Boise, ID (8/29/17) – Steelheads Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Neil Graham announced on Tuesday that the Steelheads will have another familiar face on the blue line this season, agreeing to terms on an ECHL contract with defenseman Charlie Dodero. Dodero prepares for his fifth professional season, and fourth in Idaho, making him the longest-tenured Steelheads defenseman on the current roster.
Dodero, 24, is in his second stint with the Steelheads, having played in Idaho for 77 games from 2013-14 to 2014-15 and then returning to Boise to appear in 60 games last season. In 2016-17, the Bloomingdale, Illinois native posted four goals and 15 points to go along with 97 penalty minutes. Dodero also had two assists in Idaho’s five-game playoff series against the Colorado Eagles.
In 137 career games as a Steelhead, the 6-foot-2 defenseman has totaled 11 goals and 46 points, as well as a goal and seven points in 16 playoff games.
“Boise has become a staple in my life and I couldn’t be happier to return for another year. It truly is the best place to play in North America,” said Dodero. “This team is long-overdue for a championship, so that has to be our mindset from the start of camp. I’m really looking forward to this season and getting going again.”
Dodero was one of Idaho’s more dependable defenders down the final stretch of the season, earning a plus-9 rating over the final 13 games. His 97 penalty minutes ranked second on the team and included four fighting majors.
“Charlie is very driven and a player you can count on to get 100 percent of his effort every game,” said Graham. “He uses his speed effectively and adds a physical presence to our lineup.”
Dodero has played 227 professional games. In addition to his time in Idaho, he has played two stints in Greenville, totaling 44 games between stops in 2013-14 and 2015-16. Dodero has also played 44 games in the American Hockey League for the Syracuse Crunch split between the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, totaling a goal, five points, and a plus-5 rating. For his professional career, Dodero has totaled 14 goals and 60 points.
Dodero played four seasons of junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League from 2009 to 2013. In 248 games with Kitchener and Sudbury, Dodero recorded 11 goals, 69 points, and 286 penalty minutes. He served as an assistant captain from 2011 to 2013 in Sudbury.
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