃣ min left #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/tnCfwLhFqG
— USHL (@USHL) December 1, 2018
Following his first season in the USHL, the middle Pietroniro son was ranked one of the top 200 draft prospects in last summer’s 2018 NHL Entry Draft and projected to go in the 7th round. No NHL teams took a chance on him last summer, but they can make up for that mistake this summer.
Pietroniro is not just a textbook offensive-minded defenseman. He has shown that he has a responsible well-positioned game in his own end, as well, and his active stick skills might be his most notable on-ice attribute. At 6’1” 185 pounds, Matteo does not shy away from mixing it up with bigger forwards around the net and in the corners, as displayed by his team leading 138 penalty minutes last season. He also lead the Steel this season with 88 penalty minutes. He is no stranger to the occasional on-ice bout, either, with several fights on record.
As the Chicago Steel push for another Clark Cup, Pietrinoro’s veteran leadership will be invaluable for this young team’s success. They have the talent on offense with Mastrosimone and Nick Abruzzese, but they will need their captain will continue to lead by example night in and night out to make another deep playoff run.
Matteo Pietroniro cashes in from the the slot! 💰@ChicagoSteel on the board first #WhosNext pic.twitter.com/8fwszVXOW7
— USHL (@USHL) December 29, 2018