As per a few sources, but a story broken by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, it appears the question of where Tony DeAngelo might sign has been answered. As per Seravalli, “Hearing the Canes are closing in on agreement with UFA D Tony DeAngelo.”
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This news comes after the New York Rangers bought out the controversial blueliner. On and off-ice issues finally led to the Rangers splitting from the defenseman. It wasn’t clear how many teams would be interested in looking at him as a option, but for some, it was likely that his offensive skill alone would at least earn him a phone call or two. According to DeAngelo’s agent, there was a lot of interest.
There are a couple of interesting things to note about this rumor. First, it might suggest that the team isn’t bringing back Dougie Hamilton. Much of that might be dependent on the cost of DeAngelo, but the two players have a lot of the same skill set. Second, the relationship between head coach Rod Brind’Amour and DeAngelo will be intriguing to watch. If there’s one coach who could get through to the player, Brind’Amour is probably the guy.
Controversial But Smart Decision?
While it’s going to be a controversial decision, it could be a smart one from an on-ice standpoint for the Hurricanes. A lot of teams have written off DeAngelo. He’s so polarizing a player that teams didn’t want to go near him. Carolina not being afraid to means they potentially get an talented player with something to prove to people.
Obviously, if he’s coming in because Hamilton is leaving, it’s not a suitable replacement. That said, it cost the team a whole lot less. We’ll see how long this experiment lasts. It might be a great move or it might be a short-lived one since it’s hard to imagine the organization having a lot of patience if his attitude hasn’t changed.
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