Troops provide Santini with chance for success
BRAMPTON, Ont. – The Brampton Battalion’s Michael Santini thinks he’s ready to fulfil the potential so many saw in him when he first arrived in the Ontario Hockey League.
Left winger Santini was a fifth-round pick by the Sarnia Sting in the 2007 OHL Priority Selection from the Mississauga IceDogs minor midgets.
Three other players chosen from that team have had significant OHL careers. Left winger Casey Cizikas and centre Andrew Agozzino were taken in the first round by the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors and Niagara IceDogs respectively, and centre Michael Fine was a third-round choice of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
“When I played minor midget, I played on a good team with guys like Cizikas and Fine,” said Santini, whose older brother Frankie, a defenceman, played 256 games over five OHL seasons with the Mississauga IceDogs, Owen Sound Attack and Sudbury Wolves. “I figured I’d get taken in the second round, but I ended up going to Sarnia in the fifth.”
Santini, a Toronto native who turned 19 on Feb. 22, played 10 games with Sarnia in 2007-08 and earned one assist in five games the next season before joining the Mississauga Chargers, a junior A club.
“Sarnia never really gave me a chance. They sat me in the stands most of the time. But I got a chance with the Battalion, and it’s up to me to prove I can play in this league fulltime.”
Santini, who scored 23 goals and added 29 assists for 52 points in 35 games with Mississauga in 2008-09, led the Chargers in scoring in 2009-10 with 36 goals and 40 assists for 76 points in 44 games. After the Battalion acquired his OHL rights, he made his debut with the Troops on Jan. 15, collecting one assist in a 4-2 road loss to the Erie Otters.
Santini, five-foot-nine and 170 pounds, had three assists in 10 regular-season games before scoring two goals and earning two assists in 10 playoff games. His ice time increased after centre Sam Carrick suffered a broken collarbone in the opener of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Barrie Colts.
“I’m a lot more confident with the puck than I was when I got here. I was nervous, but I got my first goal out of the way in the playoffs, and that was big for me. I had some big shoes to fill when Carrick got injured. I wasn’t expecting to play that much.”
Coach Stan Butler said he has no doubts that Santini has the skills to play in the OHL.
“The question is whether he has the work habits that will allow him to play in the league. If he really gets focused over the summer and works really hard, he has a shot to be a pretty good player.
“It’s all up to Michael. When we see him at our camp at the end of May, that’ll give me an indication of where he’s at. When I see his fitness at the end of the summer, I’ll really know if he’s in the physical shape that’ll allow him to be successful in the OHL.”
Santini acknowledged that he has a lot of work ahead.
“I have to thank Stan for bringing me in here. I have to work hard in the summer to get in shape and show the coaches I belong here. I have to take advantage of the opportunities I get.”
