After 'Career Year', Agozzino Heads East To Penguins Organization
Andrew Agozzino talked to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization during last month's free agency window and saw a great fit - a place where he could build off of what he called a career year last season with the Colorado Avalanche and their AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles.
He also sees an opportunity to work his way back into the NHL, where last season he spent 11 games with the Avalanche and tallied his first career NHL goal some two and a half years removed of his previous NHL stint in 2015-16.
"For me, all you can ask for as a player is a team that rewards guys in the AHL for playing well," Agozzino told Inside AHL Hockey after signing a two-year contract with the Penguins earlier this month. "If you look at the history of Pittsburgh, I think there's a lot of those guys in big roles over the past 5-6 years during their cup runs, so that's exciting to be a part of."
Agozzino, 28, came to the pro ranks undrafted and a bit undersized listed at 5-10, but made the most of an AHL contract in his rookie season in 2012-13 with the then-Lake Erie Monsters - tallying 20 goals and 32 assists in 76 games. He turned that into his first NHL contract the following season, and his NHL debut the year after that in 2014-15.
In all, Agozzino spent six of his seven years at the pro level with the Avalanche organization. After a one-year contract with the St. Louis Blues organization saw him spend another full season in the AHL, he signed a two-year contract with Colorado and worked his way back to the NHL - getting those 11 games with the Avalanche last season.
"The way my career has gone, I've always had to fight for everything being an undrafted player starting on an AHL contract. To be successful, that fire and desire has never gone away," Agozzino explained, adding, "I'm going to definitely be hungry to get back to the NHL. After two and a half years of not playing there I was proud to work my way back and it had paid off. Getting that [first career NHL] goal was a huge milestone for me, but like I said I feel like that's just the surface of what I scratched last year."
Last season, Agozzino's seventh year of pro hockey turned out to be a 'career year' after a stellar point-per-game run with the Avalanche's AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles, where he tallied 60 points (26 goals, 34 assists) in 56 games. When mentioning his successes last season, he pointed toward the Eagles' coaching staff and head coach Greg Cronin and Aaron Schneekloth as his enablers.
"They really helped me trust in my abilities and gave me a huge role to play with that team," Agozzino recalled. "I owe to a lot them for the success I had last season."
As for what Penguins fans can expect this season from Agozzino?
"Obviously I like to bring an offensive element to the game, but that being said I really work hard to not exvlusively be an offensive player," Agozzino told Inside AHL Hockey. "I've played a big role on the penalty kill my entire career. It's kind of something I take pride in, to be a top offensive player and be reliable defensively (too). It's always been something I've focused on and taken pride in. For me, they can expect someone who is going to work hard, play the game the right way and try and contribute in both aspects of the game."
Still, as is the goal for all hockey players entering training camp this fall, Agozzino will look to make a good first impression with his new organization and hope for the best.
"Absolutely, anytime you move to a new organization you want to make a good first impression, and especiialy with trying to make the club. If you make the team out of training camp, that's great. If not, you hope to set yourself up to earn an early recall. Definitely, my mindset going into training camp is to try and make that team. I feel like I only scratched the surface of what I can do last season. I'm looking for a big training camp and a good start to the year."
