Sam Anas
TeamDinamo Minsk
LeagueKHL
Former teamsIowa Wild
Utica Comets
Springfield Thunderbirds
Hershey Bears
PositionCenter / Right Wing
Birth dateJune 1, 1993 (age 33)
Birth placePotomac, Maryland, U.S.
Height5 ft
Height in9
Weight lb161
ShootsRight
DraftUndrafted
Career start2016

Sam Anas (born June 1, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey forward for HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). While growing up in Potomac, Maryland, he attended Landon School. Later, he attended Quinnipiac University. He became the second player that played in the Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA) to sign an NHL contract when he agreed to terms with the Minnesota Wild.

Playing career

Anas played for the NCAA Division I Quinnipiac Bobcats men's ice hockey team in the ECAC Hockey conference. In his freshman year, Anas's outstanding play was rewarded when he was selected as 2014 ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year and named to both the 2013–14 ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team and the All-ECAC Hockey Second Team. Anas was further honored when he was chosen as the 2014 College Hockey News Rookie of the Year. As a sophomore, he landed a spot on the AHCA/CCM Hockey All-American Second Team.[1]

He received AHCA/CCM Hockey Men's Division I All-America First Team honors following his junior year (2015–16),[2] while making the ECAC Hockey First Team,[3] the All-CollegeHockeyNews.com Second Team and the NCAA Tournament All-Regional Team.[4]

On April 15, 2016, Anas signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild.[5] This made him the first player born in the Washington, D.C., area who played hockey locally through high school and then signed with an NHL team.[6]

Anas won the American Hockey League's scoring title in 2019–20, but unable to crack the NHL with the Minnesota Wild during his highly successful tenure in the AHL with Iowa, Anas left as a free agent.[7] On October 10, 2020, Anas agreed to a two-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues.[8]

Following his stint in the Blues organization, Anas left as a free agent and signed a one-year AHL contract with the Hershey Bears for the 2022–23 season on August 15, 2022.[9]

After his Calder Cup success with the Bears, Anas left the AHL as a free agent and opted to pursue a career abroad by signing a one-year deal with Belarusian club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, on July 10, 2023.[10]

Personal life

Anas is of Greek descent, the son of Peter and Demetra Anas.[11] While at Quinnipiac University, Anas majored in business.[11] His mother Demetra died from breast cancer in August 2020.[12]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2010–11Washington Little CapitalsMetJHL192021414
2011–12Youngstown PhantomsUSHL511717341460444
2012–13Youngstown PhantomsUSHL6437266318939126
2013–14Quinnipiac UniversityECAC4022214314
2014–15Quinnipiac UniversityECAC3823163920
2015–16Quinnipiac UniversityECAC4324265018
2016–17Iowa WildAHL661216286
2017–18Iowa WildAHL7026356114
2018–19Iowa WildAHL6014243812111672
2019–20Iowa WildAHL6320507010
2020–21Utica CometsAHL23419232
2021–22Springfield ThunderbirdsAHL752044641218411158
2022–23Hershey BearsAHL411382162048120
2023–24Dinamo MinskKHL602125461462240
2024–25Dinamo MinskKHL661927462092570
AHL totals39810919630562499253410

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team2013–14[13]
All-ECAC Hockey Second Team2013–14[14]
ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year2013–14[15]
College Hockey News Rookie of the Year2013–14[16]
NCAA Ice Hockey National Rookie of the Year2013–14[17]
All-ECAC Hockey Second Team2014–15
AHCA East Second-Team All-American2014–15
All-ECAC Hockey First Team2015–16
AHCA East First-Team All-American2015–16
AHL
All-Star Game2020[18]
First All-Star Team2020[19]
John B. Sollenberger Trophy2020
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award2022
Calder Cup2023[20]

References

  1. ^ "SAM ANAS". quinnipiacbobcats.com. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  2. ^ "American Hockey Coaches Association - Men's CCM Hockey Division I All-Americans Announced". ahcahockey.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  3. ^ "League Announces Postseason Awards - ECAC Hockey". www.ecachockey.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  4. ^ "QU Men's Ice Hockey's Sam Anas Named To All-CHN Team". Quinnipiac Bobcats. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  5. ^ "Wild Signs Sam Anas To Two-Year, Entry-Level Contract". wild.nhl.com. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  6. ^ "By signing with Minnesota Wild, Sam Anas becomes a rare MD native to reach pro". Washington Post. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  7. ^ Raby, Ben (May 18, 2020). "AHL scoring leader Sam Anas is about to become a free agent". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  8. ^ St. Louis Blues (October 10, 2020). "Another signing to announce. This time it's forward Sam Anas, signed to a two-year, two-way deal.". No. 1315023025377611776.
  9. ^ "Bears sign former AHL scoring Champion Sam Anas". Hershey Bears. August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  10. ^ HC Dinamo Minsk (July 10, 2023). "Dinamo Minsk sign Sam Anas for 2022-23" (in Russian). Twitter. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  11. ^ "Greek-American Sam Anas Named ECAC Hockey Co-Rookie of the Year". Greek Reporter USA. March 23, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  12. ^ "Toews makes donation to Hockey Fights Cancer for wedding". NHL.com. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  13. ^ "League Announces All-Conference & All-Rookie Teams – ECAC Hockey". Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  14. ^ "Conference Honors, 2013–14". Archived from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  15. ^ "Quinnipiac's Sam Anas Named ECAC Hockey Co-Rookie of the Year". Youngstown Phantoms. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  16. ^ "CHN Rookie of the Year: Sam Anas – ECAC Hockey". Archived from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  17. ^ "Former Phantom Sam Anas Named Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year for NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey". Youngstown Phantoms. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  18. ^ "Bracco, Liljegren added to All-Star roster". American Hockey League. 2020-01-26. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  19. ^ "2019-20 AHL First, Second All-Star Team announced". American Hockey League. May 20, 2020. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  20. ^ "Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Calder Cup". American Hockey League. June 21, 2023. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.