Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
Everything about Andrew Agozzino’s career has been about quiet, steady competence and reliability.
So the Tucson Roadrunners forward was hardly about to make much of a fuss about notching his 600th AHL point earlier this week. But his teammates and coaches certainly know his value – as do opponents across the league who have spent more than a decade trying to handle him.
With a goal and two assists in Wednesday night’s 5-1 home win against San Diego, Agozzino became the 50th player in AHL history to reach 600 points. His tally on Friday in Abbotsford was the 254th of his AHL career, good for 37th all-time. His 760 games put him in the top 50 as well.
Not bad for a player who went undrafted and played five seasons of major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League, where he scored 159 goals in 318 games for Niagara.
Maybe too small at 5-foot-10, 181 pounds. Perhaps not flashy enough.
But when his chance 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 was an opportunity.
By midseason he was playing in the AHL All-Star Classic, and that AHL deal became an NHL entry-level contract by March.
He scored 30 goals for the Monsters in 2014-15. He also made his debut with the Avalanche that season, the first of his 51 games in the NHL during stops in Colorado, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and San Jose.
Organizations have learned that they can rely on Agozzino to step in and fill a role up top while also being a top producer and leader at the AHL level. He will play well above his small frame, never afraid to battle bigger, stronger opponents for pucks and positioning. Mix in a good set of offensive instincts and hands, and you have someone who has carved out an impressive career over 13 pro seasons.
Agozzino has worn a letter across several stops in his career, both junior and pro, including captaining the San Jose Barracuda in 2022-23. He is among the Roadrunners’ leadership group this year, his first season in Tucson. As much as he can still produce offensively, AHL clubs need more than that, which is why Agozzino keeps earning contracts each summer. A mature, heady presence since he was a prospect himself more than a decade ago, he can pass along all of the tips and advice that he has picked up going through the ups and downs that come with trying to build a pro career.
That means helping linemates, building rapport, helping players barely into their 20’s to find a foothold on and off the ice. The Roadrunners are carrying six rookies on their roster right now, and Agozzino can relate to the opportunity – and nerves – that come with taking on a chance to play just one level below the NHL.
“It was a lot of uncertainty,” Agozzino recalled of his first pro season. “I really didn’t know what to expect. To be able to help guys along the way, it’s part of my job here. I think one of the biggest things is trying to be consistent every practice and every game. That’s one of the biggest challenges for younger players trying to find their way to the NHL.”
That’s why the Utah Hockey Club pursued Agozzino hard when free agency opened last July 1. They made it quite clear they wanted him in their organization, and a day later Agozzino had himself a new two-year deal.
“There’s definitely more competition (for roster spots) as you get older,” Agozzino said, “and to be able to contribute over a long period of time is something I take pride in.”
Adding Agozzino has helped to make Tucson a contender. A weekend sweep in Abbotsford gives them six consecutive wins heading into the Christmas break, and 11 victories in their last 14 outings. Agozzino is tied with Egor Sokolov for the team lead with 23 points, and has been key to Tucson’s success on the power play; the Roadrunners’ 21.8 percent conversion rate puts them sixth in the AHL.
Tucson made an impression on Agozzino last season when he played with San Diego. It felt like a fit, both in style and temperament.
“We’re just a simple team that plays really hard,” he said. “Thinking of playing Tucson last year, it was always a hard game. They would grind you down, and next thing you know you’re down 3-1.
“We’ve been getting that game as of late. We’ve been grinding teams down and really playing a patient game and real simple game that’s really been successful for us.”
On the American Hockey League beat for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage of the league in 2016.
