Former Notre Dame forward Thomas Di Pauli will make his National Hockey League debut on Saturday night for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre (Jan. 4).
Di Pauli was recalled for a second time this season and is in his fourth professional season after playing with Notre Dame from 2012-16. He joins former Irish teammate (and roommate) Bryan Rust on Pittsburgh’s forward lines.
Di Pauli will become the 13th former Notre Dame player to appear in the NHL this season, joining: Anders Bjork (Boston Bruins), Ian Cole (Colorado Avalanche), Steven Fogarty (New York Rangers), Dennis Gilbert (Chicago Blackhawks), Jordan Gross (Arizona Coyotes), Vinnie Hinostroza (Arizona Coyotes), Anders Lee (New York Islanders), Kyle Palmieri (New Jersey Devils), Andrew Peeke (Columbus Blue Jackets), Bryan Rust (Pittsburgh Penguins), Riley Sheahan (Edmonton Oilers) and T.J. Tynan (Colorado Avalanche).
A former alternate captain with the Irish, Di Pauli joins Gross and Peeke in making his NHL debut this season. He will become head coach Jeff Jackson’s 23rd former Notre Dame player to play an NHL game and the program’s 37th overall. The 13 former players to appear in the NHL this season marks a record high total for the Notre Dame program.
In 145 career games for the Fighting Irish, DiPauli totaled 30 goals and 48 assists for 78 points. He served as an alternate captain as a senior.
Di Pauli graduated from Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business as a marketing major.