Penguins A to Z: Improved skating got Anthony Angello to the NHL

While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Anthony Angello

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

Age: 24

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 210 pounds

2019-20 NHL statistics: Eight games, one point (one goal, zero assists)

2019-20 AHL statistics: 48 games, 25 points (16 goals, nine assists)

Contract: Final year of a two-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $833,750.

Acquired: Fifth-round selection (No. 145 overall) in 2014 draft

This season: Thanks to a breakout season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Angello, a winger who is listed as a center, earned his first legit NHL recall Jan. 30.

He garnered that promotion by improving his skating this season and becoming more than a large body bullying his way around the ice. Before being recalled, the second-year professional already had tied his career AHL high in goals and was one of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s top offensive weapons.

(Video courtesy Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)

Once in the NHL, Angello primarily was used as a bottom-line winger averaging only 5 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time. He scored his first and, thus far, only NHL goal Feb. 18 in a 5-2 home win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

(Video courtesy NHL)

By the time the NHL season came to a halt, Angello had missed four games because of an undisclosed injury.

The future: In the immediate sense, Angello is probably on the AHL roster if everyone on the NHL roster is healthy (a considerable “if” with this team). In the long term, Angello has a future as a bottom-six forward at the NHL. While he has the physical tools to be a power forward, he could improve his chances at staying in the NHL by adding more of a nastier, physical edge to his game.

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