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QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Where Are They Now: From Enforcer to Healer, Michael DiPaolo

July 12, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


During his playing days, Michael DiPaolo spent much of his time in the athletic therapist's room.

Classified as an enforcer, the role often came with him having to get his wrists taped before games; even getting injections in his wrists and knuckles so he could bend his hands and fingers.

Currently entering his fourth year of medical school at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain (RCSI - Bahrain), the Brantford, Ontario native credits his time spent with medical professionals in junior hockey as what sparked his interest in the medical field.

"I would be with team doctors, orthopedic surgeons, physiotherapists, and chiropractors and I thought 'I could see myself doing this'."

After spending some time in the ECHL, DiPaolo decided to use his scholarship and take Kinesiology at the University of Western. A decision at the time based purely on hockey later was the inspiration to join the medical field.

"The Canadian university I chose was based on a hockey decision and roster availability. It was in January 2016 that I began school, which would have been mid-year and most rosters such as UNB and the University of Alberta were complete," said DiPaolo. "So I chose Western. I took Kinesiology and realized I wanted to do more than massage, physiotherapy, or chiropractic therapy. I wanted to become a doctor; have more of an impact on people's lives and challenge myself to the highest standards."

A career that would challenge him and be competitive for DiPaolo was one of the selling points of becoming a doctor.

"Having a career in which I will need to learn for the rest of my life is my way of challenging my brain to be at its optimum for the rest of my life. Since I have a history of concussions, that is the deal I made with myself to ensure I don't let it get the best of me. It provides me with the assurance that my concussion history can be managed through neverending knowledge."

Before medical school, before the ECHL, even before the Charlottetown Islanders, the six-foot-four former defenceman and forward was drafted 72nd overall during the 2010 OHL Priority Selection by the Sarnia Sting. After just over two seasons with the Sting, DiPaolo made the move to Prince Edward Island in 2013.

"I was going into my third year with the Sting; I was a leader in the room and thought I would be given more responsibility and opportunity heading into that upcoming season. However, I got released, which was a huge shock and disappointment. To this day, I still have a lot of resentment for the way I was treated," said DiPaolo.

After talking things over with his agent and a short stint in Drummondville, the Islanders knocked on his door.

"My last option was to keep driving east until I reached Charlottetown," said DiPaolo. "I honestly thank God that I did go to P.E.I. After being treated poorly in Sarnia, Charlottetown was the fresh start I needed. The team and city embraced me and made my love for hockey return. I can't say enough good things about Grant Sonier and Gordie Dwyer. Those two helped me a lot, especially outside of hockey once I retired."

After finally finding a home in Charlottetown, his game and the other parts of his life came together.

"The adjustment was easy because I felt like I was accepted by the team and management right away. I felt like I had more freedom on the ice and where the OHL was more systems-based and set plays, the QMJHL was more skill and speed or more 'run-and-gun'. The thing with me was I could help the team out as a defenseman or a forward and Gordie put me in both situations," said DiPaolo.

Thinking back on his time in Charlottetown, there are two things that he remembers most fondly about being an Islander; the first being his teammates.

"It didn't matter what we were doing; we had a close-knit group and the entire team would get together and hang out away from the rink. From the long Quebec bus trips playing euchre for hours to going to see Shania Twain in concert to getting together at a billet's house to play guitar and have a barbeque," said DiPaolo. "The East Coast lifestyle has a slightly slower pace and less of a 'rat-race' feel like in cities like Toronto. Our group knew how to have fun away from the rink but we still showed up every day and battled."

The second, when he received the Mayor's Class Act Award after just one year.

"Receiving that award was also an outstanding achievement. It proved that the team and Charlottetown itself saw me for the person I was away from the rink rather than some easily replaceable brute on the ice. From hospital visits, reading books to kids in school and public speaking about health, I enjoyed giving back," said DiPaolo.

DiPaolo played 55 total games for the Islanders during which he wracked up 180 penalty minutes, that's three hours in the sin bin. In just that year though, a lot of time went into preparation and learning lessons he would take with him on his journey through hockey and life.

"The adversity of being let go from Sarnia, finding a new place to play and assimilating to a new team and city provided me with maturity and life lessons that I still utilize," said DiPaolo. "I worked with the best players on any team when I could. I worked with Conner Murphy and his dad, Alex Galchenyuk and his dad, Nail Yakupov and Daniel Sprong. I did some extra drills with these guys and even spent a few weeks in the summer training with Sprong in Montreal."

Now 30 years old, he still holds strong connections to his time in Charlottetown to this day.

"I keep in touch with Grant Sonier, he helped me out with letters of recommendation for my medical school applications. I have also chatted with Gordie Dwyer a few times. I also chat with Kevin (Elliott) here and there. I also still talk to Anthony Cortese and Sprong sometimes on Instagram. I have all my billets on Facebook still and we interact the odd time," said DiPaolo. "It was an absolute blessing going to Charlottetown and to this day it is one of the top three of the best hockey moments in my life."

One could imagine that the transition from an enforcer in hockey to a medical school student wouldn't be an easy one. DiPaolo acknowledged that and noted that the transition from hockey to real life is often a hard one for any person.

"Some players don't ever find that inner voice that leads them on the right path. It's easy to resort to drugs and alcohol when you feel you're at the bottom. This is why having the right support system is so crucial," said DiPaolo. "I had no idea how to pull myself out of this spiraling dark time but what I did know, was that I had to prove to myself and everyone that I could be something other than an athlete or a retired hockey player."

The challenge he laid in front of himself would be quite the mountain to climb.

"Ironically, I chose the next hardest thing to becoming a professional athlete, a doctor. Becoming a doctor is much more complicated. Half the battle of becoming a doctor is figuring out the requirements, learning the exam strategies and applying to different medical schools and residencies. I was paving a new path somewhat foreign to the hockey world."

Hockey did leave him with lessons though that he was able to translate into his pursuit of becoming a doctor.

"The dedication and discipline it takes to become a professional athlete also applies to medicine. You have to give it your all, 100 per cent in. It isn't an easy feat, especially after a hockey career because hockey exhausted me physically, emotionally and mentally. It wasn't easy to reset and do it all over again in another realm," said DiPaolo. "I have had to develop the skill of pushing my mind academically. I knew I had the skill and experience to take my body to the limit during my hockey career, but trying to take my mind to its limits was a difficult skill to develop. It took years to determine how I learned best."

Now, DiPaolo has begun doing rotations across various aspects of medicine. Family medicine, surgical medicine, OBGYN, pediatrics and psychiatry. He now believes he has one specific medical path he wants to take, however.

"I hope to become an orthopedic surgeon. I hope to eventually work with a professional sports team. I want to combine my sports background and new career in medicine to help athletes transition to life after sports. I think it has the potential to help a lot of former athletes."

Throughout his journey in both hockey and his new path in medicine, DiPaolo wanted to leave a message for today's Islanders dressing room.

"Work your ass off. When it all comes to an end, whether that be the season or an over-ager's career, you don't want to look back and wish you worked harder. Have fun, but don't get distracted from your goal. Practice hard, perform confidently, study the game more, and give back to the communities you play in. Leave your mark in each city you play in," said DiPaolo.

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