Anthony Angello Bio
Anthony Angello is an American former professional ice hockey forward who spent most of his career in the American Hockey League (AHL) while also appearing in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Born on March 6, 1996, in Albany, New York, he built his reputation on his imposing 6 ft 5 in frame and positional versatility. After a standout college career at Cornell University, he made his NHL debut in January 2020 and concluded his professional playing career in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Anthony Angello was born on March 6, 1996, in Albany, New York, to parents David Angello and Pamela Angello. When he was four years old, his family relocated to Manlius, where he spent the rest of his childhood. Growing up in a sport-oriented household, Angello was drawn to hockey by his uncle, Jason Hover, who played collegiate hockey at the Air Force Academy.
As a youth, Angello played basketball, lacrosse, and hockey, but by his freshman year of high school he committed fully to hockey. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School and split his playing time between the school team and the Syracuse Jr. Stars of the United States Premier Hockey League. Over two high school seasons he scored more than 120 points, an output that quickly attracted the attention of junior scouts.
Path to Hockey
During his sophomore season at Fayetteville-Manlius, Angello was selected by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the 15th round of the 2012 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Draft. Despite that selection, he turned down major-junior hockey and committed to NCAA Division I ice hockey, choosing Cornell University over Ivy League rivals Harvard and Yale, as well as Colgate.
He also heard his name called in the United States Hockey League (USHL) Entry Draft, going to the Omaha Lancers in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, and participated in the USA Hockey Select 17 festival. Two seasons with the Lancers helped sharpen his game, and he entered the professional pathway when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the fifth round, 145th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
Anthony Angello Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Anthony Angello played college hockey at Cornell University in the ECAC Hockey conference from 2015 to 2018, developing into a physical, two-way forward with the Cornell Big Red men’s ice hockey team. Following his senior season, he signed his first professional contract and began the 2018–19 campaign in the Penguins organization, splitting time between the ECHL affiliate and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL.
He steadily earned a larger role with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, using his 6 ft 5 in frame to anchor the bottom of the forward group while contributing offensively. The 2019–20 season brought his first NHL opportunity, as the Penguins recalled him from the AHL affiliate late in the campaign.
NHL Breakthrough (2019–2022)
Angello made his NHL debut on January 31, 2020, appearing in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4–3 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers. A few games later, on February 18, he recorded his first career NHL goal and assist in a 5–2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, entering the lineup as a last-minute substitution for an ill Evgeni Malkin.
That sophomore professional season ended with 25 points in 48 games at the AHL level, a performance that earned him a two-year, two-way contract extension worth $725,000 annually. He continued to shuttle between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton through the 2021–22 season, establishing himself as a reliable depth forward before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2022.
St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators Era (2022–2025)
On July 14, 2022, Anthony Angello signed a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues as a free agent. He was assigned to the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, for the 2022–23 season, where he played a third-line forward role and produced 6 goals and 11 points through 45 games.
On March 8, 2023, the Blues traded Angello to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations. He spent the bulk of his remaining time in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, continuing to provide a physical presence and dependable penalty killing. On February 26, 2025, the Predators dealt him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Jesse Ylönen, closing out his time in the Nashville organization.
Driving Style and Strengths
Angello played a prototypical power-forward style built around his 6 ft 5 in, 209 lb frame, using his size to win board battles, protect pucks along the walls, and screen goaltenders in the offensive zone. He complemented that physical base with responsible two-way habits, making him a trusted depth and penalty-killing option at both the AHL and NHL levels.
Notable Events and Milestones
His most memorable NHL moments came during the 2019–20 season, including his debut against the Philadelphia Flyers on January 31, 2020, and his first NHL goal and assist against the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 18, 2020, as a last-minute call-up for an ill Evgeni Malkin. He also reached the milestone of a two-year contract extension with the Penguins organization worth $725,000 annually after that breakout professional season.
Anthony Angello Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Anthony Angello grew up in a close-knit family headed by his father, David Angello, and his mother, Pamela Angello, with strong athletic ties on both sides. The most direct hockey influence was his uncle, Jason Hover, who played at the Air Force Academy and helped inspire Anthony’s love for the game during childhood in Manlius.
Personal Life
Outside of hockey, Angello has prioritized his education, announcing in October 2025 that he would return to Cornell University to finish his degree. That decision reflected a long-stated plan to complete his academic work after concluding his playing career, bringing closure to a path that began when he chose Cornell over Harvard, Yale, and Colgate out of high school.
2025 Season Performance
Anthony Angello’s 2024–25 season began in the Nashville Predators organization, where he spent most of the campaign with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. His steady bottom-six play kept him in the Predators’ system until a February 26, 2025, trade sent him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Jesse Ylönen, adding a late-season change of scenery for the veteran forward.
That trade marked the final on-ice chapter of his playing career, as Angello announced his retirement from professional hockey in October 2025. In his announcement, he confirmed that he would return to Cornell University to complete his degree, ending a professional journey that spanned the Penguins, Blues, Predators, and Lightning organizations across the NHL and AHL.