Alessandro Di Iorio embraces Sarnia Sting leadership role

Alessandro Di Iorio embraces Sarnia Sting leadership role Alessandro Di Iorio has gone camping this summer more often than a boy scout. Article content Alessandro Di Iorio has gone camping this summer more often than a boy scout. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The Sarnia Sting captain's off-season began with a trip to Hockey Canada's pre-tournament camp for the IIHF under-18 world championship. Article content tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Back to video Article content Then came the U18 worlds in Slovakia, where Canada lost in the quarter-finals. Next, he attended the NHL draft combine. A few weeks later, he was picked in the third round by Columbus and went to the Blue Jackets' development camp. The Sting training camp followed. Now, he's off to Detroit to play for the Blue Jackets at the NHL Prospect Tournament and then, maybe, attend their main camp. Sting forwards Parker Holmes (Chicago Blackhawks) and Simon Katolicky (Calgary Flames) and goalie Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko (Utah Mammoth) also are going to NHL camps. 'Just being around the NHL guys and the older guys helps with your maturity on and off the ice,' said Di Iorio, 18. 'Just to live through that experience is an honour and I'm looking forward to it.' He loved his first taste of the NHL at the Blue Jackets' development camp. On the OHL OHL news and expert analysis from Postmedia reporters across the province. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of On the OHL will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content 'You're treated like a professional, no different than here,' he said. 'Their facilities are great. You have everything you need, just like here as well. We're pretty spoiled in Sarnia. 'Going into Columbus, just work as hard as you can and take the stuff that they give you.' That stuff will include leadership skills to use with the Sting. 'I've been around Hockey Canada and now these NHL camps, so I've learned a lot from other guys and how they act,' he said. 'I pick their brains and (take) bits and pieces from them and bring my own mix to it here.' Di Iorio was an alternate captain for Canada at the U18 world championship in April. He had three assists in five games. 'You're treated like gold there,' he said. 'It's an honour to wear the Leaf every time. 'Obviously we didn't get the results we wanted at that tournament, but just to (have) that experience, meet some guys and some coaches that have been through the professional levels is huge for your development, so (I'm) super thankful.' Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Di Iorio debuted for Canada at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games and won silver at the 2024 U17 World Challenge. He won gold at the 2025 U18 world championship and was an alternate captain for the bronze medallists at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Now a Sting elder, Di Iorio joins Matthew Manza as the only regulars left from the 2024-25 season. 'There's a lot of new guys in the room,' Di Iorio said. 'The pre-season helps building chemistry. Training camp helped a lot as well.' Their team-building activities include a coming trip to a Detroit Tigers game. As captain, Di Iorio wants to bring 'energy and positivity' to the locker-room. 'I want to be a leader around here and push the guys,' he said. 'We had a pretty tough training camp. It all starts with me. I've got to be working as hard as I can and just be a leader.' Di Iorio made his pre-season debut Saturday in a 6-4 loss to the Flint Firebirds before 2,258 fans at Progressive Auto Arena. The Sting (0-2-0-1) finish their exhibition schedule with a home-and-home series against the Knights Thursday in London and Friday in Sarnia at 7:05 p.m. Di Iorio is scheduled to miss both games. Advertisement 5 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The Sting are trying to avoid a second straight winless pre-season. Last year, they went 0-3-0-2 and were the only OHL team without a win. The Brampton Steelheads (0-3-0-0) are the only other winless team this year. On Saturday, the Firebirds led all the way after scoring 48 seconds into the game on a power play. They went 2-for-6 with a man advantage. 'Our discipline was a problem today,' Di Iorio said. 'I think we've got to work on that, but it's a learning experience. Once we get to the regular season, it'll get better.' Logan Hawery, Chase Gaughan, Holmes and Jack Van Volsen scored for the Sting. Tkach-Tkachenko made 29 saves. Hawery leads the Sting with two goals and five points in three pre-season games. mmalone@postmedia.com Article content Share this article in your social network News Near Sudbury