WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: SAM ANAS
Aug 4, 2026Sam Anas grew up in the shadow of the nation’s capital, playing for local AAA teams until he was 18 years old. In 2011, he made the jump to the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms. Like many players, he aspired to play professionally, but his path was far from certain.
“It was always just a dream,” said Anas. “Being an undersized guy, there were always doubters. If I was doing well at a certain level, let's say the USHL, there were people that wanted to know if I could do it in college. When I did well in college, they would say, ‘Can you do this at the pro level?’”
Anas proved to be a standout player at Quinnipiac, where he was named NCAA’s top collegiate rookie in 2013-14. During the 2015-16 season, he and his teammates enjoyed a special season and a deep playoff run.
“For most of the year, we were the number one team in the country,” said Anas. “We went all the way to the Frozen Four and the national championship, but we lost in the final to North Dakota.”
The loss was crushing for Anas and his teammates, but the pain was partially alleviated by a contract offer from the Minnesota Wild days after the season ended. Anas, who was forced to wait to play his first game until the following season, still got an opportunity to get a taste of professional hockey.
“Even though I was injured, they brought me into Minnesota just to watch a playoff game and meet some of the staff. It was an amazing experience.”
Anas played his first season with the Iowa Wild in 2016-17 and registered nearly a point per game during his sophomore year. He proved to be a crucial part of a pair of Iowa’s most memorable teams; the club earned its first playoff berth in 2018-19, and he led the AHL in assists (50) and points (70) in a shortened 2019-20 season.
“We had such a good group with a good mix of older guys and younger guys and some of us that had been there for a couple years,” said Anas. “I think it was a really well-balanced team and we had so much fun together off the ice. The chemistry was great. It was such a bummer that we didn't get to make a run in that 2019-20 year in the playoffs because we really felt we had a team that had the possibility to go on a deep run.”
Anas developed a permanent connection to Iowa when he met his future wife while playing for the Wild.
“She was from Omaha, but she was living in Des Moines for work,” said Anas “We met there and were together for my last two years in Iowa. Maybe that's why I had so much success during those seasons!”
After playing in Iowa, Anas went on to skate for the Utica Comets and Springfield Thunderbirds, where he nearly won a Calder Cup.
“We had a great team in Springfield,” said Anas. “It kind of felt like we got outplayed in the finals. Losing to Chicago was a tough way to end it.”
Fortunately, Anas had a shot at redemption the next year as a member of his hometown club. The Potomac, Md., native signed with the Washington Capitals organization, playing for the Hershey Bears.
“I grew up a Capitals fan, so the entire experience was special,” said Anas. “Hershey is a great market, and we had so many people pulling for us. To make it to the finals in back-to-back years was cool in that sense alone, but to win it in Game 7 in overtime was such a dream come true.”
Following Hershey’s Calder Cup win, Anas signed in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk. He says the transition has been made easier by having his wife with him full-time.
“Some guys go to Europe and maybe their partner isn’t with them the whole time, said Anas. “I'm really lucky that she's with me and she's fully supportive. I've been there three years now and I'm signed for two more, so clearly, we both like it.”
“It's cool to play on a Tuesday night in front of 12,000 fans,” said Anas. “It's very competitive and there’s pressure to perform. I know sometimes there's stories about things in Russia, but I think the league has done a good job in becoming very professional.”
After a few seasons of living in Minsk, Anas has picked up a little bit of Russian.
“I know a little, but there's quite a bit of English in Minsk,” said Anas. “People in the service industry want to practice their English and conversing with an American. I definitely know a few swear words and some hockey vocabulary that can help me in meetings.”
During the offseason, Anas lives in a house he purchased near his family’s home in Maryland. Like other hockey players, his summer is filled with training and golf.
“I've gotten really into taking care of my body,” said Anas. “At this point in my career, at 33 years old, there are things that you have to prioritize. I enjoy my summer but also make sure to stay in good shape too.”
While hockey has taken Anas far from Des Moines, he says the city still holds a special place in his family’s heart.
“We ended up getting married in Des Moines,” said Anas. “It's a city that means so much to us. Neither of us are from there, but it was a place where we wanted to have our wedding and show our family and friends. Des Moines is a home away from home and it means so much to us.”