Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
Every thing about Andrew Agozzino’s profession has been about quiet, regular competence and reliability.
So the Tucson Roadrunners ahead was hardly about to make a lot of a fuss about notching his 600th AHL level earlier this week. However his teammates and coaches actually know his worth – as do opponents throughout the league who’ve spent greater than a decade making an attempt to deal with him.
With a aim and two assists in Wednesday night time’s 5-1 residence win in opposition to San Diego, Agozzino grew to become the fiftieth participant in AHL historical past to succeed in 600 factors. His tally on Friday in Abbotsford was the 254th of his AHL profession, good for thirty seventh all-time. His 760 video games put him within the prime 50 as properly.
Not unhealthy for a participant who went undrafted and performed 5 seasons of main junior hockey within the Ontario Hockey League, the place he scored 159 objectives in 318 video games for Niagara.
Possibly too small at 5-foot-10, 181 kilos. Maybe not flashy sufficient.
However when his probability did come, he took it. He signed an AHL contract with the Lake Erie Monsters, then the Colorado Avalanche’s affiliate, for the 2012-13 season. Fourth-line minutes, but it surely was a possibility.
By midseason he was enjoying within the AHL All-Star Traditional, and that AHL deal grew to become an NHL entry-level contract by March.
He scored 30 objectives for the Monsters in 2014-15. He additionally made his debut with the Avalanche that season, the primary of his 51 video games within the NHL throughout stops in Colorado, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and San Jose.
Organizations have discovered that they will depend on Agozzino to step in and fill a job up prime whereas additionally being a prime producer and chief on the AHL degree. He’ll play properly above his small body, by no means afraid to battle larger, stronger opponents for pucks and positioning. Combine in an excellent set of offensive instincts and arms, and you’ve got somebody who has carved out a formidable profession over 13 professional seasons.
Agozzino has worn a letter throughout a number of stops in his profession, each junior and professional, together with captaining the San Jose Barracuda in 2022-23. He’s among the many Roadrunners’ management group this yr, his first season in Tucson. As a lot as he can nonetheless produce offensively, AHL golf equipment want greater than that, which is why Agozzino retains incomes contracts every summer time. A mature, heady presence since he was a prospect himself greater than a decade in the past, he can cross alongside the entire ideas and recommendation that he has picked up going by way of the ups and downs that include making an attempt to construct a professional profession.
Meaning serving to linemates, constructing rapport, serving to gamers barely into their 20’s to discover a foothold on and off the ice. The Roadrunners are carrying six rookies on their roster proper now, and Agozzino can relate to the chance – and nerves – that include taking up an opportunity to play only one degree beneath the NHL.
“It was loads of uncertainty,” Agozzino recalled of his first professional season. “I actually didn’t know what to anticipate. To have the ability to assist guys alongside the way in which, it’s a part of my job right here. I believe one of many largest issues is making an attempt to be constant each apply and each sport. That’s one of many largest challenges for youthful gamers looking for their approach to the NHL.”
That’s why the Utah Hockey Membership pursued Agozzino onerous when free company opened final July 1. They made it fairly clear they needed him of their group, and a day later Agozzino had himself a brand new two-year deal.
“There’s positively extra competitors (for roster spots) as you grow old,” Agozzino mentioned, “and to have the ability to contribute over an extended time frame is one thing I take satisfaction in.”
Including Agozzino has helped to make Tucson a contender. A weekend sweep in Abbotsford provides them six consecutive wins heading into the Christmas break, and 11 victories of their final 14 outings. Agozzino is tied with Egor Sokolov for the group lead with 23 factors, and has been key to Tucson’s success on the facility play; the Roadrunners’ 21.8 p.c conversion price places them sixth within the AHL.
Tucson made an impression on Agozzino final season when he performed with San Diego. It felt like a match, each in type and temperament.
“We’re only a easy group that performs actually onerous,” he mentioned. “Considering of enjoying Tucson final yr, it was all the time a tough sport. They’d grind you down, and subsequent factor you realize you’re down 3-1.
“We’ve been getting that sport as of late. We’ve been grinding groups down and actually enjoying a affected person sport and actual easy sport that’s actually been profitable for us.”
On the American Hockey League beat for twenty years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at the moment covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is an everyday contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.
