Michael Amadio

History

2010-11: Michael Amadio played for the Northern Ontario champion Soo Greyhounds bantam AAA team in his hometown. He scored 60 goals with 74 assists and 16 penalty minutes in 39 regular season games and had 10 goals with 9 assists and 2 penalty minutes in six playoff games. He led the Greyhounds with 9 goals and 4 assists in eight games during the provincial tournament.

2011-12: Amadio was the leading scorer for the Sault Ste. Marie Northstars midget team. In 29 regular season games he scored 32 goals with 30 assists and 12 penalty minutes. Amadio scored 5 goals with 9 assists and 6 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games. He played for the NOHA Wolves in the 2012 OHL Cup — scoring 5 goals with 4 assists in nine games — and was selected by the Brampton Battalion in the second round (36th overall) of the 2012 OHL Priority Draft.

2012-13: Amadio skated in 63 of 68 games for Brampton as a 16-year-old OHL rookie. He scored 6 goals with 13 assists and was -3 with 8 penalty minutes. The Battalion finished second in the Central Division behind Barrie. Amadio was -1 with no points nor penalties in Brampton’s five-game playoff series with Sudbury.

2013-14: Amadio was the sixth-leading scorer for the re-located Battalion, which moved from Brampton to North Bay. In 64 regular season games he scored 12 goals with 26 assists and was +15 with 14 penalty minutes. North Bay finished first in the Central Division and reached the OHL finals against eventual Memorial Cup runner-up Guelph. Amadio scored 4 goals with 5 assists and was -10 with 2 penalty minutes in 22 playoff games. He was ranked 68th amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings and was selected by Los Angeles in the third round (90th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft.

2014-15: Amadio attended his first training camp with the Kings before being returning to North Bay for his third OHL season. The Battalion’s leading scorer, he scored 24 goals with a team-leading 47 assists and was +30 with 18 penalty minutes, skating in all 68 regular season games. North Bay finished second in the Central Division, reaching the Eastern Conference finals against Memorial Cup champion Oshawa. Amadio scored 6 goals with 9 assists and had an even plus/minus with four penalty minutes in 15 playoff games. Three of his six goals in the playoffs were scored on the power play. 

2015-16: Amadio was the leading scorer for North Bay for the second straight season in his fourth year in the OHL and skated for the OHL all-stars in the Subway Series against Russia. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with Los Angeles in March 2016. 

Talent Analysis

Amadio was perceived by some scouts as a defensive specialist with limited offensive upside when he was selected in the 2014 NHL draft. After adding some bulk and strength through a strenuous off-season conditioning program the following summer he emerged as a consistent offensive threat in his third OHL season. Amadio is a quality shutdown center who can be counted on to kill penalties, take defensive zone face offs and preserve a late game lead. His maturation as an offensive threat adds to his value. He is a solid skater and possesses the puck well. Amadio is strong on the cycle in the offensive zone and plays a style that meshes well with the Kings' approach to the game.

Future

Amadio is in his fourth OHL season with North Bay in 2015-16 and has been a dominant presence for the Battalion. Drafted in 2014 based primarily for his size, sound positional play and reliable three zone game, he has steadily increased his point production and is among the league's leading scorers. He projects as a consistent second or third line center with some scoring ability.