Now the Rangers have to decide their next move with Tony DeAngelo.
After instigating a physical altercation with goalkeeper Alexandar Georgiev after Saturday’s overtime loss to the Penguins, which was apparently the Rangers’ last straw and caused the organization to place him on Sunday as the main thread of the resignation , the polarizing advocate cleared the waivers starting Monday at noon. .
Evidently, no other team was willing to take on the number 77 two-year contract that exceeded the $ 4.8 million annual limit or its ice-free traps.
DeAngelo has most likely played his last game against the Rangers after Saturday night’s incident, which followed after poor communication between him and Georgiev during overtime that led to Sidney Crosby’s goal. DeAngelo made an observation to Georgiev just as the team left the ice and caused the fight.
Larry Brooks of The Post reported Monday morning that rookie defender K’Andre Miller broke him and no other players were involved.
“It’s not an incident, it’s not a thing and it’s a situation that the organization considered the best at this time,” head coach David Quinn said Sunday. “We’ll see how the situation unfolds.”
The Rangers have a couple of performances they can take to break up with DeAngelo, who was put on regular waivers instead of unconditional waivers. According to the CBA, DeAngelo would have to clear unconditional waivers for the team to terminate his contract.
If this is the route the club decides to take, it should state that DeAngelo violated Article 14 of the standard player contract, which states that a team “may also terminate this SPC upon written notice to the player if the player must at any time: a) breach, neglect or refuse to obey the Club rules governing the training and conduct of players if such failure, denial or negligence should constitute a material breach of this SPC. “
Young DeAngelo, 25, and his agent, Pat Brisson, would certainly counter a legal challenge. The Rangers have been working closely with Brisson to come up with a solution, The Post has learned.
The Rangers could find a trading partner, which the team tried and failed to do this past season, but would probably have to withhold a considerable portion of the money they owed DeAngelo. The orchestration of a trade would be the most immediate way to separate.
It’s safe to say the Rangers wouldn’t want to keep DeAngelo around the team by sending him to the taxi squad or the team’s AHL affiliate in Hartford. If the organization chooses to keep him off the active NHL roster, he would save $ 1.075 million from this year’s salary cap, but he would still be stuck on his entire salary.
While not ideal, the Rangers would get some room in the cap and have a more manageable purchase option this summer. When buying the last year of his contract, the maximum figure would be $ 383,333 for the 2021-22 season and $ 883,333 in 2022-23, for CapFriendly.
Another option for the Rangers would be to wait for the Seattle expansion draft set for July 31, 2021. The Rangers could leave DeAngelo unprotected and wait for Kraken to claim it.
In addition, any team can purchase the DeAngelo contract for 1/3 of the remaining value of the contract because it is under 26 years old.
It’s unclear if the Rangers have the right to simply send DeAngelo home the rest of the season and continue to deposit their fortnightly payrolls directly if they can’t find another team to take him.
In the six games that have appeared this season, DeAngelo has recorded an attendance and is a team minus six. It was in the frost of the winner of Crosby’s overtime on Saturday, as well as the Penguins ’first three goals to five-on-five. The Rangers gave DeAngelo a two-year, $ 9.6 million contract after scoring 53 points (15 goals, 38 assists) last season, fourth among NHL defenders.