BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars (@DallasStars), and Steelheads Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Everett Sheen announced today that the club has signed defenseman Charlie Dodero to an ECHL contract for the 2026-27 season.

Dodero, 33, continues his third stint with the Steelheads and enters his seventh season overall with the club. Last year, he led all Steelheads blueliners with 27 points (5G, 22A) in 47 games while posting a +4 rating.

The 6-foot-2, 220lb right-handed shooting defenseman spent the previous six seasons overseas, playing professionally in Sweden, Austria, France, Slovenia, and England.

Prior to last season, Dodero’s most recent stint in Idaho came during the 2018-19 campaign, where he grabbed 16 points (6G, 10A) in 29 regular-season games along with two assists in eight Kelly Cup Playoff games. In parts of six seasons with Idaho (2013-15, 2014-15, 2016-19) he has notched 108 points (26G, 82A) in 259 career games with 425 penalty minutes while registering 12 points (1G, 11A) in 40 Kelly Cup Playoff contests. Dodero has played parts of six seasons in the ECHL while also skating for Greenville, accumulating 117 points (28G, 89A) in 303 career ECHL games with 519 penalty minutes. 

Dodero ranks fourth all-time in points among defensemen in Steelheads history, while also sitting fourth in penalty minutes on the all-time list and fifth in games played.

In his time overseas, the Bloomingdale, IL native captured a Slovenian Championship during the 2023-24 season with HK Olimpija Ljubljana, a league championship in France with Rouen in Ligue Magnus, and led all skaters during the 2019-20 campaign with 84 penalty minutes with Graz EC in Austria. 

Before departing for Europe, the veteran blueliner made his American Hockey League (AHL) debut with the Syracuse Crunch during the 2014-15 season, collecting five points (1G, 4A) in 36 games with 72 penalty minutes, while also playing 10 games with Syracuse the following season. Across his first 13 professional seasons, he has played 626 career games, amassing 264 points (65G, 199A) with 1,115 penalty minutes. 

Prior to professional hockey, he played parts of four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2009-13, spending time with the Kitchener Rangers and Sudbury Wolves. He logged 248 career games, notching 69 points (11G, 58A) with 286 penalty minutes, serving as an alternate captain for Sudbury from 2011-13. Dodero suited up one season in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Tri-City Storm during the 2008-09 season. 

The Idaho Steelheads kick off their 29th season on October 16th at New Mexico and will host the Allen Americans on October 23^rd for their home opener. Call the Steelheads Front Office at 208-383-0080 for Steelheads ticket packages for the upcoming season. Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram throughout the summer.