Anthony Aquino

Anthony Aquino (born August 1, 1982) is a retired Canadian-born Italian professional ice hockey player. He last played for the Odense Bulldogs, and Rungsted Seier Capital professional ice hockey teams in Denmark, of the top Danish league AL-Bank Ligaen, renamed Metalligaen. He was a 3rd round selection, 92nd overall, of the Dallas Stars at the 2001 NHL entry draft.

Early life

Aquino began his early career playing minor hockey with the Toronto Red Wings organization of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. In 1996, they went on to win The World Cup, at The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.

In 1999 Aquino was drafted round 10 #208 overall by Owen Sound Platers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Draft, but chose not to play in the OHL so as to preserve his American college eligibility. Instead, he spent two seasons playing in the OPJHL, and in 1999 competed in Canada's National Junior A Championship Royal Bank Cup where he was awarded Most Sportsmanlike Player.

Playing career

Merrimack College

At 17, Aquino attended Merrimack College from 1999 to 2002 on full hockey scholarship. He led the team in goals scored in each of his three seasons at Merrimack. In 110 career games at Merrimack over three seasons, Aquino totaled 115 points on 56 goals and 59 assists.

Aquino was awarded NCAA (Hockey East) All-Rookie Team following his freshman year in 1999–2000. He was awarded NCAA (Hockey East) Second All-Star Team the following two years, as well as NCAA (New England) D1 All-Stars 2001–2002.

In 2002, he was promoted to captain and became the 9th player to ever reach the mark of 100 career points for Merrimack since the program joined Hockey East in 1988. For nine years, Aquino held the record of most points scored over any other Merrimack player, from his 2001–02 season; as well as most points per game average.

Merrimack unveiled the All-Decade Team in 2010, naming Aquino as their leading forward. An all-rookie and all-Hockey East selection, he was the last Warrior to net 40 points until 2010.

Professional

At Merrimack College, Anthony Aquino was a member of the Hockey East All-Rookie Team as a 17-year-old freshman, a Hockey East Second Team All-Star his sophomore season, and led Merrimack in scoring for the second straight season his junior season. Prior to his senior season, and as senior caption, Aquino received an invitation from the Dallas Stars, who drafted him in the third round in 2001, to participate in both the team's rookie development camp and full-squad training camp on a tryout basis, he decided to accept looking to join the team or play with Oshawa Generals of the OHL for one year.

At the end of August, a U.S. federal court judge granted a preliminary injunction allowing Aquino to play in the OHL as a 20-year-old 'overeager'. The injunction was granted, but the OHL appealed, forcing Aquino to make a decision between returning to Merrimack or playing in the OHL. Aquino filed a lawsuit against the OHL in an attempt to follow in the footsteps of Mike Van Ryn. Aquino joined the Oshawa Generals Sept. 25, 2002, and played 14 games before the OHL ruled him ineligible on Nov. 5.

Aquino refused to sign with Dallas and forced a trade. On March 11, 2003, The Atlanta Thrashers acquired Aquino, the twenty-year-old right wing, from the Dallas Stars for a sixth-round draft pick.

Retirement Aquino officially retired from hockey on January 21, 2016. Aquino had completed his degree from the University of Southern Denmark with a M.Sc. in Economics and Business Administration; he now works in finance.

Personal life

Anthony has a brother Luciano Aquino and sister, and lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1997–98 Mississauga Chargers OPJHL 50 10 13 23 14 — — — — — 1998–99 Bramalea Blues OPJHL 47 31 44 75 31 — — — — — 1999–2000 Merrimack College HE 36 15 14 29 12 — — — — — 2000–01 Merrimack College HE 38 17 25 42 22 — — — — — 2001–02 Merrimack College HE 36 24 20 44 20 — — — — — 2002–03 Oshawa Generals OHL 14 10 9 19 6 — — — — — 2002–03 Chicago Wolves AHL 5 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 2003–04 Chicago Wolves AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2003–04 Gwinnett Gladiators ECHL 62 27 26 53 34 8 1 2 3 0 2004–05 Ritten Sport ITA 26 16 10 26 20 6 0 0 0 0 2005–06 Adler Mannheim DEL 48 2 5 7 33 — — — — — 2006–07 Stavanger Oilers NOR 3 1 1 2 4 — — — — — 2006–07 Arboga IFK Allsv 3 0 0 0 6 — — — — — 2006–07 HC Pustertal ITA 26 12 17 29 0 4 4 2 6 2 2007–08 SG Pontebba ITA 44 26 23 49 34 5 2 7 9 0 2008–09 SG Pontebba ITA 42 20 18 38 18 5 1 2 3 0 2009–10 HC Valpellice ITA 39 20 25 45 14 5 4 2 6 2 2010–11 HC Valpellice ITA 40 17 32 49 10 8 5 2 7 25 2011–12 Brûleurs de Loups FRA 16 8 15 23 8 20 9 9 18 18 2012–13 HC Valpellice ITA 41 18 23 41 36 12 3 5 8 27 2013–14 KH Sanok POL 18 10 19 29 30 — — — — — 2013–14 Odense Bulldogs DEN 7 4 2 6 5442246 2014–15 Odense Bulldogs DEN 30 11 17 28 3210110 2015–16 Rungsted Seier Capital DEN 32 5 7 12 33 — — — — — ITA totals 258 129 148 277 160 45 19 20 39 56

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2009 Italy OGQ 3 1 0 1 2 Senior totals 3 1 0 1 2

Awards and honors Award Year All-Hockey East Rookie Team 1999–00 All-Hockey East Second Team 2000–01