A deep dive into Sarnia Sting center Alessandro Di Iorio.
The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with 10 picks. Leading up to the draft, we at The Hockey News will profile a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Sarnia Sting center Alessandro Di Iorio, who Vancouver could select 78th overall.
Di Iorio had a very busy 2025-26 season. He recorded 31 points in 45 games and was named captain of the Sting after the team traded Lukas Fischer back in December. Di Iorio also participated in the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, where he scored a goal while recording four shots in two games.
On top of his play in the OHL, Di Iorio represented Canada twice on the international stage. He wore an "A" for Canada at both the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2026 U18s. Di Iorio skated away with a Bronze Medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, while at the U18s, he recorded three assists in five games.
Overall, Di Iorio has a long history with Canada. He won a Gold Medal at the 2025 U18s as well as a Silver Medal at the 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. Di Iorio also represented Canada at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, where he recorded seven points in four games.
Di Iorio has developed into a dependable two-way center. He can create turnovers by applying pressure to puck carriers and has shown an ability not just to get into shooting lanes, but to lay his body on the line with blocked shots. Di Iorio's defensive abilities have allowed him to become an effective penalty killer as well as a matchup center in the OHL.
As for the offensive zone, Di Iorio is better known as a perimeter player. Listed at 6'0", 188 lbs, he is skilled enough to beat defenders in one-on-one situations, which allows him to create open space in order to create scoring chances. Di Iorio has also shown strong playmaking abilities, as he can anticipate where his teammates will be and deliver passes to them in stride.
Di Iorio's skills also translate well to the transition game. He often carries the puck out past his own blue line and into the offensive zone before finding open teammates. Di Iorio also often draws additional attention in the neutral zone and has shown the ability to deliver accurate passes to open teammates who are approaching the blue line with speed.
Despite dealing with a serious arm injury to start the season, Di Iorio proved why he should be a top-100 prospect in this draft. He works hard, has leadership qualities and has can be effective in all three zones. Projected to return to the OHL next year, Di Iorio has all the traits the Canucks should be looking for in a prospect.
Alessandro Di Iorio at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge (Photo Credit: Erica Perreaux/CHL)Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles:
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