Albany Native Anthony Angello Becoming an NHL Mainstay

It hasn't been the easiest road for Anthony Angello, but difficult journeys often lead to beautiful destinations, and that's where he's found himself in 2021.

Angello, an Albany native and member of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, is finally beginning to realize his dream of becoming a full-time NHL player. Never lacking in the size department, the 6'5", 210-pound Angello did it the old-fashioned way. He went from local high school hockey, to a small junior hockey league, to a big junior hockey league, before moving to college hockey. He was drafted late, and worked his way through the minor leagues, before finally suiting up for the Penguins.

A journey like that really makes a guy like Anthony Angello easy to root for.

Get our free mobile app

Born in Albany, the Angello family moved to Manlius, New York a few years later, where Anthony played his high school hockey. Now, how good was Anthony Angello in high school? A great question to ask, I must say. Angello scored 66 points during his sophomore/final season of high school hockey.

Those 66 points came in SIXTEEN GAMES. So, it was right around then when it became obvious he needed a new challenge.

Angello went on to play two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for Omaha, which is widely considered the best junior hockey league in the United States, hence the name. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014, but chose instead to play his second year in Omaha, and play three seasons of college hockey with Cornell in the ECAC.

He signed his first professional contract in April of 2018, and has quickly become one of the most consistent scorers for the Penguins' minor league team, based in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. So consistent, in fact, that the Penguins called him up to the NHL on January 31, 2020. He played in both the NHL and AHL this season, but signed a contract extension with the Penguins, keeping him in Pittsburgh until the end of next season.

What's his current goal? Well, why doesn't he just tell you himself: