Sent packing by the Rangers despite still being an effective on-ice performer, DeAngelo arrived in Carolina last season and made an immediate impact. He took over as the team's power play quarterback and posted 50-plus points (51) for the second time in three years. Seeking a new contract in free agency, DeAngelo's rights were ultimately traded to the Flyers and he inked a fresh two-year, $10 million contract with the club. It's an odd fit considering the hard-nose style new coach John Tortorella likes to play, but DeAngelo should serve as one of Philadelphia's top overall options with the man advantage, giving him a stable fantasy floor, at a minimum.
A lightning rod in terms of his play on the ice and his personality off it, DeAngelo was sent home by the Rangers in late January following an altercation with a teammate on the heels of a 5-4 overtime loss to Pittsburgh. New York tried to trade him but predictably found little interest, so DeAngelo sat at home the rest of the campaign and had his contract bought out by the Rangers this past July. He signed a one-year, $1 million contract with Carolina as a free agent less than a week later. DeAngelo could be a massive asset for the Hurricanes if he behaves himself. This is a player who posted 53 points in 68 games in 2019-20. Tony D has a real chance to quarterback Carolina's loaded No. 1 power-play unit with Dougie Hamilton no longer in the picture after joining the Devils as an unrestricted free agent. The reward likely outweighs the risk here.
He's got a swashbuckling style that will drive coaches mad, but DeAngelo has elite offensive talent. He finished fourth in scoring among defensemen with 53 points last year despite being the only skater in the top 10 to average fewer than 20 minutes of ice time per game. It will be difficult, but not impossible, for DeAngelo to replicate that performance in 2020-21 because his shooting percentage was abnormally high for a defenseman, and also because his porous defensive play generally prevents him from earning his coaches' trust to play a lot of minutes. However, his status as the Rangers' top power-play quarterback is unquestioned, and it's an enviable place to be because of New York's top-end talent. A regression is likely, but fantasy managers looking for points and power-play specialists on the blue line should strongly consider DeAngelo in the middle rounds.
DeAngelo is a talented offensive player who plays with an edge, which are qualities fantasy owners look for in young blueliners. The 2014 first-rounder has bounced around a bit, but he finally managed to crack the lineup consistently for the Rangers last season and responded with 30 points and 77 PIM in 61 appearances. DeAngelo will turn just 24 in October, so the skilled puck-mover still has further room for growth and brings perhaps the highest offensive upside on New York's blue line.
DeAngelo has a lot of skating ability and talent, but his shortcomings in his own zone have held the 2014 first-rounder back. In 71 NHL games between the Coyotes and Rangers, the 22-year-old DeAngelo has 22 points to go with an unsightly minus-31 rating. He does, however, have 14 power-play points over that span, showing that he can produce in the offensive zone at the highest level. If he can hold down a power-play role and just play passable defense, the New Jersey native could make some noise in standard leagues. He hasn't proven capable of doing the latter yet.
The prize of the trade that sent longtime Rangers assistant captain Derek Stepan (along with backup goalie Antti Raanta) to the desert, DeAngelo brings the Rangers a much-needed talent infusion on the blue line. However, with the subsequent signing of Kevin Shattenkirk, the area where DeAngelo projects to offer the most help -- moving the puck and scoring from the blue line on the power play -- has been addressed to a great degree. That's good for both the 21-year-old DeAngelo and the Rangers, as he'll get to continue developing his high-end offensive skills without the pressure of having to be a power-play savior for a perennial contender. For all his ability, DeAngelo is on his third NHL organization and has been followed by stories of his "bad boy" behavior, but it's easier to forgive some "edginess" from a kid when he's racked up 59 points in 94 career AHL games. He may not break camp with the team, but fantasy owners should nonetheless continue feeling positive about DeAngelo's long-term outlook.
Tampa's bad boy seems to be maturing... a little. He's still a hothead who can be dragged off his game by smart opponents, but the talent is undeniable. The Bolts view this sweet-skating offensive defender in the same skill class as top pair Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman. That's heady praise for DeAngelo, and it appears to be warranted. He racked up 25 goals and 64 assists in just 55 games split between Sarnia and Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL last season, and there was a 25-game scoring streak in there, too. He also went from minus-34 in 2013-14 to plus-34 this past season. DeAngelo's play was enough to earn him the OHL Most Outstanding Defenseman of the Year award. He won't be in the NHL this season, aside perhaps from the first few games of the season. But he'll be a fantasy force in a few years.
DeAngelo is a bad boy -- there’s no other way to put it. He’s supremely talented, but he’s been suspended several times -- and for significant time -- for violating the OHL’s diversity policy for verbally abusing officials and a teammate. Yes, you read that right -- his own mate. He’s probably the best offensive defender in the draft, but he’s a huge risk to be a complete sideshow. And a lot of teams put him on their “do-not-draft” list. He’s a risk/reward pick in fantasy and on the ice. Will he straighten things out in Tampa Bay? We don’t think a leopard can change his spots, but we’d love to be proven wrong. And if anyone can make that happen it's Steve Yzerman.
