Getting to Know: Dylan DiPerna

He may be poised and ready to play on the ice, but sitting down for an interview, Dylan DiPerna shifts anxiously in his chair and makes a confession.

“I’m not very good at this stuff,” the defenceman says candidly. The nerves were unfounded, of course. Within a few minutes the newcomer lights up, recounting his earliest days on hockey skates. He was just four when his father passed down a love of the game.

“My dad played – not professionally, but he played and he’s always been pretty big into hockey, so I guess I just kind of picked it up.”

But even with the early start, the Mississauga native was well into his minor hockey career when he made the decision to turn his passion for the sport into a career path.

“Going into my draft year in the OHL – before that, it was always just for fun,” he recalls, crediting his minor midget coach for turning him on to his potential.

“That was the year that my coach was like ‘you could probably go somewhere with this’. So I decided to take it seriously and it’s slowly coming together.”

The Kingston Frontenacs’ second-round pick in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, DiPerna broke into the league as an underage player, appearing in 46 regular season games during his rookie season. The opportunity to jump right into the game was an important one for the 6-foot-1 defenceman, but it was far from easy.

“Coming into the league as a 16-year-old, it’s definitely an adjustment, because you’re playing against… well, really you’re almost playing against men,” says Dylan, who also appeared in all four of the Frontenacs games in the opening round of the playoffs.

“These guys, they’re pretty big, so the size and the physicality of the game is a lot greater. That was probably the biggest adjustment to me.”

He also had the opportunity to play for Team Ontario at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2013, where he first crossed paths with Troy Smith. The two were reunited in November, when the Rangers made a swap with Kingston, sending veteran defenceman Evan McEneny east in exchange for the young blueliner. For DiPerna, the trade was an opportunity to grow as a player.

“I was definitely excited. I feel like I’m moving up and taking the next step in my career, so that was a really big moment and I’m trying to make the best of it. Meeting new people has been great. And coming into the dressing room with the opportunity to be a part of two teams and compare how different things can be from one place to another.”

There are challenges to be faced moving to a new team, particularly mid-season, but Dylan credits his teammates and coaching staff for welcoming him to Kitchener and helping him settle in quickly. And while learning new systems while adjusting to new teammates, billets and teachers isn’t always easy, the packed stands at The Aud have made the move worthwhile.

“I’m excited to play in front of all of the great fans we have here. Not every rink has fans like we do here in Kitchener, and playing in front of those 7000-plus fans really is something else.”

Now that he’s settled in, DiPerna is looking ahead to the rest of this season and beyond. Eligible for this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, he’s hoping his physical presence in the defensive zone and strong skating abilities will draw the attention of pro scouts. He’s already on Central Scouting’s radar; when the Midterm Rankings were published earlier this week, the sophomore made the list of North American skaters, clocking in at #181 and his ambition is to continue to improve every day and climb that list as June approaches.

“My goal is to improve my overall play in the defensive zone. I feel like that something that I want to work on, along with the other parts of my game. I’m going to do whatever I can to get to the next level and hopefully get drafted.”

His own future aside, DiPerna is also optimistic about the Rangers’ potential for the remainder of this season and beyond. One of four 17-year-olds on the team’s blueline, he knows there’s only one way for their group to go.

“Definitely up – I think we’re a young team. There are a lot of 97’s and 96’s here, so there’s a lot of room for growth. But I think we can make the playoffs this year, I think we have that potential,” he shares, breaking into a small smile before adding a prediction for the future.

“In the years to come… maybe a Memorial Cup as well.”

Dylan knows that his role with the Rangers also makes him a role model for young players around the community. He grew up with idols of his own in NHL defencemen Dion Phaneuf and Drew Doughty, and he thinks carefully before offering his advice to those who want to follow his path.

“You have to be passionate about playing the game. At the end of the day, everyone is skilled, so it really comes down to wanting it more and wanting to be at the rink, trying to improve. That’s what is going to get you ahead of everyone else.”