Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
everything about Andrew AgozinoA career is about quiet, steady competence and reliability.
So it came as no surprise that the Tucson Roadrunners forward scored his 600th AHL point earlier this week. But his teammates and coaches certainly know his value — and so do the opponents around the league who have been trying to play against him for more than a decade.
Agozino became the 50th player in AHL history to reach 600 points with a goal and two assists in Wednesday night's 5-1 home win over San Diego. His goal on Friday in Abbotsford was the 254th point of his AHL career and the 37th all-time. His 760 games also put him in the top 50.
Not bad for a player who went undrafted and played five seasons of primarily junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 159 goals in 318 games with Niagara.
At 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds, he's probably too short. Maybe not flashy enough.
But when the opportunity came, he took it. He signed an AHL contract with the Lake Erie Monsters, then affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, for the 2012-13 season. Fourth line minute, but it's a chance.
By mid-season, he was participating in the AHL All-Star Classic, and that AHL contract became an NHL entry-level contract in March.
In the 2014-15 season, he scored 30 goals for the Monsters. He also made his debut with the Avalanche that season, his first of 51 games in the NHL, which included stops in Colorado, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and San Jose.
Organizations have recognized that they can rely on Agozino to step in and fill senior positions while also being a top producer and leader at the AHL level. He will thrive on his small size and is never afraid to compete for the puck and position against bigger, stronger opponents. Combine that with good offensive instincts and hands, and you have a guy who put together an impressive career in 13 professional seasons.
Agozino has worn the letter multiple times throughout his career, both as a junior and as a pro, including as captain of the San Jose Barracudas in the 2022-23 season. He is part of the Roadrunners' leadership team this year, his first season in Tucson. While he can still contribute offensively, AHL clubs need more than that, which is why Agozino gets a contract every summer. He's a mature, exciting player who can pass on all the tips and advice he's picked up on the ups and downs of trying to build a career since he became a prospect himself over a decade ago.
That means helping teammates, building rapport, and helping players who just turned 20 find their feet on and off the ice. The Roadrunners now have six rookies on their roster, and Agozino can appreciate the opportunities and nerves that come with the opportunity to play at a level below the NHL.
“There was a lot of uncertainty,” Agozino recalled of his first professional season. “I really didn't know what to expect. It's part of my job to be able to help guys along the way. I think one of the biggest things is just trying to be consistent every practice and every game. For guys trying to make it to the NHL This is one of the biggest challenges for young players.
That's why Utah Hockey vigorously pursued Agozino when free agency opened last July 1. They made it clear they wanted him to join their organization, and one day later Agozino signed himself to a new two-year deal. contract.
“The competition (for roster spots) is definitely going to be more intense as we get older,” Agozino said, “and being able to contribute long-term is something I'm proud of.”
The addition of Agozino helped Tucson become a contender. The weekend sweep at Abbotsford gave them a sixth straight win before the Christmas break and 11 wins in their last 14 games. Agozino tied Yegor Sokolov Scoring the team's 23-point lead was key to Tucson's success on the power play; the Roadrunners' 21.8% conversion rate ranked them sixth in the AHL.
Toussaint impressed Agozino while playing in San Diego last season. It feels like it suits both style and temperament.
“We're just a simple team that plays hard,” he said. “Looking back at last year's game against Tucson, it was always a tough game. They'd run over you and the next thing you know you were down 3-1.
“We've been playing this game a lot lately. We've been honing the team and playing really patiently and playing really simple games, and that's been really successful for us.
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor for SiriusXM NHL Network Radio . In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
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