Michele Strazzabosco

Michele Strazzabosco (born February 6, 1976) is an Italian former ice hockey defenseman. He played for two decades in the top Italian ice hockey league (Serie A) and was a member of the Italian national ice hockey team for a dozen years, including at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Strazzabosco is considered one of the top native players in Italian ice hockey history.[1]

Michele Strazzabosco
Born (1976-02-06) February 6, 1976
Asiago, Italy
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Asiago HC
Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina
HC Milano
National team  Italy
Playing career 1993–2015

Serie A

Strazzabosco debuted in Italy's Serie A at the age of 17 in the 1993–94 season, playing for his hometown Asiago HC. He played there for 12 seasons before joining the H.C.J. Milano Vipers in 2005–06.[2]

In the 2008–09 season, Strazzabosco joined Sportivi Ghiaccio Cortina.[3] He went back to Asiago HC the following season,[4] where he played until retiring at the end of the 2014–15 season.[5][6]

He played in 793 games in Italy's top league during his career, tallying 68 goals and adding 211 assists. He also played in 89 playoff games, scoring 9 goals and 23 assists.[7]

During his career, Strazzabosco was part of five Italian league championships for his hometown team,[5] in addition to a championship with Milano. He also participated in three IIHF Continental Cup tournaments with Asiago HC, including a third-place finish in 2013–14.[6]

National Hockey League

At the age of 30, Strazzabosco was offered a tryout from the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres prior to the 2006–07 NHL season.[8] On September 19, he became the first Italian-trained player to appear in an NHL preseason game.[9][10] Wearing No. 24 and paired with Sabres defenseman Michael Funk, Strazzabosco played just over 13 minutes in the game, a 4–1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He spent two minutes in the penalty box for a hooking call.[11]

Strazzabosco and Italian goaltender Thomas Tragust, who participated in the Sabres' developmental camp, had been recommended to Buffalo by goalie coach Jim Corsi and scout Jon Christiano. Corsi had been an assistant coach for the Italian national team during the 2006 Olympics, while Christiano was an assistant for Italy at that year's World Championships. According to Corsi, Strazzabosco had also attracted interest from the Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks.[8]

Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier, however, opted not to sign Strazzabosco to a contract for either Buffalo or their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans.[12] During his time with the Sabres organization, Strazzabosco said team co-captain Chris Drury was one of his biggest influences.[13]

International

Stazzabosco represented Italy at the highest level internationally in 170 games from 1998 to 2010, including 12 World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics, which the nation hosted.[14] He also played in two European Junior Championships and three World Junior Championships.[1]

In the 2006 IIHF World Championship, he scored a game-tying goal in Italy's final match, against Slovenia, that saved the team from being relegated.[15] Another memorable goal came when he scored against the Canadian team in the 2010 IIHF World Championship.[16]

Strazzabosco was expected to be part of Italy's team at the 2011 IIHF World Championship; however, he was removed from the team's roster along with two Asiago teammates (Enrico Miglioranzi and Federico Benetti) after they missed a training session following a late-night party celebrating Asiago's league championship.[17]

Personal

Following his playing career, Strazzabosco became a commentator for Asiago HC's streaming platform, Asiago.TV.[18]

Career statistics

International
Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1993 Italy EJC 8th 6 0 1 1 4
1993 Italy WJHC 3rd (B) 5 0 0 0 4
1994 Italy EJC 5th (B) 4 1 1 2 22
1994 Italy WJHC 5th (B) 7 1 1 2 8
1995 Italy WJHC 8th (B) 7 2 0 2 20
1999 Italy WC 13th 3 0 0 0 0
2000 Italy WC 12th 5 0 0 0 10
2001 Italy WC 12th 6 0 0 0 6
2002 Italy WC 15th 6 0 0 0 2
2003 Italy IHWC-I 4th (B) 5 0 2 2 4
2004 Italy IHWC-I 2nd (B) 5 1 3 4 4
2005 Italy IHWC-I 1st (B) 5 0 2 2 4
2006 Italy OG 11th 5 0 0 0 10
2006 Italy WC 14th 6 1 0 1 18
2007 Italy WC 12th 6 0 1 1 6
2008 Italy WC 16th 4 0 1 1 10
2009 Italy OG-Q 3rd (F) 3 0 1 1 10
2009 Italy IHWC-I 1st (B) 5 0 2 2 2
2010 Italy WC 15th 6 2 0 2 10
Junior totals 29 4 3 7 58
Senior totals 170 6 37 43 96
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References
  1. Laurissa, Margann (November 2, 2012). "Top 20 Native-Born Italian Hockey Players". TheHockeyWriters.com. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  2. "HCJ Milano: la conferma dell'acquisto di Michele Strazzabosco". HockeyTime.net (in Italian). July 25, 2005. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  3. "Strazzabosco a Cortina". HockeyTime.net (in Italian). September 4, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  4. "Michele Strazzabosco primo rinforzo dell'Asiago". HockeyTime.net (in Italian). August 27, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  5. Bradelj, Lucas (April 10, 2015). "Asiago is the new Italian champion". EuroHockey.com. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  6. Poli, Giuseppe; Strazzabosco, Roberta (May 26, 2015). "Michele Strazzabosco: una vita hockeystica piena di soddisfazioni". HockeyTime.net. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  7. "Michele Strazzabosco hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  8. Tim Graham (September 18, 2006). "Preseason arrives at last". The Buffalo News. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  9. "Michele Strazzabosco entra nella storia". HockeyTime.net (in Italian). September 20, 2006. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  10. Nelson Debenedet and Victor Posa were both born in Italy, but grew up in Canada
  11. Buongiovanni, Andrea (September 21, 2006). "Strazzabosco Un italiano ha giocato in Nhl". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  12. Graham, Tim (September 27, 2006). "Hip flexor keeping Briere on sidelines". The Buffalo News. Retrieved September 24, 2017. A report out of Italy claimed defenseman Michele Strazzabosco, invited to camp on a tryout basis, will spend the season with Rochester and not return to his team in Milan. Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier, however, said Strazzabosco hasn't been signed.
  13. "Michele Strazzabosco – Fuoriclasse dell'Hockey". EthicSport.it (in Italian). May 20, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  14. "Michele Strazzabosco". EuroHockey.com. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  15. "Small ice could suit Italy". IIHF.com. May 3, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  16. Poli, Giuseppe (April 18, 2015). "Michele Strazzabosco dice basta e appende i pattini al chiodo". HockeyTime.net (in Italian). Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  17. "Strazzabosco: Non c'è riconoscenza". Gazzetta Hockey (in Italian). April 12, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  18. "AHL: cinque domande a Michele Strazzabosco, Former Player dell'Asiago". HockeyWords.com (in Italian). April 8, 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
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