5 USA hockey players who will be your new favorite after Olympics
By Adam Stocker
3. Bobby Sanguinetti
New Jersey’s Bobby Sanguinetti was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2006 NHL Draft, 21st overall. However, after a stellar career in the OHL that saw him record 212 points in 263 games, he was never able to live up to his draft hype.
Sanguinetti spent his career in North America yo-yo-ing between the AHL and NHL. In 45 career NHL games with the Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, Sanguinetti scored two goals and had six points. In the AHL, Sanguinetti scored 170 points in 277 games but his offense could not make up for his -27 rating.
Sanguinetti signed in the KHL in 2013, playing 15 games before returning to the AHL for two more seasons before returning to Europe. Sanguinetti signed with Swiss club Kloten in 2016 before moving to Lugano this season. In his two seasons in Switzerland, Sanguinetti has played 81 games, scoring 17 goals and 53 points.
The smooth skating puck moving defenseman will likely play around 20 minutes per game at the Olympics as one of the players on the top two defense pairings. Additionally, head coach Tony Granato will likely use Sanguinetti as the quarterback on the power-play where he will be able to spread the ice with his passing ability and use his incredible shot from the point.