Pittsburgh-born player hopes to make NHL dreams come true at Penguins development camp

The Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of players at their development camp, which opened Saturday in Cranberry, but one player’s history with the region stood out above the rest.

Matthew DiMarsico, who played for Penn State last season, grew up in Wexford.

Last season for the Nittany Lions, DiMarsico had seven goals and 19 assists in 35 games. He finished fourth on the team in points and second in assists for Guy Gadowsky’s program.

His 19 assists were second all-time among Penn State rookies.

The 6-foot, 181-pound forward grew up playing in the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program.

“I’ve been in this rink for eight to 10 years,” DiMarsico said about UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “Then to be on the other side, the professional side (and) going to see where the real Penguins play in practice and the facilities they get to use and the coaching, it’s been really beneficial.

“But, at the same time, it’s like a surreal moment.”

“Surreal” was a common reference used by DiMarsico. While he was excited to be playing on the same rink he did growing up, this time, a potential spot with the Penguins on the line.

“It almost didn’t seem real coming here,” DiMarsico said. “And then I walked in this morning, and I saw the jersey and I saw the equipment and it was a really cool feeling for me.”

Before playing with Penn State, DiMarsico played in the United States Hockey League with the Green Bay Gamblers. He also played at the prep school level with Avon Old Farms Boarding School near Hartford, Conn.

“It was a big jump,” DiMarsico said of the transition from boarding school to the USHL. “I got to play with some high-end NHL talent, and it really helped me bring my game up to prepare myself for big-time hockey.”

DiMarsico was inspired to play hockey with the help of his older brother, Michael.

“My brother got into hockey when he was really young. And then I was fortunate enough to watch him play,” DiMarsico said. “I was growing up during the (Penguins Stanley Cup run in 2009), and that kind of really got me into it. And the Penguins have been competitive since I was born.”

That success of the Penguins has translated to lots of hockey talent from the Pittsburgh area, such as Arizona Coyotes forward Logan Cooley and New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck, among others. Trocheck is a native of Upper St. Clair, and Cooley is from West Mifflin.

Sports run through the DiMarsico family as his father, John, played college football at Army. Matthew DiMarsico will look to add to his family’s legacy and to the ever-growing list of Pittsburgh-born NHL players next season.

“Watching the Penguins compete and just kind of growing myself as a player … it just keeps the love for the game still there,” DiMarsico said.