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Shortly after the University of Maine men’s ice hockey team won the 1999 National Champioship, Niko Dimitrakos’ stellar play got the attention of several professional scouts. The San Jose Sharks drafted the senior right wing in the fifth round of the 1999 amateur draft.
But Dimitrakos decided to pass on the NHL, at least for the time being.
“I just felt I had a lot more to learn as a player and as a person,” Dimitrakos said. “I wasn’t ready, and I’m still not. There are some things I still need to work on, but I’ve been working hard this year and in the off-season, doing what I need to do to prepare myself. Being in college as a player, [coaches] teach you things and you learn how to be a better player. In the pros, it’s basically whatever you have, [that's what you] bring to the table.”
The Black Bear program has certainly reaped the benefits of the senior right wing’s decision to put his dream on hold. His freshman season only gave fans a glimpse of his potential. As a sophomore, Dimitrakos continued his collegiate success, notching 11 goals and 16 assists, including a team-high four game-winning goals.
But once again, he waited for the most crucial games to make his mark. After scoring a goal against Boston University in the semifinals of the Hockey East Tournament, Dimitrakos and the Black Bears advanced to the final to face a familiar foe in Boston College. Tied at 1-1 with only seconds remaining, it seemed as though the game might be headed for overtime, but Dimitrakos had other plans.
In dramatic fashion, Dimitrakos took a pass and put it past BC goalie Scott Clemmensen with just 2.5 second remaining on the clock. The goal gave the Black Bears their fourth Hockey East Title, and Dimitrakos Hockey East MVP honors.
His legacy as a big-game player was growing. UMaine advanced to the Frozen Four again, but came up short in a bid for back-to-back NCAA titles, losing to North Dakota.
Last season, Dimitrakos had his ups and downs. He was tied for second on the team in scoring with 25 points, but it was his lowest total in his three seasons as a Black Bear. When he did score, the goals came in bunches. He had four multiple-goal games, including a hat trick against Northeastern University in the Hockey East Quarterfinal game. He added two assists in the NCAA East Regional win over the University of Minnesota. Once again, Dimitrakos was saving his best stuff for the end of the season.
“He has trained really hard to be in the best shape of his hockey career, and he is very focused on helping the team,” UMaine interim head coach Tim Whitehead said of Dimitrakos’s preparation for this hockey season.
The hard work seems to be paying off, and then some. Dimitrakos is on pace to have his best season as a Black Bear. He has already had a four-point game, with one goal and three assists, against Quinnipiac University on Nov. 18, and has had a six game goal-scoring streak. He is on pace to break his personal single-season scoring mark of 27.
These statistics are no small feat for a player who could have left after his freshman year. Coach Whitehead is more than happy to have Dimitrakos as a senior leader this season.
“I’ll speak when I feel it’s time; when something needs to be said,” Dimitrakos said. “But I’m more of a lead-by-example kind of guy.”
“He plays with poise,” Whitehead said. “He’s one of those rare players who has an ability to slow the game down in key moments because he has a great deal of composure.”
Dimitrakos surely has a professional career ahead of him, but he will also have a college degree when he’s done and that is something that can’t be taken lightly. Right now, Dimitrakos is merely trying to help his team get back to the NCAA Tournament where he can be in the limelight.
Whatever the Black Bears get from him this season, look out come tournament time. If history is any indication, Niko Dimitrakos will be front and center.
