Corey Andonovski did lots of analysis earlier than agreeing to a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
There isn’t a shock there.
It stands to motive {that a} man with an economics diploma from Princeton would not be afraid to do some homework, analyze the accessible data, and observe the info to a logical conclusion.
So Andonovski studied the Penguins’ prospect pool and depth chart, gauged how his sport would mesh with the kind of sport they play, and decided that this group was one of the best place for him to launch his professional profession.
“All of it got here right down to a possibility for me, as a university free agent,” he mentioned. “I had excellent discussions with the administration and exploration employees earlier than I ended up signing right here.
“Clearly, it is onerous to cease taking part in with individuals like (Sydney) Crosby and (Evgeny) Malkin and (Kris) Letang in the identical locker room. All of that additionally had an affect. However finally, I felt prefer it was a very good place to attempt to get into the league and get my probability.”
It additionally could not have harm that the Pittsburgh Penguins have a historical past of giving out undrafted school free brokers, guys like Conor Sheary, Zach Aston-Reese and Drew O’Connor: An opportunity to develop and finally make it to the NHL.
Thoughts you, Andonovski, a proper winger, is much from sure, truly fairly unlikely, to share a locker room with Crosby, Malkin and Letang this fall.
Throughout coaching camp, the primary locker room on the crew’s follow facility is, with few exceptions, the area of established NHL veterans, and Andonovski, who signed in March, has but to skate a shift at this degree.
And until he completely wows the coaches and entrance workplace through the preseason, he’ll be at Wilkes-Barre when 2022-23 begins.
For now a minimum of, although, Andonovski’s aim is to crack the foremost league roster for opening night time.
“I might like to have the chance,” he mentioned. “That is what I am working for. My dream has all the time been to play within the NHL, to not play within the AHL. I might like to get the chance this fall, however realistically, I am going to take it day-to-day. … Hopefully, I’ll get the chance in some unspecified time in the future, both in the end.”
One think about his favor is that, at 6-foot-1, 194 kilos, his sport features a bodily aspect, a comparatively uncommon aspect among the many Penguins’ forwards.
“I play a bodily two-way sport,” Andonovski mentioned. “However I additionally contribute offensively, with my ability and my shot. And I prefer to assume I am a very good skater.”
He had 10 objectives and 12 assists in 31 video games throughout his last season at Princeton, for a profession complete with the Tigers of 21 objectives and 29 assists in 80 video games. (Princeton didn’t play throughout its third yr on campus as a result of pandemic.)
After accepting a two-year entry-level contract from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Andonovski joined their farm crew at Wilkes-Barre on an newbie tryout deal.
Briefly, anyway.
That association turned out to be the equal of 5 video games of a primary date, as Andonovski returned to Princeton after a few weeks to take his finals.
Although he did not earn some extent throughout his stint within the American Hockey League, Andonovski gained a little bit of perception into what to anticipate within the transition to skilled hockey.
“There’s undoubtedly a distinction (from school),” he mentioned. “Pace-wise, clearly, it is a bit bit sooner and also you’re taking part in guys who transfer the puck sooner, skate a bit sooner, all of that.
“They’re additionally greater and stronger. That was a giant deal, coming from school, the place I might have been a much bigger man on the ice, or one of many strongest guys on the ice. Now, I am form of common. … So (the problem is) discovering methods to get a aggressive benefit, if I am not going to be one of many largest, strongest guys.”
In that case, you possibly can solely hope that being one of many higher educated works in your favor.
