Upward trajectory continues for Northeastern commit Sam Colangelo

Sam Colangelo (Stoneham, Mass.) has been a top goal-scorer for Lawrence Academy. (Dave Arnold/NEHJ)

A year ago at USA Hockey Select 16 Player Development Camp, Sam Colangelo might have been a step or two behind many of the top prospects in his age group.

The Stoneham, Mass., native used that as motivation to get to the gym and work on his physical fitness in an effort to elevate his skating.

“I’ve gotten bigger and stronger and with that comes being faster,” said Colangelo of his improvement over the past year. “At Select 16 camp, I wasn’t quite fast enough. Some kids were skating by me. I went back home and got in the gym. I worked on my legs a lot. I think it showed this year that I was bigger, faster and stronger.”

All that hard work off the ice paid off following this year’s USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp. Colangelo earned a spot on the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team that will compete at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup from Aug. 6-11 in Alberta.