Report: Hurricanes closing in on one-year contract with Tony DeAngelo

The Carolina Hurricanes are closing in on a one-year deal with defenseman Tony DeAngelo, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. The deal reportedly carries an AAV of $1.6M.

DeAngelo is a very talented offensive defenseman who scored 11 goals and 42 points this past season in 70 games for the Philadelphia Flyers. He led all Flyers defensemen in points by a wide margin but was a huge liability defensively, putting up a team worst -27 rating. DeAngelo has been bought out two times in the last three years by the New York Rangers and Flyers, respectively.

On the surface he’s a great player to have on any team. He scores points like a top-six forward, he can man a powerplay unit and he’s an elite playmaker. However, between his horrendous defensive metrics and off-ice antics teams might be wiser to stay away from the Sewell, New Jersey native.

DeAngelo is following a familiar pattern. Get signed to a two-year deal with a high cap hit, get bought out after year one, sign a one-year prove-it deal, sign another two-year deal at a high cap hit, get bought out again after year one, sign a one-year deal prove-it deal, rinse and repeat.

DeAngelo was originally selected 19th overall be the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2014 NHL Draft. He scored 71 points in 51 games for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL in his draft year and went on to play another two years in the OHL before making the jump to professional hockey. DeAngelo scored 43 points in his AHL rookie season in the Lightning organization, with the Syracuse Crunch.

He had his breakout NHL season in 2019-20 with the Rangers, after first making a stop in Arizona along the way. DeAngelo signed with the Carolina Hurricanes for the 2021-22 season, scoring 51 points in 64 games. He will return to Carolina for the 2023-24 season.