Family Day: Amidovskis battle for Eastern Conference playoff bid

It’s a big day for the Amidovski family.

Like families all over the country, they’ll spend Family Day Monday together, but there’s an extra twist to their get-together: they’ll be watching the Ottawa 67’s Nathan Amidovski battle with the North Bay Battalion’s Lirim Amidovski.

Their journey to the OHL wouldn’t have been complete without each other or their eldest brother Aidan. Together, they spent countless hours playing some form of hockey, whether on the street, the outdoor rink, or with mini sticks, which created cherished memories.

“It was always a lot harder for me,” Nathan said. “I’m a little bit younger than them, but it was always fun competing with them, even when we were younger. It was always competitive. There were some broken walls and injuries, but they always pushed me to be my best.”

As the youngest sibling, Nathan has plenty of memories of being driven all over the city to watch his siblings play. While cheering them on, he dreamed of one day being just like them, following in their footsteps.

Both of Nathan’s brothers heard their names called in the OHL Priority Selection. Aidan, the goaltender, was picked by the Guelph Storm in the sixth round in 2021, and the following year, Lirim became a ninth-round pick of the Battalion.

“Those were great moments for them and the rest of my family,” Nathan said. “I thought it was really cool. I was approaching that in the next couple of years, so it was cool for me to see what it’s like.”

Aidan spent the bulk of his junior career playing in the OJHL, where Nathan continued to take in games when possible. Last season, he and the rest of the family made several trips to North Bay and other OHL cities to support Lirim.

“It was cool to me knowing that I could be playing in that same league the next year,” Nathan said. “I learned what the game was like, how he played, and what it would be like for me in the next couple of years.”

Those games taught Nathan more about the OHL than he could have dreamed. Before even stepping foot at training camp, he understood the speed of the game, the competitiveness, and the day-to-day life he would soon experience.

At the most recent draft, Nathan heard his name called early, becoming the 11th overall pick for the 67’s.

“It was really special,” he said. “My family is pretty proud. My dad played in the OHL too, so he knew what it was like. He’s still hard on me to this day. But everybody was really happy, especially my mom. She always wants to see me succeed.”

Though competitors on the ice, when they aren’t playing one another, they still support each other like brothers should, though it’s a little confusing when they’re both competing for the same playoff spot.

“I watch a lot of his games on my phone when we’re not playing,” Nathan said. “I always want to see him doing well, but I don’t want to see them win at the same time. When we play against them, I want to win and do better than he does.”

Already this season, the two have met three times, with the Barber Poles holding a 2-1 lead in the season series.

“We took a picture, but it was cool lining up for draws against him,” Nathan said. “He was giving it to me a little bit, but it’s pretty fun competing against him at this level.”

Those meetings were the first time the brothers played against one another in an organized hockey setting, making them extra special. However, this time around, their Family Day clash holds so much meaning.

“It’s a pretty special day,” Nathan said. “My family will be up there too, so it’s a cool experience. I think this one will be a little bit more special just because of what day it is.”

For the rest of his family, Nathan is beyond appreciative of their efforts to make it to Ottawa from his hometown in Alliston as often as they do.

“North Bay and Ottawa are not close destinations, it’s pretty far,” he said. “Just the fact that they can come to watch us play, even though it’s pretty far, makes me pretty happy. I try to play my best for them every single time.”