Andrew Agozzino

Andrew Agozzino (born January 3, 1991) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing who played parts of eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth. An undrafted player, Agozzino played junior hockey with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League, before later signing with the Avalanche as a free agent.

Playing career

Junior Agozzino first played major junior hockey with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He was originally selected as the Mississauga IceDogs first round draft pick, chosen 15th overall in the 2007 OHL Priority Draft before the team promptly relocated to Niagara. Agozzino scored 12 goals in 50 games during his rookie campaign in 2007–08 and as an Ontario native, he was selected to the Canada Ontario team for the 2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge scoring five goals in six games to help capture the gold medal. In his sophomore season, Agozzino showed glimpses of leadership and improved to finish second on the IceDogs with 27 goals in the 2008–09 season. With two consecutive seasons of showing offensive potential, Agozzino was invited to the St. Louis Blues 2009 orientation camp.

After the departure of former captain Alex Pietrangelo, Agozzino was named as the IceDogs new captain midway through the 2009–10 season. Agozzino led the IceDogs by example, scoring a team high 37 goals and 66 points. As the IceDogs representative to the 2010 OHL All-Star Classic, he was named as the Eastern Conference player of the game after scoring an All-Star record four goals. Undrafted in the NHL, due to his diminutive stature, Agozzino was signed upon the completion of the IceDogs season to an amateur try-out contract with the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League (AHL), an affiliate of the Blues. He made his professional debut on April 9, 2010, against the Manitoba Moose and skated in the Rivermen's two final regular season games.

He returned to Niagara in the 2010–11 season, to again lead the team with 43 goals in 68 games. Without a professional contract on offer, Agozzino returned for his overage and final year with the IceDogs in 2011–12. For a third consecutive season, he led the team with 40 goals and produced a career high 48 assists and 88 points, to finish fifth in the OHL scoring race. After guiding the IceDogs to finish as finalists for the J. Ross Robertson Cup, Agozzino was selected as the recipient of the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy as the league top overage player and the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy as the league's best captain. He completed his junior career with the IceDogs with the franchise records in goals (159), assists (147), points (306) and games (316).

Professional In his first full professional season in 2012–13, Agozzino was signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Lake Erie Monsters. In his Monsters debut on opening night, Agozzino scored his first professional goal and game-winner in a 2–1 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons on October 12, 2012. After initially claiming a role on the checking lines, he quickly and unexpectedly established himself amongst the Monsters scoring forwards to begin the season. At the midpoint of the season, and amongst the Monsters leaders in scoring, he was selected alongside fellow Monsters rookie Michael Sgarbossa to participate in the AHL All-Star Game. He subsequently became the first Monsters player in franchise history to then be voted as a starter to the victorious Western Conference All-Star lineup. On March 22, 2013, Agozzino's smooth transition to the professional ranks was completed when he was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, the NHL parent club of the Monsters. With Lake Erie out of the playoffs, he finished the regular season as one of only two skaters to have played in every game for the Monsters, whilst leading the team with 32 assists and 52 points. He made his NHL debut with the Avalanche, registering an assist, in a 4–3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on November 22, 2014. Following the 2014–15 season, Agozzino became a restricted free agent under the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Avalanche made him a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights and, on July 5, 2015, Agozzino filed for salary arbitration. On July 16, Agozzino settled before arbitration in agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche.

Having left the Avalanche organization as a free agent, Agozzino agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2016. After attending the Blues 2016 training camp, Agozzino was assigned to begin the 2016–17 season, in the AHL with their affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Following his adjustment to a new playing system, Agozzino remained in the AHL for the duration of the season in continuing his career scoring pace with 18 goals and 54 points in 71 games. Despite a solid performance with the Wolves, Agozzino was never recalled by the Blues.

Agozzino representing the Colorado Eagles at the 2019 All-Star Classic. A year later, after leaving St. Louis as a free agent, Agozzino opted to return to his original club, the Colorado Avalanche, in signing a two-year, two-way contract. He was also named to the 2019 AHL All-Star game that season. Agozzino scored his first NHL goal in the Avalanche's 3–0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on February 19, 2019. He got into eleven games with the Avalanche in 2018–19. He played in the 2020 AHL All-Star Game. He appeared in three games with Anaheim and 31 games for their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.

In the off-season, having left the Senators as a free agent, Agozzino was signed to a two-year, two-way contract with the San Jose Sharks on July 13, 2022.

On June 27, 2023, Agozzino was traded by the Sharks in a return to the Anaheim Ducks organization in exchange for pending free agent Andrej Šustr. Agozzino failed to make the Ducks roster out of training camp and was waived by the team. After going unclaimed, he was assigned to the San Diego Gulls to begin the 2023–24 season.

Agozzino ended his second stint with the Ducks at the conclusion of his contract and was signed to a two-year, two-way contract with the Utah Mammoth (then the Utah Hockey Club) on July 2, 2024. After going unclaimed on waivers, Agozzino was assigned to Utah's AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners for the 2024–25 season.

At the conclusion of his contract with the Mammoth, Agozzino as a pending free agent opted to sign abroad for the first time in his career, signing a one-year contract with EHC Biel-Bienne of the Swiss National League on June 3, 2026. However, a month and a half later, Agozzino and Biel-Bienne opted to part ways, with Agozzino announcing his retirement from hockey on July 21.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2007–08 Niagara IceDogs OHL 50 12 10 22 47 — — — — — 2008–09 Niagara IceDogs OHL 67 27 29 56 88 12 6 5 11 24 2009–10 Niagara IceDogs OHL 66 37 29 66 95 5 3 2 5 15 2009–10 Peoria Rivermen AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2010–11 Niagara IceDogs OHL 68 43 31 74 73 14 6 7 13 19 2011–12 Niagara IceDogs OHL 67 40 48 88 67 20 11 7 18 16 2012–13 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 76 20 32 52 73 — — — — — 2013–14 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 75 17 32 49 73 — — — — — 2014–15 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 74 30 34 64 55 — — — — — 2014–15 Colorado Avalanche NHL 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2015–16 San Antonio Rampage AHL 41 12 17 29 32 — — — — — 2015–16 Colorado Avalanche NHL 9 0 2 2 0 — — — — — 2016–17 Chicago Wolves AHL 71 18 36 54 57 10 3 3 6 6 2017–18 San Antonio Rampage AHL 72 23 21 44 63 — — — — — 2018–19 Colorado Eagles AHL 56 26 34 60 67 4 3 0 3 6 2018–19 Colorado Avalanche NHL 11 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 2019–20 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 37 14 19 33 28 — — — — — 2019–20 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 17 0 2 2 4 — — — — — 2019–20 Anaheim Ducks NHL 5 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 2020–21 Anaheim Ducks NHL 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2020–21 San Diego Gulls AHL 31 13 14 27 27 3 2 2 4 2 2021–22 Belleville Senators AHL 66 20 23 43 61 2 1 2 3 0 2021–22 Ottawa Senators NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2022–23 San Jose Barracuda AHL 63 26 35 61 72 — — — — — 2022–23 San Jose Sharks NHL 4 1 2 3 0 — — — — — 2023–24 San Diego Gulls AHL 72 26 38 64 44 — — — — — 2024–25 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 55 20 23 43 54 3 1 1 2 5 2025–26 Utah Mammoth NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2025–26 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 56 19 20 39 24 — — — — — NHL totals 53 3 9 12 4 — — — — —

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2008 Ontario U17 6 5 2 7 12 Junior totals 6 5 2 7 12

Awards and honours Award Year RefOHL Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy 2012 Third All-Star Team 2012 AHL All-Star Game 2013, 2019