Kenny Agostino
Agostino with the Düsseldorfer EG in 2023
Born (1992-04-30) April 30, 1992 (age 31)
Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
DEL team
Former teams		 Düsseldorfer EG
Calgary Flames
St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens
New Jersey Devils
Toronto Maple Leafs
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
National team  United States
NHL Draft 140th overall, 2010
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2014–present

Kenneth Tyler Agostino (born April 30, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for Düsseldorfer EG of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was a fifth-round selection, 140th overall, of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and was acquired by the Calgary Flames in the Jarome Iginla trade. Agostino played four seasons of college hockey for the Yale Bulldogs and was a member of the school's 2013 national championship winning team.

Playing career

Agostino is a native of the Flanders, New Jersey section of Mount Olive Township, New Jersey.[1] As a youth, he played in the 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the New Jersey Devils minor ice hockey team.[2]

Agostino played high school hockey for Delbarton School (along with twin brothers Trevor & Davis), where he graduated as the school's all-time leading scorer with 261 points.[3] He was named New Jersey High School Player of the Year by the Newark Star-Ledger in 2009 and 2010 and recorded 50 goals and 83 points in his senior year of 2009–10.[4] The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Agostino with their fifth-round pick, 140th overall, at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.[5]

Agostino committed to play college hockey for the Yale Bulldogs, and on January 2, 2011, became only the third freshman in school history to record a hat-trick;[4] he added two assists to his three goals in the game to tie a school record with five points by a freshman in a 10–3 victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders.[6] After finishing with 25 points in 2010–11, Agostino improved to 34 points in his sophomore season of 2011–12.[1] As a junior, he was Yale's leading scorer with 41 points in 37 games.[5][7] As he prepared for the 2013 Frozen Four national championship tournament, the Penguins traded Agostino's NHL rights. Pittsburgh also sent Ben Hanowski and a first-round draft pick to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Jarome Iginla on March 27, 2013.[8]

Yale reached the championship game and defeated Quinnipiac 4–0 to win the first NCAA team championship of any sport in the school's history.[9] Agostino considered turning professional following the win but opted to return for his senior season with the Bulldogs.[10] He completed his final season, 2013–14, with 32 points in 32 games. Over his four-year college career, Agostino recorded 132 points in 134 games.[11] He turned professional at the conclusion of Yale's season and signed a two-year contract with the Flames worth $900,000 per season.[12] Agostino made his NHL debut on March 21, 2014, in a 6–5 loss to the Nashville Predators.[13] His first goal came on April 4, against goaltender Roberto Luongo in a 2–1 victory over the Florida Panthers.[14]

Agostino at the AHL All-Star skills competition in 2017

On July 2, 2016, Agostino, having left the Flames organization after not being tendered a qualifying offer, signed a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent with the St. Louis Blues.[15] Assigned to the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, Agostino was named the American Hockey League MVP in the 2016–17 season after posting 24 goals while leading the league with 59 assists and 83 points in 65 games with the Wolves.

On the first day of the 2017 free agency window on July 1, Agostino signed a one-year, one-way $850,000 deal with the Boston Bruins.[16]

Unable to break in with the Bruins, Agostino left as a free agent in the off-season to sign a one-year, two-way $700,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 1, 2018.[17] Agostino began the 2018–19 season in the AHL with affiliate, the Laval Rocket. On November 7, 2018, Agostino was recalled by the Canadiens after injuries to regulars Joel Armia and Paul Byron. At the time, he was the lead scorer of the Rocket, with 4 goals and 10 points.[18] He eclipsed his previous stints in the NHL, registering 11 points in 36 games with the Canadiens before he was placed on waivers and later claimed by hometown team, the New Jersey Devils, on February 11, 2019. He was claimed by general manager Ray Shero, who originally drafted him while with the Penguins in 2010.[19]

As the New Jersey Devils did not choose to re-sign Agostino, he left as a free agent and signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a two-year, one-way $700,000 contract.[20] The deal was officially announced by the team nearly a month after it was initially rumored, on July 24.[21]

Having played as a journeyman with 6 NHL clubs through 8 professional seasons, Agostino opted to pursue a career abroad, agreeing to a one-year contract as a free agent with Russian club Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL on June 1, 2021.[22][23][24]

Agostino played two seasons with Torpedo, recording 51 points through 75 regular season in his tenure with the club. As a free agent at the conclusion of his contract in the KHL, Agostino opted to continue his career abroad by agreeing to a one-year deal with Swedish club, Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), on August 21, 2023.[25] Due to increased scrutiny over his tenure in the KHL and it directly opposing the SHL's stance to not sign players from the league, Agostino's contract was soon dissolved with the SHL on August 27, 2023.[26]

With the 2023–24 season underway, on September 25, 2023, Agostino was belatedly signed to a one-year contract with German club, Düsseldorfer EG of the DEL.[27]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2006–07 Delbarton School HS-Prep 24 12 20 32 — — — — —
2006–07 New Jersey Colonials 14U AAA AYHL 18 20 24 44 28 — — — — —
2007–08 Delbarton School HS-Prep 24 24 48 72 — — — — —
2007–08 New Jersey Colonials 16U AAA AYHL 24 21 28 49 14 — — — — —
2008–09 New Jersey Colonials 16U AAA AYHL 29 30 43 73 26 — — — — —
2009–10 Delbarton School HS-Prep 27 50 33 83 40 — — — — —
2009–10 New Jersey Colonials 18U AAA AYHL 14 23 11 34 16 — — — — —
2009–10 U.S. NTDP U18 USDP 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2010–11 Yale Bulldogs ECAC 31 11 14 25 30 — — — — —
2011–12 Yale Bulldogs ECAC 33 14 20 34 32 — — — — —
2012–13 Yale Bulldogs ECAC 37 17 24 41 32 — — — — —
2013–14 Yale Bulldogs ECAC 33 14 18 32 46 — — — — —
2013–14 Calgary Flames NHL 8 1 1 2 0 — — — — —
2014–15 Adirondack Flames AHL 67 15 28 43 52 — — — — —
2015–16 Stockton Heat AHL 65 23 34 57 18 — — — — —
2015–16 Calgary Flames NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2016–17 Chicago Wolves AHL 65 24 59 83 48 10 5 5 10 8
2016–17 St. Louis Blues NHL 7 1 2 3 2 — — — — —
2017–18 Providence Bruins AHL 64 16 37 53 35 4 0 4 4 2
2017–18 Boston Bruins NHL 5 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
2018–19 Laval Rocket AHL 12 4 6 10 4 — — — — —
2018–19 Montreal Canadiens NHL 36 2 9 11 26 — — — — —
2018–19 New Jersey Devils NHL 27 4 9 13 8 — — — — —
2019–20 Toronto Marlies AHL 53 27 22 49 36 — — — — —
2020–21 Toronto Marlies AHL 22 9 13 22 2 — — — — —
2020–21 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2021–22 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 46 20 20 40 16 — — — — —
2022–23 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 29 4 7 11 2 1 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Düsseldorfer EG DEL 48 14 34 48 26 — — — — —
NHL totals 86 8 22 30 40 — — — — —
KHL totals 75 24 27 51 18 1 0 0 0 0

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2022 United States OG 5th 4 1 0 1 8
Senior totals 4 1 0 1 8

Awards and honors

Award Year
College
All-ECAC Second All-Star Team 2013
All-Ivy League Second All-Star Team 2013, 2014
All-ECAC Third All-Star Team 2014 [28]
AHL
First All-Star Team 2017 [29]
John B. Sollenberger Trophy 2017
Les Cunningham Award 2017 [30]

References

  1. ^ a b "Kenny Agostino player card". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "Kenny Agostino". Yale Bulldogs. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Malafronte, Chip (January 25, 2011). "Agostino gives Yale added firepower". New Haven Register. p. C1. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Hanlon, Peter; Kelso, Sean; Thomas, Rob, eds. (2013). 2013–14 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 108.
  6. ^ "Blue Nets Season-High 10 Goals". Yale Bulldogs. January 2, 2011. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  7. ^ Wollschlager, Mike (March 29, 2013). "Agostino part of Jarome Iginla trade". New Haven Register. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  8. ^ "Jarome Iginla traded to Penguins". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. March 27, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  9. ^ Cloutier, Bill (April 15, 2013). "Yale kept routine on road to a title". New Haven Register.[dead link]
  10. ^ Malafronte, Chip (April 17, 2013). "Agostino makes educated decision". New Haven Register.[dead link]
  11. ^ "Flames sign Agostino to two-year contract". National Hockey League. March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  12. ^ Sportak, Randy (March 17, 2014). "NCAA player acquired in Jarome Iginla trade signs with Flames". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  13. ^ "Predators hold off Flames 6–5". ESPN. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  14. ^ Cruickshank, Scott (April 5, 2014). "Flames spoil Luongo's party". Calgary Herald. p. D1.
  15. ^ "Blues add depth, agree to terms with 9 players". St. Louis Blues. July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  16. ^ "Bruins sign depth players Kenny Agostino, Paul Postma to one-year, one-way deals". CSNNE. July 1, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  17. ^ "Canadiens agree to terms with Kenny Agostino". Montreal Canadiens. July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  18. ^ Beauregard, Olivier. "Canadiens recall Kenny Agostino from Laval". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  19. ^ "Devils claim N.J. native Kenny Agostino". NJ.com. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  20. ^ "Report: Maple Leafs to sign forward Kenny Agostino to two-year, one-way deal". Yahoo Sports. June 30, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  21. ^ "Maple Leafs Announce Free Agent Signings". Toronto Maple Leafs. July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  22. ^ "Kenny Agostino in Torpedo" (in Russian). Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. June 1, 2021. Archived from the original on June 1, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  23. ^ Schram, Carol. "NHL Suspends Dealings With KHL As Russia's Ukraine Invasion Impacts Hockey World". Forbes.
  24. ^ "Snapshots: KHL Departures, AHL Signings, NHL Trade Market". Pro Hockey Rumors. March 5, 2022.
  25. ^ "Welcome, Kenny Agostino!" (in Swedish). Skellefteå AIK. August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  26. ^ "Former Maple Leafs' Winger's SHL contract terminated after choosing to play in Russia". sportskeeda.com. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  27. ^ "DEG sign American Kenny Agostino" (in German). Düsseldorfer EG. September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  28. ^ Malafonte, Chip (March 21, 2014). "Bobcats brushing up for Colgate". New Haven Register. p. C1.
  29. ^ "Agostino, Megan named to First All-Star Team". Chicago Wolves. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  30. ^ "Wolves' Agostino voted league MVP". American Hockey League. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.

External links

Categories