Leadership fits Lodnia to a ‘C’
Wild prospect succeeds Thomas as IceDogs captain
An over-age forward who leads the Niagara IceDogs in scoring will also lead the Ontario Hockey League team in the dressing room, as well as in the community.
Ivan Lodnia, who is playing his fifth and final season in the league, has been selected to succeed Akil Thomas as team captain and head a leadership team that includes fellow overagers Oliver Castleman and Elijah Roberts.
“Ivan brings a professional attitude and work ethic to the rink every day in everything he does,” head coach Billy Burke said in announcing the Minnesota Wild prospect’s appointment as the 13th captain in franchise history.
“He loves this team. He leads by example on the ice, in the gym and in the community.”
With 21 goals and 28 assists in 28 games, Lodnia leads the IceDogs in scoring following the departure of Phil Tomasino to the Oshawa Generals and
Thomas, who was third in points, to the Peterborough Petes.
Lodnia, Minnesota’s thirdround pick in the 2017 National Hockey League draft, with the 85th selection overall, is looking forward to taking on an increased leadership role after starting the season as an alternate captain. “This organization has been there for me from the start. I’m really excited and honoured to be the captain of this hard-working and talented young team,” said the 20-yearold native of Novi, Mich., a suburb of Detroit.
Having a leadership role is nothing new to the six-foot,194pound right-hand shot. He served as captain in youth hockey, “but nothing major like this.”
A player who already is being counted on to provide offence doesn’t regard captaining a young, rebuilding team as putting extra pressure on his shoulders. “I don’t see it as extra pressure. I see it as a lot of fun. There are a lot of young players who listen and work hard,” Lodnia said.
“They are all great kids, so I see it as a fun opportunity to help them for their future careers.”
Lodnia intends to lead by example.
“I’m kind of a person who doesn’t talk too much — I try to do it on the ice, in the gym — but when something needs to be said, then I say it,” he said.
Lodnia said all veterans on a team need to be leaders.
“It doesn’t matter if you have a letter on your jersey or not, you always have to be there for your teammates,” he said. “You always have to try to lead by example.
“I try to show it on the ice. Hopefully, the team follows by that,” he added.
Following his return to the IceDogs after starting the season in the American Hockey League, Lodnia has been a key contributor to the team offensively.
He came into Friday night’s road game against the Kitchener Rangers with three gamewinning goals, one in a shootout and two in overtime.
Lodnia found the back of the net in a 5-2 loss to the Rangers and also scored the following night in a 4-2 road loss to his former team, the Erie Otters.
Lodnia was drafted in the first round of the 2017 OHL draft by Erie with the 20th overall pick. He was traded to the IceDogs in the summer of ’18, going on to lead the team in playoff points, counting four goals and 10 assists in 11 games.
Niagara, on the ground floor of
“It doesn’t matter if you have a letter on your jersey or not, you always have to be there for your teammates.” IVAN LODNIA NIAGARA ICEDOGS CAPTAIN
a rebuild after going all-in for a Memorial Cup in 2018-19, dealt Thomas, Tomasino and Kyen Sopa, fifth in team scoring before going to Erie, at the trade deadline to replenish a depleted draft cupboard. Tomasino, the first-round pick of the Nashville Predators in last year’s NHL draft, fetched nine picks, while Thomas, the Los Angeles Kings’ second-round selection of the 2018 draft, brought four future picks from Peterborough along with forward Cameron Butler.
Sopa went to the Otters along with a prospect for three draft picks.
Niagara is home both Friday, against the Barrie Colts, and Saturday, versus the North Bay Battalion, before facing Thomas for the first time in a Sunday matinee in Peterborough.
Following is the list of players who have worn the “C” for the Niagara IceDogs: Michael Swift (2007-08), Alex Pietrangelo (’08-09), Andrew Agozzino (’09-12), Ryan Strome (’12-13), Jesse Graham (’13-14), Luke Mercer (’13-14), Carter Verhaeghe (’14-15), Anthony DiFruscia (’15-16), Ryan Manthan (’16-17), Johnny Corneil (’17-18), Ben Jones (’18-19) and Thomas (’19-20).