Dionicio thought he wanted to become a pro soccer player when he was younger until he followed his older brother into hockey in Herisau, a small town that produced San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier and retired NHL goalie Jonas Hiller. He scored 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in 41 games for Bern's Under-17 and Under-20 elite teams last season, represented Switzerland at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne and the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in Frisco, Texas, as an underage player.
"When I moved to Bern, I just saw it's not just the pro league in Switzerland, I also want to make 'The Big Show,'" he said. "So I just tried to do my best to get seen for the CHL and now I'm here just trying to give my best for my team."
Dionicio's play at the Under-18 championship caught the attention of Niagara coach Billy Burke.
"He was playing physical, making hard plays," Burke said. "He stepped up in the neutral zone on one play and just crushed a Canadian forward. We all kind of opened our eyes and said, 'Oh, my goodness, there's certainly a player here.' And then he arrived, and we were blown away by him. He's very much a complete player."