Will Hurricanes, polarizing defenseman Tony DeAngelo extend relationship? What they said
Tony DeAngelo found a landing spot with the Carolina Hurricanes this season, and the landing wasn’t nearly as rough as some thought it might be — or, with some people, hoped it would be.
Not many teams wanted DeAngelo after last season and his forced departure from the New York Rangers. Not all Hurricanes fans wanted him. The defenseman had undeniable offensive skills, but also the baggage of a troubled past, an often hot-tempered demeanor on the ice and questionable use of social media off it.
Suffice it to say DeAngelo has been a polarizing kind of player.
But in the past year, DeAngelo found a team that wanted him, a coach who understood him, a defensive partner who could help him and a team structure that fit him. Playing on a one-year contract, he fought through an injury and COVID-19 to give the Canes a solid season, and a valid reason to sign him to a new deal.
“Love to stay,” DeAngelo said Wednesday. “That’s obvious. I think they know that from (owner) Tom (Dundon) all the way down that I’d like to stay, and I’d like to think they’d like me back.”
It was Dundon who approved the DeAngelo signing — one year, $1 million — last year when other NHL teams were taking a pass on a player bought out and released by the Rangers after an off-the-ice incident with a teammate.
DeAngelo said a lot of perceived signing options “didn’t come to fruition,” but found “open arms” with the Hurricanes. Maybe not from all Hurricanes fans — and many were infuriated by the DeAngelo signing — but by the Hurricanes organization.
“They listened to me and trusted me and they took me in with no collar on you,” DeAngelo said. “They kind of let you do your thing. You earn your trust and just play your game. There was no, ‘if you say anything you’re out,’ or anything like that.
“They were good to me and I plan on being as loyal as I can be back, so hopefully we can come to a little game plan and get something done.”
DeAngelo, 26, is a restricted free agent and has arbitration rights, according to CapFriendly.com, which tracks player contracts. The right-shot D-man can point to the fact that he played 64 games this season, with 10 goals and 41 assists while quarterbacking the Canes’ top power-play unit. He then had 10 points in the 14 playoff games, albeit with just two points in the Rangers series, saying, “I could have done a little more to help the team.”
Canes president and general manager Don Waddell said Thursday there is interest in working out a new multi-year extension with DeAngelo, who is a year removed from being a UFA.
“If you look at his season he was one of the more dominant power-play guys in the league,” Waddell said. “He was a really good factor for us back there on the blue line,” Waddell said. “Do we want to sign him? Yes.”
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour would like DeAngelo back, saying, “The offensive ability is there but his defense was great, as well. It wasn’t an issue. He was great for us.”
DeAngelo said he has “rolled around the bed” the past few nights agonizing over the way the Canes’ power play misfired in the playoffs and particularly in the Rangers series — Carolina was 7-for-54 on the power play in the 14 games and 2-for-18 against the Rangers, who had seven power-play goals in the series.
“This (Rangers) series there was good puck movement, sustained zone time, good entries,” he said. “That wasn’t as bad as the first (Boston), which was a struggle but we got through it, but the puck needed to go in. You’ve got to score.”
As for the season, DeAngelo said playing alongside Jaccob Slavin had him thinking, ‘I’ve got to learn a couple of things over here on my side of the ice.’ Slavin is so positionally sound and few players have better stick play.
Slavin, in turn, said DeAngelo coming to the Canes was a “seamless transition” in that DeAngelo had several former teammates on the team and could “fit right in.” He said DeAngelo became better in gapping up defensively while giving the Canes the offense that was lost when defenseman Dougie Hamilton left in free agency.
Slavin, who never chirps on the ice, said he rarely had a disagreement or a clash of minds with DeAngelo, a constant chirper when perturbed.
“He’s emotional, he cares about winning,” Slavin said. “He wants to win and when things don’t seem fair he can get on the refs a little bit. When things don’t seem like they’re going the way they should be going, anyone who cares a lot is going to get emotional. Some just show it differently.”
And then there was this one road game, Slavin said with a grin.
“I remember one time in Colorado and it was late in the game and we were supposed to line up a different way for a faceoff and I said, ‘Tony, we’ve got to switch.’ And he told me no. We didn’t but it ended up being fine and it was funny. It was just one of those times when he was really into the game.
“But our compatibility was good. We had good chemistry and I loved being his partner.”
DeAngelo also enjoyed playing for Brind’Amour, calling him a master motivator and noting Brind’Amour had his team playing hard for 82 games in the regular season.
“It’s an impressive thing for a coach to do,” he said.
A New Jersey native, DeAngelo said he was comfortable living in New York, although not always in dealing with its traffic congestion and his commute to the rink. But the move to Raleigh and the Hurricanes won him over.
“It’s a different lifestyle but a better hockey style,” he said. “I was much happier with the hockey and what was going on here, so it makes my life much easier outside the rink, right?”
Enough to make him want to stay.
This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Will Hurricanes, polarizing defenseman Tony DeAngelo extend relationship? What they said."
