by Katie Hamlin | AHL On The Beat
For many, playing for your hometown team is a pipe dream.
For Anthony Angello, it’s reality.
On Feb. 26, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired the forward from the Nashville Predators and assigned him to the Syracuse Crunch. Born in Albany, N.Y., Angello grew up in the Syracuse suburb of Manlius.
“I was so fired up,” Angello said about coming home to Syracuse. “The raw emotion – I was so excited. It was pretty surreal, coming back to be here and play for the team that I grew up watching.”
Angello attended some Crunch games as a kid, but came more frequently when Mark Holick was the head coach. Angello and Holick’s son, Cooper, played hockey at Fayetteville-Manlius High School together.
“I was like, ‘Man, one day I want to be able to play here,’” Angello said. “And that dream came true. I’m very, very excited.”
Like the players he grew up watching, Angello has the chance to make an impact on the next generation of hockey players. He knows how much it means to be part of the Salt City hockey community, having played junior hockey with the Syracuse Stars in addition to his high school team.
The Crunch’s home, Upstate Medical University Arena, happened to host the Section III state ice hockey championships this week – just days after Angello, one of the first Crunch players to have played Syracuse high school hockey, returned home.
“I think it just says follow your dreams,” said Angello, who also noted that his high school hockey days are still some of his best hockey memories. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.”
There’s something special about the camaraderie developed in high school sports. For those athletes, having the opportunity to play in a professional arena is a memory most of them will remember forever.
“I think it’s going to be a dream come true for a lot of those kids to be able to play in this building.” Angello remarked. “I’m very honored to be able to do it on a daily basis.”
The Syracuse hockey community influenced Angello’s career in many ways, but he recalls one coach making a lasting impact on him.
“I played for the Syracuse Stars under Scott Montagna, and he was one of the best coaches I had. He taught me what it took, the hard work. He was very honest and told you when you were doing great, and he told you when you needed to step it up. He definitely helped me get to that next level.”
Angello, who is now in his seventh pro season, has a chance to make an impact on Syracuse on the ice, but he also hopes creative positive change in the community. With his previous teams, he worked with Ronald McDonald House Charities and participated in multiple team initiatives, including a reading program that was named after him. In 2019-20, he was named the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ team winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award.
Familiarity with the team environment and Crunch staff has helped with the transition in the middle of the season. He’s worked out in the team facilities over the summer for the past few years, so he’s had a chance to get to know the people and the building. And he’s eager to get started with the Crunch.
“I’m going to be a guy that goes to the hard areas,” Angello said. “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to play the game the right way. I’m not going to take easy routes. And I’m going to try to lead by example.
“I just want to help the guys win. Be a part of it and just be a great team guy.”
Being the hometown kid and getting to play for the team he grew up watching is something Angello takes pride in. He’s already anticipating how he’ll feel when taking the ice for the first time.
“I’ll probably be amazed. Just on cloud nine. Looking around, taking it all in.”
And he’s going to embrace every moment being able to play in front of his parents and his support system.
“I’m going to look around, take it all in, and not take a moment for granted. I’m going to enjoy it, embrace it, and work hard to stay here as long as I can.”
