Luca Caputi

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 190
team = Pittsburgh Penguins
league = NHL
prospect_team = Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
prospect_league = AHL
nationality = Canada
birth_date = birth date and age|1988|10|1
birth_place = Toronto, Ontario
draft = 111th overall
draft_year = 2007
draft_team = Pittsburgh Penguins
career_start = 2008
nickname =

Gianluca(Luca) Caputi (born October 1, 1988 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. [cite news |first= Adam|last= Kimelman|title= Caputi's potential has Penguins excited|url= http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=379942|publisher= PittsburghPenguins.com|date= 2008-08-22|accessdate=2008-08-23] Caputi was drafted as the 111th overall selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. On April 23rd, Caputi signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. [ [http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=361383&page=NewsPage&service=page Penguins Sign Luca Caputi] ]

Playing career

Luca Caputi began his minor career with the Mississauga IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League in the 2004-2005 season. He played for the same team for four seasons, even after the Mississauga IceDogs moved and became the Niagara IceDogs, until 2007–2008. After his 2006-2007 season, Caputi was drafted in the fourth round by the Pittsburgh Penguins of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft as the 111th overall pick. While several scouts projected him as high as the 40th pick claiming that he was a great package of both size and skill possessing a long reach, he managed to drop into the 4th round. Teams passed on him due his inconsistent play of edge and skill with a lack of effective hitting.

His following season with the Niagara IceDogs, Caputi seemed to have found his balance with 51 goals and 111 points in just 66 games becoming an offensive juggernaut on the first line. His 111 points were fourth in league scoring and his 51 goals were third in the OHL while both his 51 goals and 111 points are the most in one season for the Mississauga and Niagara IceDogs organization. Caputi led the team into the playoffs where they defeated the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 4 games to 0 before losing to the Oshawa Generals 4 -2 in the conference semifinals.

Following his breakout season, on April 23rd Caputi signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He then helped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League reach the Calder Cup Finals with 8 points in 19 games.

References

External links

*hockeydb|80260