Angelo Esposito
Encyclopedia
Angelo Esposito is a Canadian professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 player who currently plays for the San Antonio Rampage
San Antonio Rampage
The San Antonio Rampage are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. They are the top affiliate of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. Their home arena is the AT&T Center.-History:...

 of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

 (AHL) and is a prospect
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...

 for the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

 of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...

 twentieth overall in the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007...

.

Playing career

Esposito's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...

 (QMJHL) career started in controversy. He was considered a possible first overall draft choice in the QMJHL, but told all general managers that he intended to play college hockey
College hockey
College hockey refers to ice hockey played between colleges with their teams composed of enrolled students. College hockey is played in Canada and the United States, though leagues outside of North America exist....

 in the NCAA. As a result, he was passed up by the first ten picks in the QMJHL Draft. Just minutes before the Val d'Or Foreurs were slated to make their pick, at eleventh overall, the Quebec Remparts
Québec Remparts
There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The first franchise played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has played since 1997. Both franchises were based out of Quebec City, Quebec...

 announced that they had traded several players and draft choices to get the Foreurs' drafting position and selected Esposito. A couple of weeks later, Esposito and the Remparts came to an agreement, despite his previously announced college hockey commitment.

Esposito began his QMJHL rookie season, in 2005–06, centering the first line. Esposito scored in his first regular season game on his very first shift against the Rimouski Océanic
Rimouski Océanic
The Rimouski Océanic are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The franchise was granted for the 1969–70 season...

. By mid-season, Esposito was selected QMJHL Rookie of the Month twice and the Offensive Player of the Week once. However, after playing at the World U17 Hockey Challenge as the captain of Team Quebec, Esposito's offensive production slowed and was temporarily assigned to the third line at one point in the season. He finished his rookie campaign with 98 points, second among QMJHL's rookies, behind Claude Giroux, and was named the league rookie of the year
Michel Bergeron Trophy
The Michel Bergeron Trophy is awarded annually to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's "Offensive Rookie of the Year." From 1969 to 1980, the trophy was awarded to the QMHL's "Overall Rookie of the Year." The Bergeron trophy's counterpart since 1980, is the Raymond Lagacé Trophy, awarded to the...

. Along with wingers Mathieu Melanson (86 points) and Alexander Radulov
Alexander Radulov
Alexander Valerievich Radulov is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League . Radulov is the KHL's all-time assist leader with 125 career assists...

 (152 points), the Remparts' first line was the most productive scoring line in the entire league. Despite losing in the President's Cup
President's Cup (QMJHL)
The President's Cup is awarded annually by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the league's playoffs champion.--Winners—Teams that went on to win the Memorial Cup are listed in bold font.-External links:* List of trophy winners....

 final series 4–2 to the Moncton Wildcats
Moncton Wildcats
The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They play at the Moncton Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada....

, Esposito and the Remparts earned a berth in the 2006 Memorial Cup
2006 Memorial Cup
The 2006 MasterCard Memorial Cup was held in Moncton, New Brunswick from May 19–28. The host team Moncton Wildcats were the only team guaranteed a spot in the tournament...

 as runner up to the tournament hosts. Although Esposito struggled in the QMJHL playoffs with just 11 points in 23 games, he contributed a strong 5-point effort in 4 games during the Memorial Cup, helping the Remparts to a 6–2 victory in the final against Moncton.

Impressing many in his major junior rookie season, Esposito was touted early as a possible first-overall pick for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft
2007 NHL Entry Draft
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007...

. He had, in fact, already drawn comparisons to former Remparts star Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...

. However, declining offensive production at the junior level – his points total fell from 98 to 79 – led to him eventually being picked twentieth overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...

.

Esposito's offensive output declined once more to 69 points in his third QMJHL season in 2007–08
2007–08 QMJHL season
The 2007–08 QMJHL season was the 39th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. At the season-opening press conference, the QMJHL announced in partnership with Telus, all 630 regular season games would be available by internet broadcast. The regular season started on September...

. On February 26, 2008, the Penguins traded his NHL rights to the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...

 along with Colby Armstrong
Colby Armstrong
Colby Joseph Armstrong is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, who is an alternate captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.-Early life:...

, Erik Christensen
Erik Christensen
Erik Christensen is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

, and a 2008
2008 NHL Entry Draft
The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on June 20–21, 2008...

 first-round draft pick in a trade-deadline deal for Marián Hossa
Marian Hossa
Marián Hossa is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft; after playing for the Senators, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...

 and Pascal Dupuis
Pascal Dupuis
Pascal Dupuis is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

. At the conclusion of his 2007–08 season with the Remparts, he made his professional debut with the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...

 of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

 (AHL). In the off-season, he was traded in the QMJHL by the Remparts to the Montreal Juniors
Montreal Junior Hockey Club
The Montreal Junior Hockey Club were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The team is based out of the Verdun Auditorium, in Verdun, Quebec. The St. John's Fog Devils franchise relocated at the conclusion of the 2007–08 QMJHL season...

 on June 7, 2008. On July 8, 2011, he was traded to the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...

 in exchange for Kenndal McArdle
Kenndal McArdle
Kenndal McArdle is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who is now playing for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

.

International play

Esposito competed for Team Quebec as captain during his QMJHL rookie season in the 2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
The 2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge was an ice hockey tournament held in Balgonie, Fort Qu'Appelle, Indian Head, Milestone, Moose Jaw, Regina, Southey, and Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada between December 29, 2005 and January 4, 2006...

, capturing gold. Later that year, he also captained Team Canada's under-18 squad at the 2006 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
2006 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
The 2006 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament was an ice hockey tournament held in Břeclav, Czech Republic and Piešťany, Slovakia between August 8, 2006 and August 12, 2006. The venues used for the tournament were Zimní Stadion in Břeclav and Zimny Stadion in Piešťany...

 and won another gold medal. After three years of being cut from Team Canada
Canada national junior hockey team
The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...

's World Junior Championships
World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...

 selection camp, he eventually made the team for the 2009 World Junior Championships
2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
- Group B :ScheduleAll times local - Relegation round :The results from matches between teams from the same group in the preliminary round are carried forward to this round.-Schedule:...

 in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

. He scored 4 points in 6 games, including the game winning goal in the gold medal game, helping Team Canada to its record-tying fifth straight gold medal.

Awards

QMJHL
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...

  • Named Player of the Week for September 26–October 2, 2005.
  • Named Rookie of the Month for October and November 2005.
  • Awarded the Michel Bergeron Trophy
    Michel Bergeron Trophy
    The Michel Bergeron Trophy is awarded annually to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's "Offensive Rookie of the Year." From 1969 to 1980, the trophy was awarded to the QMHL's "Overall Rookie of the Year." The Bergeron trophy's counterpart since 1980, is the Raymond Lagacé Trophy, awarded to the...

     (offensive rookie of the year) in 2006
  • Named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 2006.

Personal life

Born in Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, Québec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

, Esposito grew up figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

 before beginning to play organized hockey at the age of six. At ten-years-old, he made the decision between the two sports to focus on hockey. He attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 first at Selwyn House School
Selwyn House School
Selwyn House School is a private independent boys' school located in Westmount, Quebec. Boys can attend from Kindergarten through to Grade 11. The school was founded in 1908 by Englishman Captain Algernon Lucas...

 then Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault
Faribault, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.8 people per square mile . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of 605.8 per square mile...

, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, following in the footsteps of such NHL stars as Sidney Crosby
Sidney Crosby
Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...

, Zach Parise
Zach Parise
Zachary Justin Parise is an American professional ice hockey left winger of French-Canadian origin and captain of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League . Parise's father, J. P...

 and Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....

.

Despite his last name, famous in hockey circles, Esposito is not related to Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...

rs Phil
Phil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...

 and Tony Esposito
Tony Esposito
For the Italian musician, please see Tony Esposito .Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of the pioneers of the now popular butterfly style....

. He does, however, have uncles named Phil and Tony, in addition to sharing Phil Esposito's jersey number 7 and February 20 birth date.

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

Team League GP G
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...

 
A
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...

 
Pts
Point (ice hockey)
Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...

 
PIM
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...

GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05 Shattuck-Saint Mary's
Shattuck-Saint Mary's
Shattuck-St Mary's School is a coeducational Episcopal Church-affiliated boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota, and is known for its Centers of Excellence hockey, soccer, music and figure skating programs.-National recognition:...

HS 68 31 35 66 47
2005–06 Quebec Remparts
Québec Remparts
There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The first franchise played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has played since 1997. Both franchises were based out of Quebec City, Quebec...

QMJHL
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...

57 39 59 98 45 23 6 5 11 4
2006–07 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 60 27 52 79 63 5 4 3 7 2
2007–08
2007–08 QMJHL season
The 2007–08 QMJHL season was the 39th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. At the season-opening press conference, the QMJHL announced in partnership with Telus, all 630 regular season games would be available by internet broadcast. The regular season started on September...

Quebec Remparts QMJHL 56 30 39 69 69
2007–08
2007–08 AHL season
The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:...

Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...

AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

1 0 0 0 0
2008–09
2008–09 QMJHL season
The 2008–09 QMJHL season was the 40th season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The regular season began on September 11, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team QMJHL versus the Russian Selects, took place on November 17 and 19, 2008....

Montreal Junior Hockey Club
Montreal Junior Hockey Club
The Montreal Junior Hockey Club were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The team is based out of the Verdun Auditorium, in Verdun, Quebec. The St. John's Fog Devils franchise relocated at the conclusion of the 2007–08 QMJHL season...

QMJHL 35 24 18 42 25
2009–10
2009–10 AHL season
The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11...

Chicago Wolves AHL 12 0 4 4 2
2010–11
2010–11 AHL season
The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011...

Chicago Wolves AHL 57 3 10 13 35
QMJHL totals 208 120 168 288 202 28 10 8 18 6
AHL totals 70 3 14 17 37

External links

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