Former Hurricanes Defenseman Signs With Division Rival

The New York Islanders have signed former Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a $775,000 prorated contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

DeAngelo, 29, played two different years in Carolina but last played for the Canes in the 2023-24 season.

"I knew I could play and I think most people know I can play," DeAngelo said in his exit interview that year. "Maybe there's some other reasons and stuff that they stay away or have stayed away or whatever, but I think when it mattered most in the playoffs, I performed pretty well and hopefully that translates."

Despite that, DeAngelo failed to get a contract this offseason, he took his talents to Russia where he joined SKA St. Petersburg, the same team where top prospect Alexander Nikishin is the captain.

In 34 games with SKA, DeAngelo had six goals and 32 points and his offensive instincts were consistently on display, showing that that side of his game was still there until he left the team for personal reasons earlier in the year.

The Islanders have lost two of their top offensive defensemen  with Noah Dobson suffering a knee injury earlier this week and Mike Reilly having a heart procedure done in November, so they needed a scoring boost to the blueline.

While DeAngelo has struggled with the defensive side of the game, his offensive talents have always stood out.

The blueliner can run a power play and he's been a 50-point player twice in his career (2019-20 and 2021-22) and has broken double digit goals three times.

And while controversy has followed him wherever he's gone, his former teammates in Carolina liked him a lot for what that's worth.

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