One of the great sights of winter in Scugog is the hundreds of kids skating on frozen ponds playing Canada’s favourite winter pastime, hockey. This country offers huge opportunities for would be hockey giants and one of the benefactors of the system is Port Perry’s own Michael Amodeo.
For those of you not familiar with the name, Mike played NHL hockey for the Winnipeg Jets as well as a number of other leagues and teams. In fact, after meeting with him I was amazed at how intricate the hockey world really is.
Mike was a late bloomer and did not begin his hockey career until he was ten. “The truth be told,” Mike explained, “I was too shy to play.”
At the age of 12 he managed to get on the Eastern Freightways lineup, one of the most sought after teams, as they had the ‘coolest’ jerseys, a winning track record and a great coach. In 1965 Mike, by now a defenceman, won the Pee-Wee World tournament, which launched his professional career.
At 17 and living in Scarborough, Mike went on to play for the Toronto Marlboro organization and developed the reputation of being the most traded player in the OHA, ending up with the Oshawa Generals at the age of 18. “I was making $60 a week playing hockey and loving it. Of course, I had to take on other jobs so I could afford to eat.” He smiled as he spoke.
Some of those jobs included working as an engine builder for Herb Robinson Motors, at a local Canadian Tire store and at a car dealership, doing whatever needed to be done, but hockey was Mike’s passion.
Mike took another landmark step and married his high school sweetheart, Catherine Davidson. The couple purchased a cottage in Gravenhurst and lived there during the off seasons. Both Mike and Cathy developed a fondness for country life and vowed they would return.
Hockey took a bold step in 1972 when the World Hockey Association (WHA) was formed and new gateways were opened. Mike was drafted by the Ottawa Nationals as well as the California Golden Seals. “I chose Ottawa, because I thought they offered better opportunities and besides, California players had to wear white skates (unheard of at that time).”
For all the hockey buffs who remember 1973, it was the year Johnny Bassett moved the Ottawa franchise to Toronto to become the Toronto Toros. During the third year of Mike’s career with the Toros a contract dispute forced him to resign from the team. Through the help of a good friend and Toro team mate, Frank Mahovolich, he was offered a position with the American Hockey League in Rochester, where he finished the season.
Mike, scanned his options and decided his best opportunity was in Sweden, playing for a young, upcoming team. “It was a time when many of us were playing in Europe. Countries like Holland and Finland had tremendous teams and were putting a lot of support behind the sport,” Mike said.
His first year in Sweden was also the year the team won the Division Swedish championship and went on to play in the Elite Series (the European equivalent to the NHL). Sweden became the birthplace of Mike and Catherine’s first daughter, Amy.
Toronto Maple Leaf great, Carl Brewer, at that time with the WHA, was on a scouting trip through Europe and was impressed with the skills of 27 year old Michael Amodeo. “We spoke and before I knew it I was playing with the Winnipeg Jets.” Winnipeg won the Avco cup two years in a row while Mike played for them and his ring is a proud reminder of those days, more than 25 years ago.
It became obvious that Canada could not support two major hockey leagues and in 1981 the WHA merged with the NHL. Mike finished the year with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central league and the following year returned to Sweden.
“I was fortunate my wife joined me everywhere, we kept the family unit together. She was extremely supportive of my career and we certainly were able to see the world,” Mike beamed. He had signed a long (three year) contract with Sweden, however, at the end of the first season the club ran out of money and Mike’s contract was cancelled.
Mike was recruited by the Italian team in Merano, which was a well respected team in the European League. The one downfall was in order to play he needed an Italian citizenship. After what appeared to be a hopeless situation it came to light that Mike’s grandfather, an Italian immigrant, had never registered himself with the Canadian government and therefore his father was also not classified as Canadian, making Mike the first generation.
Obtaining an Italian passport suddenly became easy and Mike went on to play for Merano for two years.
Mike and Cathy’s second daughter, Corby, was born during this time and an opportunity for Mike to play with the national Italian team presented itself. “We beat the US 7-5 and tied Canada 3-3 that year in the World Championships,” he said, proudly.
Unfortunately a new commissioner was appointed to the Italian league and his aim was to bring more local talent. It was time for Mike and Cathy to return home and hang up his skates. The couple moved to Whitby where Mike took a sales position with a brewery, a position he still holds today.
To keep in shape Mike jogged and cycled from Whitby to Port Perry and fell in love with our community. As Whitby expanded and their children moved into their own homes, the Amodeos longed again for the country life, which they so enjoyed in Gravenhurst. It was then they decided to relocate in Port Perry.
Mike still plays pick-up hockey a few times a week with the same guys he has been with for 25 years. He has also gained the respect of many NHL old timers and although he doesn’t boast about his relationships he does see the likes of Peter Conacher, Bobby Lalonde, Howey Menard and Bobby Baun on a regular basis.
Hockey is a great sport and has captured the hearts of many generations of Port Perry enthusiasts. It is great to see players with the calibre of Michael Amodeo reside among us and mentor the up and coming stars of the future.
Jonathan van Bilsen
Focus on Scugog
Personalities
