Islanders sign Tony DeAngelo to one-year contract

On Friday, the New York Islanders signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a prorated one-year contract. The deal is for a league minimum of $775,000.

However, DeAngelo has to go through waivers first, as he played in Russia earlier this season.

DeAngelo started the 2024-25 season in the Kontinental Hockey League after being left unsigned in the NHL, joining the powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg program. However, he and the team reached a mutual agreement just 10 days ago to leave the club due to family reasons, allowing him to return to North America.

In 34 games with St. Petersburg, the 29-year-old was third on the team in scoring, and third among KHL blueliners, with six goals and 26 assists for 32 points.

Barring that he doesn’t get claimed by any other team in the NHL by Saturday, DeAngelo will try and bolster a back end on Long Island that is highlighted by Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, giving some strength to a relatively weak right side on the D-Cops. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see someone like DeAngelo get some power play time for an offense that is near the bottom of the NHL.

Prior to his stint in Russia, the Sewell, New Jersey native played eight seasons in the NHL, beginning with four seasons with the New York Rangers. DeAngelo had a strange end to his tenure after fighting with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev during the 2021 season. It led to DeAngelo getting waived before being released by the team.

DeAngelo has since made two stops with the Carolina Hurricanes, playing one season with the Philadelphia Flyers.

In 371 career NHL games, he’s notched 48 goals and 182 assists for 210 points, including 13 points in 26 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Islanders (19-20-7) are at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, eight points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.