Tony DeAngelo Ready for Camp After Re-Signing with Islanders

Tony DeAngelo had little doubt about where he wanted to be after his contract expired at the end of the 2025-26 season. Now, after re-signing with the New York Islanders on a two-year deal, DeAngelo is motivated to reward management for the trust it has placed in him. 

“It’s loyalty number one,” DeAngelo said. “They’ve been loyal to me, and I wanted to be loyal back.” 

DeAngelo signed a two-year contract with the Islanders on June 26, avoiding free agency and returning to the club he has spent the last two seasons manning the blue line for. He understands hockey is a business, but made sure management knew his priority was re-signing with the team. 

“We had mutual interest the whole time, and it came down to figuring out the years and money,” DeAngelo said. “We started getting closer to a deal around the draft and fortunately got it done.” 

DeAngelo is coming off a productive season, recording 35 points (5G, 30A) in a career-high 76 games. Still, the 30-year-old’s biggest takeaway from last season was the importance of making sure the team finishes as strong as it starts.

“We have to make sure to put it together for 84 games straight,” DeAngelo said. “You have to find ways to put together points and accumulate wins down the stretch.” 

The team is preparing for its Sept. 30 season opener with a series of informal practices at Northwell Health Ice Center. What started with players who spend their summers on Long Island, including DeAngelo, has grown into a large portion of the roster returning to skate with teammates before training camp opens. DeAngelo believes the skates will give the team a jump in the early part of the season. 

“To get this many guys out here a month before camp starts, I think is very important,” DeAngelo said. “We’re still having fun and enjoying our summers, but camp is creeping up.” 

DeAngelo is excited to see some new and familiar faces at camp. It will be Pete DeBoer’s first Islanders Training Camp as Head Coach, and DeAngelo is eager to see the changes his new bench boss will bring. At the same time, DeAngelo is excited to see all six defensemen from last season’s opening lineup return, a unit he believes can make an impact. 

“We have a ton of guys who can play different roles, which gives the coaching staff options,” DeAngelo said. “I don’t think people realize how big losing Romy [Alexander Romanov] was for us. I think we have a real solid group.”

The blue line is not the only part of the team DeAngelo is excited to watch in 2026-27. He formed a bond with forward Cal Ritchie during the 21-year-old’s first season through postgame dinners, and believes he is poised to take a big step forward in his sophomore campaign. 

“He’s just a good kid and he works hard,” DeAngelo said. “My biggest piece of advice for him was to trust in how skilled he is and what he’s doing on the ice, and you saw him start to blossom in those last 15-20 games into the player we know he can be.” 

Between Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer, DeAngelo was proud to see how both players adjusted on the fly to NHL action and is excited to see what is in store for them in their second years. 

“These are foundational pieces for the organization,” DeAngelo said. “These guys are going to be huge parts of this team for a long time and well after I retire. It’s important to make them feel at home.” 

DeAngelo’s youth mentorship isn’t limited to the Islanders. He runs a summer youth hockey program in New Jersey, with teams ranging from 2011 to 2019 birth years. His summer was spent on the road coaching his teams on trips to Minnesota and Toronto, the latter of which he brought along a knowledgeable assistant. 

“Barzy [Mat Barzal] coached the boys in Toronto with me, which was awesome,” DeAngelo said. “I don’t get to with all of the teams because there are so many groups, but I love doing it.”

Away from the rink, DeAngelo split his summer between his home state of New Jersey and Long Island, where he explored local golf courses and restaurants. 

“Long Island has some of the best courses in the country, plus some great restaurants around here,” DeAngelo said. “I was able to get down to the Jersey Shore for a bit, but except for that, it was a quiet summer.” 

While the relaxing, quiet summer was nice, DeAngelo is working hard to ensure his break is shorter next year. 

“For me, all I want is to get back into the playoffs,” DeAngelo said. “The summer break is nice, but at the end of the day, it’s six months of watching everyone else chase down what you’re dying to get to.”