DeAngelo Down To Hartford

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The Rangers announced today that they have sent defenseman Anthony DeAngelo to their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Rangers have been struggling mightily to start the 2017-18 NHL season, and a change needed to be made. However, this probably isn’t the change most Rangers fans had in mind. DeAngelo, who was acquired in the Derek Stepan trade with Arizona, has only put up one point in eight games played. But that really isn’t such a big deal when you consider that he averages 12:38 of ice time in those eight games.

The move comes just two days before the Rangers face the aforementioned Coyotes, and the trade looks pretty bad on the Rangers end. DeAngelo was the main piece that the Blueshirts got back for Stepan and goaltender Antti Raanta, and with him now going to the minors, the Rangers have nothing to show for the transaction at the pro level.

The Rangers have had eight defensemen on their roster until now, and someone was bound to get sent down so the Rangers could add a center. But this move is still very questionable. DeAngelo had been on the Rangers second power play unit and has a cannon from the blue line. That cannon felled Chris Kreider against the Sharks, but DeAngelo’s shot was one of the reasons the Rangers acquired him. In addition, Steven Kampfer, who has not played much this season, was kept over the 22-year-old, even though he doesn’t have the potential that the younger DeAngelo seems to possess. Hopefully, DeAngelo goes down to Hartford and makes some positive noise and we see him back on Broadway soon. Because if Jeff Gorton and Alain Vigneault thought that he was the problem, they are sorely mistaken.

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