The New York Islanders and veteran defenseman Tony DeAngelo have agreed to a one-year contract on Tuesday, the first day of the NHL’s free-agency period.
Amidst a rash of injuries in January, New York brought the 29-year-old former Ranger in for the rest of the 2024-25 season. He performed well enough in head coach Patrick Roy’s system, recording four goals with 15 assists in 35 games as a second and third-pairing right shot.
DeAngelo had spent the beginning of last season with St. Petersburg of the KHL in Russia.
His return ensures the opportunity of legitimate power-play time after the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens just hours before the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday.
While they drafted Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 overall pick and the hard-hitting Kashawn Aitcheson at No. 17, the Islanders need immediate defensive depth now, even with Schaefer expecting to be a part of the opening-night roster at 17 years old.
DeAngelo is a proven puck-moving defenseman with an offensive side to supplement New York’s attack. He joins a stable of right-handed blueliners that already includes Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, and Adam Boqvist.
He is capable of playing on the left if necessary, but he projects to be on New York’s No. 3 pairing for now, with Boqvist serving as a seventh defenseman.
New York currently has two proven NHLers on the left side in Adam Pelech and Alex Romanov, who signed an eight-year, $50 million extension on Monday. Both Schaefer and Isaiah George are left-handed options to fill that final opening.
For more on Tony DeAngelo and the Islanders, visit AMNY.com
