The inaugural season for the Utah Hockey Club (now the Utah Mammoth) is officially over. The team finished with a 38-31-13 record while their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, finished with a 34-32-4-2 record, which was good enough for the seventh playoff spot in the Pacific Division. The Roadrunners went on to lose in the first round of the playoffs 2-1 to the Abbotsford Canucks.
With the season in the books, it’s time to look at the 48 Utah players under an NHL contract (excluding Connor Ingram for obvious reasons) and grade their 2024-25 seasons. We’ll also reflect on how they did during the 2023-24 season and see if they improved or did worse, along with what their future holds. We’re going alphabetically by first name. Next up is Andrew Agozzino.
Last Season
After being traded to the Anaheim Ducks from the San Jose Sharks over the summer, Agozzino was placed on waivers after training camp with the purpose of being assigned to the AHL. With no one claiming him, he joined the San Diego Gulls.
With the Gulls, Agozzino played in all 72 games. In those 72 games, he had 64 points, which was his best career total in the AHL since the 2014-15 season with the Lake Erie Monsters. Agozzino scored 26 goals, which was the exact amount he had scored the season prior with the San Jose Barracuda. His 38 assists, however, were the most he had ever recorded in the AHL.
Despite having a really good season with the Gulls, Agozzino never got a call-up to the Anaheim Ducks, unlike the season prior with the Sharks, where he appeared in four games. It was the first season since his 2017-18 campaign where he failed to make an NHL appearance.
Agozzino’s terrific season couldn’t help the Gulls be a competitive team, as they finished with a 26-35-10 record, which was good enough to be one of the worst teams in the entire AHL. They finished in last place in the Pacific Division.
With his contract expiring, Agozzino opted to hit free agency, where he signed a two-year, two-way contract with Utah.
This Season
Agozzino was sent down to the Roadrunners for the 2024-25 season. With the Roadrunners, Agozzino fit right in, recording 43 points in 55 games. He also served as an alternate captain.
His 43 points were good enough to place him in fourth place on the team despite playing fewer games than two of the three players ahead of him. Agozzino’s 20 goals were good enough to tie him with Kailer Yamamoto for third place on the team. His 23 assists tied him for fifth place in that category with Sammy Walker and Artem Duda.
When the Roadrunners acquired Walker from the Iowa Wild, Agozzino found himself on a line with him and Ben McCartney. Together, the trio formed a pretty good connection where, for some time, Walker was around a point-per-game player with the Roadrunners. It also helped Agozzino become the third-best player on the team in terms of points per game, only behind Josh Doan and Yamamoto.
Agozzino did suffer an injury in January that kept him out of action until the middle of February. However, he came back in a big way, scoring the OT winner against the Canucks in his second game back and later scoring a hat trick against the Gulls. These were huge games for the Roadrunners as they clinched a playoff spot over the Bakersfield Condors due to having more regulation wins. If Agozzino hadn’t had these big moments, the Condors might’ve gotten that playoff spot instead.
In the playoffs, Agozzino scored two points in three games, including the eventual game-winning goal in Game 2. However, Agozzino took a massive major penalty during Game 3 that ultimately killed the Roadrunners’ chances of coming back and winning the series.
The Future
Barring a trade, Agozzino will be back with the Mammoth/Roadrunners next season. At 34 years old, his hockey career is nearing its end, yet he is still finding ways to thrive in the AHL.
If Agozzino continues to produce at a good pace with the Roadrunners, he could earn a call-up to the NHL if injuries hit the Mammoth or if they clinch a playoff spot towards the end of the season, and they want to give their star players time to rest. His past two strong seasons in the AHL have proven that he could be deserving of another chance in the NHL.
However, getting Agozzino back for another season is a big win for the Roadrunners. He has become a critical part of the team, becoming one of their best offensive players. He’s also a veteran, so having a player who knows how to play consistently in the AHL with stretches of NHL experience is big for the younger players in the Roadrunners’ locker room.
Final Grade
While Agozzino failed to make an NHL appearance this past season, his play in the AHL was impressive. Despite being injured for almost two months, he was the third-best point-per-game player on the Roadrunners. He also seemed to get better after his injury, showing up in key moments for the team down the stretch where they were trying to clinch a playoff spot. On top of that, he was one of the best players on the Roadrunners during the playoffs.
Overall, Agozzino is getting a B+ for this season. He is a massive part of why the Roadrunners even made the playoffs and forced a decisive Game 3. The team suffered without him, going on an eight-game losing streak around the time of his injury. Not to mention, at age 34, he’s had some of his best seasons in the past two years. Looking to next season, he’ll be expected to once again be a key part of the Roadrunners while providing a veteran presence for some of the Mammoth’s rookies that are expected to join the team.
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