michael C
By: Shannon Costello
Good things come in small packages. He has some growing up to do. Michael Catenacci has heard his fair share of jokes about his height.
The 19 year old centre from Woodbridge, Ontario measures in at 5’7” and 180 pounds. Yes, he is the shortest player on the Kitchener Rangers – but Catenacci is able to find the bright side in any situation.
“My size is a definite advantage,” he says, “I’ve got a low centre of gravity and strong legs.”
In fact, Theo Fleury, a hockey great who played 15 years in the NHL with 455 goals and 633 assists for a total of 1088 points only reached 5’6”. Current Montreal Canadien Brian Gionta is 5’7” and only 173 pounds, but logs over 20 minutes of ice time a game and has averaged 0.65 points per game for six seasons. Catenacci too, will prove that size does not always matter.
Catenacci, or Cat, was drafted by the Rangers in the 8th round of the 2007 OHL Priority Selection Draft. While he did not make the team the year he was drafted, his rookie year saw him play 59 games with 12 points. In his sophomore season he kicked it up a bit and scored 17 goals, 19 assists and won the award for the Most Improved Player.
The year he was drafted by the Rangers, he played for the Markham Waxers and won Rookie of the Year with 17 goals and 31 points. Prior to his OHL draft, Catenacci played for the Toronto Marlboros, earning a scholarship and the Buck Houle Award which recognizes on ice performance, leadership and loyalty. Cat’s many awards in his early hockey career testify to his value on any team.
Though he has gone undrafted in the NHL the past two years, Michael’s play on the penalty kill and as part of the top line will hopefully prove to scouts what they have been missing. Each year he has played in the OHL, Catenacci’s stats have noticeably improved. With 48 points in only 49 games this year he has already surpassed his total point production from 2010, and currently ranks second on the team with a +29.
Besides his ability to put points on the board, Catenacci knows what else makes him stand out on the ice. “I put in a lot of hard work every shift.” Those who have watched Cat play the past few years have also noticed he is always talking, always seeking to get under the skin of opposing players. “I’m always a pest,” he admits, “That and working hard each shift – it works in my favour.”
Michael says he models his own game after former Rangers favourite, Mike Richards. “He’s a great player; he plays the game the right way – he seems to do everything right.” Of course, Rangers fans would love another Mike Richards to help get their team to another Memorial Cup this year.
The playoffs are a time when Catenacci really shines. In last year’s playoffs he scored four goals and four assists in 11 games before going out with a concussion. While it was hard for him to watch his teammates battle through the tough games, he still looks back on the 2010 playoffs as his favourite hockey memory, particularly Game 4 against London which ended in an overtime victory. Catenacci had one goal and two assists in the game, which turned out to be his last of the season.
Being injured did not keep him from cheering on his teammates. He has gotten close to them in the past couple years and has come to rely on them to keep him going when he is low on energy. This attitude may be something he picked up from his dad who taught him to skate and play hockey at age three, but is also the one person he will always look up to. “He taught me all my morals,” Michael says.
The gentleman off the ice and the sparkplug who plays so big his size goes unnoticed has proven that your morals and the way you play the game can take you a long way. Hopefully this continues as the playoffs near and Catenacci tries to take the Rangers to a title this season.
