Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
Steven Fogarty he is very at peace with his decision.
Fogarty, one of the AHL’s most respected players of the past decade, announced his retirement last month, capping a career that saw him play 464 AHL games over eight seasons. He lettered in each of his four AHL stops — Hartford, Rochester, Providence and Iowa — and captained the Wolf Pack and the Americans.
The tough, reliable forward has been productive, too, as he posted 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) in 69 games this past season with the Wild.
Selected in the third round of the 2011 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers, Fogarty saw time in the NHL in all four organizations he was a part of, including 31 games with the Rangers, Sabres, Bruins and Wild.
But all those shifts, games and road trips take their toll. So is traversing the hockey map in search of that next opportunity.
Steven and his wife Ali they are getting married in 2023 and are expecting twins this summer.
“When you start out, you’re single and you’re traveling across the country,” Fogarty said. “It is difficult, but there is very little to pay attention to. I think maybe this past year and the year before, the dream of getting back to the NHL felt a little far away. That’s what always motivates me to play.
“I just felt it in my heart, and as soon as I made the decision I was happy where I was.”
It was about time. Every player has to make that decision in the end.
“I think in any sport the dream is to go your own way,” Fogarty admitted.
Born in Pennsylvania, Fogarty moved to Edina, Minn., when he was 3 years old. He would play for the Edina High School boys hockey program, where he was captain and a state champion. He also wore the “C” at the University of Notre Dame, and after his senior season he made his pro debut with Hartford.
Fogarty spent a lot of time on the fourth line with the Wolf Pack, but it was an opportunity and he took it. He soon realized he could hold his own at the AHL level. So are his coaches. Above all, he provided credibility, something coaches crave.
“As long as you play the right game and be a good partner,” Fogarty observed, “you can make a career out of this.”
By the end of his second full pro season, Fogarty had improved enough to impress the Rangers. On April 7, 2018, Fogarty made his NHL debut as New York visited Philadelphia. He played 12:16 in that game, though he admits the emotions of the afternoon clouded his memory of the game itself.
Other promotions followed. He played 10 games with the Rangers in 2018-19, and made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut against Carolina in 2020. On March 31, 2021, he scored his only NHL goal with the Sabres. And in 2022, he played for his hometown Wild at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul.
“Once you get the first call to play in the NHL, it changes everything,” Fogarty said. “You get that taste, and it’s like, ‘Wow, this is an achievable goal, and I’m so close. I want to do everything I can to get there.’”
Fogarty’s NHL time spanned a few cups of coffee, but it inspired him throughout his career.
“I’m very grateful for all the places I’ve played, all the people I’ve met,” he said. “In your heart of hearts, you have this goal of getting back to the NHL, so it makes it worth it.”
Now comes the next step. Fogarty, who studied marketing at Notre Dame, feels well-equipped for wherever he ends up. You know how to work hard, set goals and make a plan.
“I have started having conversations with people in different industries, trying to see what interests me and what I can be good at,” he said. “I know there’s a lot out there. I’m not sure what that will be yet, but I’ll be happy to find out.”
A good work ethic has always been instilled at Fogarty. His late father, The billhe was a commander in the US Navy, along with his older brother Charles is a retired Navy SEAL.
“Any company or industry likes that aspect of: first things first, you know how to operate,” Fogarty said. “You have to work your whole life to get where you are, to be able to work hard, to be disciplined.
“And the most important thing is the team aspect. You work well in groups. He works well with the team to achieve the big goal.”
TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams has covered the American Hockey League for nearly two decades at outlets including NHL.com, Sportsnet, TSN, Hockey News, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and SLAM ! Sports, and most recently was the host of The Hockey News On The ‘A’ podcast. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
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