Islanders Hope Tony DeAngelo Signing Mirrors Mike Reilly’s Success From Last Season

With Noah Dobson out week-to-week, the New York Islanders brought in 29-year-old Tony DeAngelo on Friday.

Related: Tony DeAngelo On Signing With Islanders; Patrick Roy & Teammates React To His Debut

The hope is that the puck-moving power-play specialist can help Long Island remain in the playoff conversation and eventually get there.

Signed to a one-year, prorated deal for the remainder of the season, the DeAngelo is a low-risk, high-reward move, hockey-wise.

While not precisely the same move the Islanders made when they claimed Mike Reilly off waivers last season, it certainly follows a similar script that the team hopes will have a similar ending.

On Nov. 24, 2023, the Islanders lost defensemen Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho in a 5-3 win against the Ottawa Senators.

On Nov. 25, the Islanders put in a waiver claim for Reilly, who had only played in only two games with the Florida Panthers.

The journeyman blue-liner had to fight for a starting role with Samuel Bolduc and Aho once Aho returned. Reilly quickly won the job.

Reilly proved to be a solid option and quickly became the Islanders’ best puck-moving defenseman. He was relied upon in big moments, especially on the second power-play unit.

In 59 games, Reilly scored six goals with 18 assists for 24 points, three points shy of his career-high 27 points, which he accomplished in 55 games back in 2020-21.

Reilly was just a piece to the Islanders playoff-chase puzzle, but a key one at that. And because of his success and his fit in Patrick Roy’s system, he returned for the 2024-25 season on a one-year deal worth $1.25 million.

Unfortunately for Reilly and the Islanders, he suffered a concussion on Nov. 1, his 11th game of the season, with tests showing a heart defect that required a procedure. There is no timetable for his return.

Now, DeAngelo comes in to fill the Dobson void, but also the Reilly void, with the Islanders six points back of the second wild-card spot with two games in hand.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.