Andy Chiodo

Starred for Team Ontario, going 4-0 at world under-17 2000 World Hockey Challenge in Timmins where he captured a silver medal.(Isles Info note: Was a teammate of Islanders' 2001 4th round pick C Cory Stillman) Second round pick in 1999 supplementary bantam draft. Should see lots of action as a rookie. Catches left. Wears number 31 for Toronto St. Michaels.

Central Scouting Report:

A very good skater with excellent athletic ability and quickness and fast lateral movement ... has good body control and a quick glove ... effectively controls rebounds with his blocker and stick ... reads the play and sees the puck very well in heavy traffic ... plays an effective butterfly-style ... challenges well on the rush and on passes from the corner ... has good concentration and focus ... plays well in pressure situations ... a hard worker who is always striving to improve.

Isles Info:

What started out as a bad experience turned into a good one for Chiodo on NHL draft day, 2001. His name was mistakenly called out by the Atlanta Thrashers in the fifth round and on his way down to the draft floor was informed of the mistake. Feeling bad, he was glad to be taken by the Islanders with the first pick of the 6th round. 

Selected the Major's academic player of the month for January, 2001. Andy was named the Majors rookie of the year and finished second in voting for the OHL's rookie of the year. Was named to the OHL's all rookie team for 2000-01. Posted an 18-12-5 record with the Majors. Ranked among the league leaders in shutouts (tied for first), goals-against average (third) and save percentage (fifth, .916). He also earned the OHL's F.W. Dinty Moore Trophy for the rookie goaltender with the best GAA. Was Ranked 7th among North American goaltenders by CSB for the 2001 NHL Draft, 6th at midseason.

2001-02 Update:

Andy Chiodo named CHL player of the week ending Dec. 2, 2001

The Canadian Hockey League's Player of the Week for the week ending Dec. 2 is goaltender Andy Chiodo of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League.

Chiodo posted back-to-back shutouts in two games this week, helping the Majors to a string of 207 minutes without allowing a goal over four games in five nights this past week. From the first period of a game Nov. 28 in Belleville until the second period of a game Dec. 2 in Toronto, Chiodo and Peter Budaj combined for exactly 207 minutes of shutout hockey as the Majors picked up seven out of a possible eight points from four games while allowing just two goals.

Chiodo opened the week with a 24 save performance as the Majors defeated the Mississauga IceDogs 3-0 at St. Michael's College School Arena. He followed up with a 32 save effort backstopping the Majors to a 4-0 road win over North Bay on Nov. 30.

Chiodo beat out WHL Player of the Week, forward Greg Watson of the Prince Albert Raiders, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League nominees, forward Charles Linglet of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar (offensive) and defenseman Jean-Francois David of the Shawinigan Cataractes (defensive), to earn the top honours in the CHL (see details below on all the weekly winners).

Isles Info:

Chiodo compiled a record of 14-10-3 with the majors in 2001-02. Andy was suppose to split time in goal for the Majors with Peter Budaj, but Budaj ended up playing just a little bit more. Chiodo could possibly become the #1 with the Majors once Budaj leaves to join the Colorado Avalanche's System in 2002-3. In 2001-02 they both combined to give St. Mike's the second best goals against average in the OHL (2.57). The Majors netminders also had the OHL's second best save percentage (0.915).

With the addition of Brampton's Brad Topping in the 2002 Draft, Chiodo will have some competition within the Islanders system.

Update: Sept. 21, 2002

Andy Chiodo took part in the Bridgeport Sound Tigers training camp and was returned to the OHL's Toronto St. Michael's Majors on Sept. 20, 2002. 

The following article appeared in the Toronto Sun on Sept. 21, 2002:

In the SPOTLIGHT ... Andy Chiodo

TORONTO'S CHIODO IS A SEASONED OHL VETERAN

By ROGER LAJOIE
  Andy Chiodo is just 19 years old, but already he is a battle-tested veteran in the Ontario Hockey League.

And he has already heard his name called at the NHL draft - not once, but twice.

Chiodo is about to enter his third season with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors and there is little doubt he has a bright hockey future ahead of him. As for his "double selection," that is now just a good hockey story about a good young man.

Chiodo was first drafted by the Majors in the second round of the 1999 OHL Bantam Draft (23rd overall) after playing peewee hockey with the Mississauga Reps and bantam hockey with the Toronto Marlies. It was on to the Wexford Raiders Jr. A's from there.

He enjoyed two solid seasons with the Raiders before making his OHL debut with the Majors. In his rookie OHL season (2000-2001), he posted a 18-12-5 record, along with a 2.49 goals against average and a .916 save percentage with four shutouts in 38 games. That performance earned him the F.W. Dinty Moore trophy as the rookie goaltender with the best GAA. He also was an OHL and CHL first team all-Star rookie and runner-up for the OHL's rookie-of-the-year award.

With numbers like that, Chiodo was destined to be drafted into the NHL. But destiny took a strange turn for him - he was drafted not once but twice.

"It was the best and worst feeling I've ever experienced," Chiodo said after that infamous day, June 24, 2001. The Atlanta Thrashers called Chiodo's name for their fifth-round pick, 135th overall. The young goalie celebrated with family and friends and headed down to his new team's draft table.

But the Thrashers made a mistake. They meant to select centre Colin Stuart and immediately corrected the error. A team representative apologized and said they hope to get him in the next round. They never got the chance. The New York Islanders grabbed him with the first pick of the sixth round, 166th overall.

"Third round or sixth round, the reality is it doesn't really matter," Chiodo said.

It didn't matter when looking at his play.

He returned to the Majors and posted a 2.72 GAA, a 14-10-3 record and a save percentage of .913. He and teammate Peter Budaj were named to the Eastern Conference all-star team and he was OHL and CHL player of the week for the week ending Dec. 2, 2001. After sharing the workload with Budaj the past two seasons, Chiodo is expected back with the Majors soon and is expected to backstop them to another long playoff run this season.

Chiodo Shines Solo ( 11/2/02 )

By MIKE KOREEN -- Toronto Sun

  With the days of musical goalies behind him, St. Michael's Majors netminder Andy Chiodo is thriving in a full-time role.

Rotated with the now-graduated Peter Budaj the past two seasons, Chiodo continued his strong campaign last night as he stopped 31 shots during the Majors' 4-3 overtime win over the Brampton Battalion before 2,416 Ontario Hockey League fans at the Brampton Centre.

After Chiodo made several sharp third-period saves, including a pad block on a backhand from in close by dynamic Battalion rookie Wojtek Wolski, Frantisek Lukes scored the winner on a high slapper from just inside the blue line that beat Brampton goalie Brad Topping at 2:24 of overtime.

"(Being the full-time starter) is something I've worked for every single day," said Chiodo, a sixth-round pick by the New York Islanders last year. "That's been my goal the past two years ... You want to play against the best teams every night."

With rookie Justin Peters as his backup, Chiodo, 19, came into last night's game with the second-best save percentage (.920) in the OHL. He has a record of 7-4-1 this season.

Knowing he had junior eligibility remaining, Chiodo wasn't surprised when the Islanders sent him back to the Majors (9-4-2-1) after their rookie camp this season.

"(Islanders general manager) Mike Milbury told me to do what I'm doing now -- play every game," Chiodo said.

That's not to say Chiodo fell behind in the learning process the previous two seasons.

"(The two-goalie system) didn't hinder his development," Majors director of hockey operations/coach Dave Cameron said. "I think healthy competition makes you a better player."

Chiodo Rebounds

By Terry Koshan -- Toronto Sun  12/14/02

  Andy Chiodo prepared himself mentally for the possibility of representing Canada at the world junior championship but instead had to absorb the letdown that came when he was not invited to the selection camp in Halifax.

"It was something I wanted badly," the St. Michael's Majors netminder said of a precious invitation. "It was very disappointing, but in a way I was prepared for it."

Chiodo apparently was being strongly considered, but didn't have a great showing in a CHL all-star game in Vancouver a few weeks before Canadian Hockey Association scout Blair Mackasey made his decision on the four goalies to be invited.

Chiodo can take solace in a couple of facts -- Olivier Michaud, the lone goaltender eligible to return for Canada, also was not invited to the camp; secondly, Chiodo is a large reason why the Majors were tied for first place in the Central Division. Going into last night against the Oshawa Generals, Chiodo was 13-8-2 with a .915 save percentage, 3.04 goals-against average and two shutouts. Not many people thought the Majors could keep pace in the Central.

"Overall, the season has gone quite well so far," said Chiodo, a New York Islanders draft pick. "I think I have a lot to prove. I just want to be the absolute best out there."

Isles goalie coach has Chiodo ready ( 3/18/03 )

By TERRY KOSHAN -- Toronto Sun

 Andy Chiodo has been waiting for this moment.

 Billy Smith, one of the best money goalies in NHL history, has helped prepare him for it.

 After splitting playoff goaltending duties with Peter Budaj in the past, Chiodo will be the St. Michael's Majors' man on the hot seat when the Majors open their first-round series against the Belleville Bulls on Sunday afternoon.

 GOAL: QUEBEC CITY

 It is one of eight Ontario Hockey League series getting underway in the next six days as the charge to the league final and then the Memorial Cup in Quebec City in late May kicks into gear.

 And for much of the past eight days, Chiodo, a New York Islanders pick, has been receiving on-ice instruction from Smith, who won four Stanley Cups in the early 1980s with the Isles. Smith now is the Islanders' goaltending coach.

 "I've learned so much from him, it's really unbelievable," Chiodo, 19, said. "Just the tips he offered, from positioning to angles, are so relevant in games. I know I am going to be ready for the playoffs."

 Part of the challenge for Chiodo and the Majors will be trying to put a lid on Bulls centre Matt Stajan, a Maple Leafs prospect who had 94 points in 57 games and led the OHL with 11 game-winning goals.

 "If you take him out of our lineup, I would hate to think where we might be," Bulls coach Jim Hulton told The Toronto Sun's Mike Koreen.

St. Michael's Majors goaltender Andy Chiodo OHL player of the week

4/22/03

TORONTO (CP) -- Toronto St. Michael's Majors goaltender Andy Chiodo is the Ontario Hockey League's player of the week after he posted a 2-0 record, a .50 goals-against average and a .987 save percentage in the the playoffs.

 Chiodo, a 19-year-old Toronto native and a New York Islanders' draft pick, has helped the Majors to a 2-0 lead over the Ottawa 67's in the Eastern Conference final series.

 He stopped 4 6 shots in a 3-1 victory on Sunday and turned away all 31 shots for a shutout in Game 1. 

Chiodo shows fighting spirit ( 4/25/03 )

By MIKE KOREEN -- Toronto Sun

  Fortunately for the St. Michael's Majors, goaltender Andy Chiodo insists he's good to go.

Too bad the rest of the team doesn't seem to share the OHL first team all-star's fighting spirit.

Chiodo left late in the third period with a "lower-body injury" last night after a goal-mouth collision as the Ottawa 67's tied their best-of-seven Eastern Conference final at 2-2 with a 4-1 win over the Majors in Game 4 before a season-high crowd of 1,346 at St. Mike's Arena.

Chiodo, named the OHL's top goaltender this season yesterday, said he'll be ready for Game 5 tonight in Ottawa.

"I've got a few nagging injuries from Game 1 and Game 2, but that's it, everything's fine," Chiodo said. "I'm going to battle and do whatever it takes to get better."

Majors defenceman Shane O'Brien collided with Chiodo just as Matt Foy scored a short-handed goal for Ottawa with 3:51 left in the third period.

"He came into me and hit me in a tender spot," Chiodo said. "On any other day, it wouldn't have hurt at all."

Toronto's Chiodo OHL's top goaltender ( 4/25/03 )

Toronto CP

Andy Chiodo of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors was named the OHL's top goaltender.

Coaches and general managers vote on the OHL awards with five points given to a first-place selection, three to a second place and one to third.

Chiodo, who turned 20 Friday, posted a regular-season record of 26-18-6 record, a goals-against average of 3.01 and a .915 save percentage for the Majors.

The Toronto native, who also was named to the OHL's first all-star team, is a sixth-round pick of the New York Islanders.

He earned 59 points in voting, followed by Chris Houle of the London Knights with 46 and Mike Mole with 33.

Chiodo Set to Re-Renter 2003 NHL Entry Draft

June 2, 2003 from stmichaelsmajors.com

TORONTO, ON—After failing to come to a contractual agreement with the New York Islanders, Toronto St. Michael’s Majors goaltender Andy Chiodo will re-enter the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Chiodo, 20, was drafted by the Islanders in the sixth round, 166th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

As per NHL rules, both sides had until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 1st to come to terms on a professional contract.

A two-time Eastern Conference All-Star, Chiodo captured the OHL Goaltender of the Year Award this past season after posting a 26-18-6 record with 3.01 goals against average and a .915 save percentage in 57 regular season games.

In 2002-2003, Chiodo single handedly rewrote almost all of the club’s goaltending records as he finished his third year with the Majors the career leader in the following categories: most career wins (58), most career shutouts (9), lowest career goals against average (2.78), highest career save percentage (.914), most career saves (3,420) and most career minutes played (6,877).

The 2003 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Nashville from June 21-22.

More Links:

67's Taking it to the Limit  -  Slam.ca/Ottawa Sun
Survival of the Fittest  -  Slam.ca/Toronto Sun
Wounded Majors Look Dangerous  -  Slam.ca/Toronto Sun
67's Turn Table on Chiodo  -  Slam.ca/Ottawa Sun
Spezza No Help to 67's  -  Slam.ca/Ottawa Sun
Majors Divine in Beating 67's  -  Slam.ca/Toronto Sun
67's in Major Trouble  -  Slam.ca/Ottawa Sun

Andy Chiodo profile card courtesy stmichaelsmajors.com

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