Report: DeAngelo, Georgiev Allegedly had ‘Altercation’ Following Loss vs Pittsburgh
The Rangers defenseman was put on waivers Sunday.
New York Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo got into “an altercation” with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev following Saturday’s overtime loss to Pittsburgh, The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello reports.
The report comes following the Rangers’ placing of DeAngelo on waivers Sunday afternoon.
Not that Carpiniello needs to be validated, but Blueshirt Banter had been independently informed of the incident by multiple sources.
The incident, which specifically triggered the altercation last night, was possibly a miscommunication that led to Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal. However, based on information Blueshirt Banter has gathered on background for multiple years now, the two were apparently never on the best of terms as far back as the 2017-18 season when the two were teammates in Hartford, the AHL affiliate.
Furthermore, three separate sources independently confirmed to Blueshirt Banter that there was concern at various levels of the organization regarding DeAngelo’s treatment of rookie defenseman K’Andre Miller. Sources did not wish to go on the record with specific examples but indicated that it was an issue that caught the attention and ire of multiple players in the organization. Additionally, sources say tension has been building up in the locker room prior to the incident on Saturday night.
Since the original publishing of this story, multiple sources alleged to Blueshirt Banter one incident that involved DeAngelo. After Miller scored his first NHL goal on January 26th against Buffalo, DeAngelo, who was on the ice for Miller’s goal, collected the puck from the net as shown in the gif below. After DeAngelo was seen collecting it, sources say it went missing. Note: This article has been edited to more precisely clarify that there was never an allegation that DeAngelo was still in possession of the puck.
DeAngelo, 25, had signed a two-year contract with the Rangers in October. He had been scratched from the lineup for two games by Head Coach David Quinn earlier in the season following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the team’s opening night loss to the New York Islanders.
The New York Rangers have responded to our request for comment with the following statement: “This is categorically false”. Alexandar Georgiev’s agent declined to comment on his client’s relationship with his teammates. We have also reached out to the agents of K’Andre Miller and Tony DeAngelo.
An update from Greg Wyshinski of ESPN:
Defenseman K’Andre Miller’s agent, as well as a Rangers source, refuted a report that his teammate Tony DeAngelo kept the puck from Miller’s first NHL goal. Miller’s agent Ian Pulver told ESPN: “It’s K’Andre’s understanding that the NYR equipment manager, or whoever is responsible for getting it, has the puck and that it’s being framed like other first goals. At no time did he think otherwise.” DeAngelo was put on waivers Sunday after “a minor altercation” with teammate Alexandar Georgiev.
The report on @BlueshirtBanter stated that DeAngelo’s alleged mistreatment of Miller “caught the attention and ire of multiple players" and included an incident that “involved DeAngelo keeping the puck from Miller’s first NHL goal scored against the Sabres” in a game on Jan. 26.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) February 1, 2021
I also asked a source about the relationship between Miller and DeAngelo on @NYRangers and was told “it was a normal teammate relationship.” So take all of this for what it's worth. At least when it comes to the "stolen puck," a lot of pushback on that report.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) February 1, 2021
This is still a developing story and we will add to it as more information comes to light.
