Getting to Know: Jerry D’Amigo

By: Shannon Costello

Growing up in Binghamton, Jerry D’Amigo was a New York Rangers fan dreaming to someday skate at Madison Square Garden while wearing one of those bright blue jerseys. He just never expected the Blueshirt he put on to be one of the Kitchener Rangers’.

Originally drafted by Kitchener in the 12th round of the 2007 OHL Draft, D’Amigo chose to remain in the US National Team Development Program and eventually played for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. In his first and only year with RPI he won rookie of the year with 35 points in 35 games, stats that caught the eye of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs drafted Jerry in the 6th round of the 2009 NHL Draft and signed him over the summer but sent him to the AHL in late September. With the Marlies, he scored 5 goals and 9 assists in 41 games before being loaned to Kitchener. And though he did not see his hockey career taking him to the OHL, Rangers fans are happy to have him after a four year wait.

In 21 regular season games wearing Rangers Blue, Jerry scored 12 goals and 16 assists. His first goal came in his very first game and caused the Aud to erupt – something that definitely helped him cope with being moved around so much.

“It’s great here so far. The guys are great, the coaching staff has been great with me, and coming in here with all the fans is a huge plus,” he says. “Being welcomed in a city when you’re new to it makes you feel at home. The Marlies fans, nothing against them, but there wasn’t a lot of them. Here you have a city behind the team and they love their Kitchener Rangers. I’m glad to be a part of something like this.”

D’Amigo has also impressed fans by keeping his penalty minutes low despite being a constant target every time he hits the ice. While many players retaliate after a little while, Jerry knows to keep a level head. “My purpose on the ice is to score goals and make plays, I let other people deal with that. If they want to chirp or put me through the glass I’ll go around and I’m not going to think much of it. They’re trying to get me off my game so I’ve just got to blow if off.”

It works too. In the 3 playoff games so far the 5’11”, 213 pound winger has scored 3 big goals, including one on the power play, but he has not been put in the box once. Moulding his own game after Zach Parise, D’Amigo has been praised for his goal scoring touch, skating strengths and ability to produce on both the power play and penalty kill. 

From the beginning Jerry has had the hockey world backing him up. When he was five years old it was the referee who lived upstairs that taught him to skate – first on roller blades, then on ice. But it was his Dad who got him cheering for the hometown Rangers and they are both waiting for his first chance to play at MSG.

Jerry has also grown up with his entire country standing behind him. Representing the USA in U17, U18 and 2 World Junior Championships, he has more international experience than most of the Rangers, plus a few medals to prove it. “It was a great experience last year to win the gold and something special I will carry with me forever. This year we got the bronze which is good for the country. We got 2 medals in the past 2 years which shows we can compete on the same level where Canada is and that USA hockey is more dominant now. Those guys on the team and those memories are something I’ll never forget.”

Having played college hockey, in the AHL and now in the OHL, D’Amigo has been given a view of the sport many players do not get to experience by age20.  This is something he knows he can use to his advantage. “There is more space in the OHL. In the AHL you’re playing against men who are fighting for their jobs and working hard every game. Here you’re playing to get a contract. It’s a different game. You’re trying to do a lot more down here, and I think that’s why they put me here.”

Jerry understands how to play the game at the high battle level of the AHL, the trap game of college hockey, and in the open ice of the OHL. And now that he is here, he is looking forward to adding a Memorial Cup to his list of accomplishments.