The New York Rangers gave defenseman Tony DeAngelo a two-year, $9.6 million extension back in October, believing he would turn into one of their franchise cornerstones. Four months later, they’ve now decided to let him go.
The Rangers confirmed on Sunday that DeAngelo was placed on waivers, which effectively ended his stint with the organization. He is set to become a free agent since no other team has yet claimed him.
The Rangers didn’t want to get into the details of their decision, with head coach David Quinn saying that the organization decided it was best if the two sides go their separate ways.
“Things happen in pro sports, and that was a decision the organization made,” said Quinn. “It’s part of the business. It’s a decision we made. We’ll see how it plays out.”
According to reports, however, the Rangers parting ways with Tony DeAngelo has something to do with his problematic behavior and performance struggles in the 2020-21 NHL season. This included a recent altercation with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and an inability to be productive when on the ice.
DeAngelo, who was the 19th overall pick in 2014, enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2019-20 in which he scored 15 goals and 38 assists. This season, however, he only has one assist and no goals in six games.
