The defenseman is returning to the NHL — and back to New York. However, instead of suiting up for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the former defenseman will now be playing for the Islanders at UBS Arena, located near the Queens-Nassau border.
The 29-year-old from South Jersey signed a one-year, prorated $775,000 contract with the Islanders on Friday. He wasn’t in uniform for their game against the Philadelphia Flyers that night but may suit up the following day when the Carolina Hurricanes visit.
DeAngelo recently parted ways with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, where he led defensemen with 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in 34 games. There were rumors that he was unpopular with coaches and teammates in Russia, as he seemed more focused on his offensive stats — likely because many of his bonuses were performance-based.
His return to the NHL comes at a crucial time for the Islanders, who are missing top offensive defenseman Noah Dobson due to a lower-body injury. Additionally, Mike Reilly remains out after heart surgery. The Islanders are struggling at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and are eight points behind the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
DeAngelo played 31 games for the Hurricanes last season, posting 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in a limited role. However, when Brett Pesce got injured in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, DeAngelo stepped up, playing nine postseason games and averaging more than 19 minutes of ice time per game, contributing two assists.
During his time with the Rangers, DeAngelo’s performance was a mixed bag. Acquired in a 2017 trade with the Arizona Coyotes, he became a top-four defenseman by the 2018-19 season. In 2019-20, he had a career-high 15 goals and 53 points in 68 games. But after a fallout with goalie Alexandar Georgiev in January 2021, DeAngelo played just six games that season and was eventually bought out by the Rangers.
Now, DeAngelo is preparing for his fourth team in the Metropolitan Division, after stints with the Rangers, Hurricanes, and Flyers.
Leave a Reply