"The New York Rangers have finalized plans to buy out the final year of defenseman Tony DeAngelo's contract, set to become official once the first buyout window opens 24 hours after the Stanley Cup Final concludes," wrote Seravalli in his latest update.
As for the "off-ice incident", it all started with a miscommunication between DeAngelo and Rangers goaltender Alex Georgiev during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins back in January. 10 seconds before the game-winning overtime goal by the Penguins, Georgiev and DeAngelo have a mixup behind the net. Sidney Crosby gets in between them, and the Rangers players who are already on the ice for a while and noticeably exhausted can't get off. Crosby scores, and the Penguins win. The teams head to the back. Georgiev is sitting, disappointed, and DeAngelo walks by him and makes a sarcastic crack to him. it has been reported that Georgiev clocked him. They go at it, and their teammates break it up. Later that night, the Rangers call DeAngelo's and his agent and they say, ‘That's the last straw. You're going on waivers tomorrow.'
DeAngelo had a history of tense relationships with teammates and officials long before this incident and it appears the Rangers had simply had it with him. There were attempts to trade him, but nothing came to fruition and you have to wonder if every other NHL team is done with him as well. DeAngelo was set to make $4.8 million next season (AAV). Once he has been bought out, he is officially an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere, if anyone will have him. There have been many rumours of him continuing his career in Russia's KHL. That is certainly a possibility and where he'd likely make the most money outside of the NHL.
