Lockdown leaves Icedog out in the cold
200-foot centre Fimis makes due with 30-by-50 rink in his backyard
In a normal year, Pano Fimis would be more than halfway into his rookie season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Niagara Icedogs, ideally well on his way to convincing the team — and scouts — he deserved to be the highest draft pick in franchise history.
However, COVID-19 bodychecked normal over the boards and completely off the calendar, at least for the foreseeable future.
Instead of playing a 200-foot game, in front of a sellout crowd of 5,300 at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Fimis remains at home north of Toronto, playing a waiting game, in front of his younger brother Andoni, on a 30-by-50 backyard rink.
A pandemic that has the province sheltering in place under a state-of-emergency — and the start of the OHL season on hold indefinitely — has also affected his education. The Grade 12 student is enrolled at Governor Simcoe Secondary School in north-end St. Catharines that he has yet to attend in person.
“I have been fully remote since September. I live in Richmond Hill, so it’s about an hour and a half drive for me,” the oldest of Chris and Joanne Fimis’s three children said.
“Nothing is normal, but it is what it is.”
Waiting for the puck to drop for the first time since the Toronto Jr. Canadiens won a Greater Toronto Hockey League game last spring has, at times, tried the patience of the league’s triple-a minor midget player of the year.
“It hasn’t been easy but, at the same time, everyone is in the same boat. I’m not the only one,” the 16-year-old centre said. “There are so many hockey players out there who are doing the exact same thing as me right now. But life has thrown a curveball at us, and it’s our job to adapt and do what we can in the meantime and hope for the best.”
He has remained in contact with the Icedogs since committing to the team after being taken second overall in the OHL Priority Selection, right behind Jr. Canadiens teammate Ty Nelson.
“The coaching staff has been in contact with us throughout this process, and just encouraging us to stay positive,” the fivefoot-nine, 155-pound righthand shot said.
And stay focused on hockey, the lack of an opening day for training camp — let alone, a regular-season schedule — notwithstanding.
“We don’t know what the future is going to hold for us, so it’s our job to make sure that we’re preparing for the season when it finally happens,” Fimis said.
With so much up in the air, he
“We don’t know what the future is going to hold for us, so it’s our job to make sure that we’re preparing for the season when it finally happens.”
PANO FIMIS
NIAGARA ICEDOGS
TOP DRAFT PICK IN 2020
admits it’s been difficult staying positive.
“It hasn’t been easy. This whole thing with COVID has been different for all of us,” he said. “But I think I’ve been doing a pretty good job of staying motivated, trying new things, trying to stay active.”
Fimis, whose playing style emulates Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks and Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers, told OHL communications manager Sarah Jean Maher in a Futures Watch video posted on the league’s website he wants to come to Icedogs training camp “overprepared.”
“There’s nothing I can really expect going into camp just because I haven’t played at that level,” he said. “My biggest thing is to be overprepared, make sure that I am prepared for any possible situation that comes at me.
“I think that’s the most you can do at this point.”
Fimis intends to be a sponge when it comes to taking his game to the next level.
“I’m going to come into this year just soaking in everything and learning as much as I can,” he said in the video. “Being a leader is part of my thing, and it’s very important to me, but at the same time it’s important to learn from the older guys.
“Take all the goods, the bad, stuff like that, and maybe contribute to that the following year.”
Before the latest provincial lockdown happened, Fimis was skating in an arena one or two times a week. “I’ve never been on the ice a lot during the summer,” he said.
After the province shut down for a second time, Fimis and his brother convinced their father to help them build an outdoor rink. In return, they promised to maintain the rink.
“It’s been really good and we’ve been fortunate that the weather has co-operated with us for the most part,” he said. “It’s quite large. We’ve got quite a bit of room back there.”
Fimis, who will turn 17 in June, keeps on top of his stick skills by working on his handeye co-ordination shooting at a net as well as practising some in-tight scenarios.
“It’s not a huge rink but, at the same time, it’s ice. I have to work with what I have,” he said.
“We’re making the most of what we got.”
Fimis recently put on goalie pads and went between the pipes against his brother.
“I felt pretty good but it’s nothing I’m looking to take into the future,” he said with a laugh.
That sound coming from St. Catharines is sighs of relief from Icedogs general manager Joey Burke and head coach Billy Burke.
They projected Fimis as a key component to Year 2 of a rebuild because he can score goals, not stop them.
He averaged nearly two points per game in his minor midget season in the GTHL.
Fimis had 41 goals and 63 assists in 59 games.
He won 65.2 per cent of his faceoffs.
Fimis topped Niagara’s wish list heading into a draft that was conducted entirely online due to the pandemic.
Joey Burke said at the time he couldn’t be “more thrilled” about what Fimis will bring to the Icedogs.”
“He is the guy we targeted all year. This is a franchise-changing player who brings the ability to be our first-line centre for years to come,” the general manager said. “This is a guy who dictates the pace and controls the game.
“He is excellent in the faceoff circle and possesses a lethal release.”
Fimis represented Canada at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland, winning a bronze medal.
As GTHL player of the year, Fimis joins a list that includes Jamie Drysdale, Connor Mcdavid and Shane Wright.
Before selecting Fimis in the first round with the second pick, Niagara’s highest choice was in 2017 when centre Phil Tomasino went fifth overall in the opening round.