NY Islanders Thankful To Have Tony Deangelo Back in the Mix

Retaining Tony DeAngelo was a major win for the New York Islanders.

Mar 21, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New York Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders had a very difficult salary cap situation to navigate coming into the NHL offseason.

They didn’t have much money to spend, being right up against the cap, which left general manager Mathieu Darche without much flexibility and maneuverability. Knowing that nearly $40 million of cap space could be available next offseason, the front office was conscious not to jeopardize that.

With so many youngsters pushing for playing time in the NHL this season, it led to some difficult decisions being made as well. Captain Anders Lee and the team couldn’t agree on terms for a new contract, so he left in free agency, signing a three-year pact with the Utah Mammoth.

While losing a player of that caliber is never an easy thing, the Islanders were at least able to retain one of their veterans. Defenseman Tony DeAngelo agreed to a two-year extension before hitting the open market to extend his tenure with the franchise.

Islanders happy to have Tony DeAngelo back

Mar 7, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) plays the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It is a move that the team is thrilled to have completed, knowing how valuable he is to them on the ice.

"Tony has been great since he's been here," Darche said. "He's a very popular teammate. It's tough to find puck moving defensemen, never mind a right shot puck moving defenseman. So Tony is a big part of our team. We're excited to have him back."

Toward the end of the season, DeAngelo was sidelined by injury, and that contributed to the team falling out of the playoff race. His presence was missed as a veteran leader who provides stability at the blueline.

In 76 games last season, he recorded 35 points, scoring five goals and handing out 30 assists. A puck-moving defenseman is something every team is looking for; DeAngelo provides even more value because he does it as a right-handed shooter.

2 more years on Long Island.
Very grateful to the @NYIslanders organization & fans! #LGI

— Tony DeAngelo (@TDA7724) June 26, 2026

Well traveled in his career, with the Islanders being the fifth franchise he has suited up for, DeAngelo has to like that he is sticking in one place for an extended period of time. He has certainly loved being in New York, playing 167 games across four seasons with their rivals, the New York Rangers.

In his 111 games with the Islanders, the 30-year-old defenseman has recorded 54 total points, lighting the lamp nine times and handing out 45 helpers. He is an integral part of a very strong group of defensemen New York has built.

Phenom Matthew Schafer is the star, but the team has an excellent supporting cast with DeAngelo, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield and Alexander Romanov.