Workouts, diet reshape Dimitrakos UMaine forward made offseason changes to improve physically, mentally

He has been an enigma.

University of Maine senior right winger Niko Dimitrakos has displayed flashes of brilliance throughout his career. At other times, he has been a no-show.

He admits that his inconsistency has bothered him.

So he worked out diligently under the tutelage of well-respected Boston University strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle over the summer, altered his diet, and dropped his body fat content by more than two-thirds (from 181/2 percent to 6 percent).

After a dominant one-goal, two-assist performance in an 8-0 men’s hockey exhibition win over the University of Moncton a week ago, he will set his sights on Bowling Green in their 7 p.m. showdown tonight in the IceBreaker Cup Tournament at Alfond Arena. St. Cloud State and Clarkson will open the tourney at 4.

“There’s no question that God has blessed me with talent. But I had to look at myself in the mirror and ask myself, ‘What am I doing wrong?'” said Dimitrakos.

“I wasn’t lifting or working out the way I should have been,” said Dimitrakos. “I looked at some of the NHL players I work out with like Chris Drury [Colorado Avalanche] and I thought if he is in here working out as hard as he is, I should be in here working out at least as hard. They’re already making big bucks, but they’re trying to make themselves better. They know what it takes.”

His diet alteration involved eating more protein.

“I ate a lot of chicken and fish,” said Dimitrakos. “I changed my whole way of living and it has helped me out tremendously.”

As a result, Dimitrakos said he feels “as though I’ve added a couple steps [of speed] to my game and overall quickness. I can go out there and take a hit, give a hit and not get tired. That’s a big factor in the game because, late in your shift, you might have a chance to bury the puck. In the past, I was too tired to bury it.”

Dimitrakos, who tied for second on the team in scoring last year with 11 goals and 14 assists in 29 games, will also start the season healthy. A shoulder injury and a broken wrist suffered during the preseason have hampered him in the past.

He feels he has something to prove to himself, his teammates and the Maine fans this season.

“I want to show people and myself that I can play and be a leader on this team. Our expectations are real high this year,” said Dimitrakos, who was the Hockey East Tournament’s Most Valuable Player two years ago and the only freshman chosen to the Frozen Four All-Tournament team three years ago.

There is also somebody else he wants to impress: the late Shawn Walsh, the 17-year Bear coach who died of complications from kidney cancer last month.

“He helped me out a lot this summer. Hopefully, he’ll be looking down on me and he’ll be proud of me this year,” said Dimitrakos.