Just when you thought the 2021 season couldn’t get any worse for the New York Rangers, they are now the center of dysfunction and controversy in the game of hockey. Yesterday afternoon, the Rangers waived defenseman “Tony” Anthony DeAngelo. Now, this seemed like an odd move at first since the Rangers signed DeAngelo to a two-year contract extension back in October. Why would the Rangers waive someone that they just signed for two more years? Even though DeAngelo is very vocal on social media about his political beliefs, is it enough to waive a talented offensive defenseman? These are all questions the Rangers took way too long to answer.
The Rumors
Let’s just say yesterday was not a good day to be a New York Rangers fan. Fans, the media, and pretty much anyone who pays attention to this organization wondered why Tony DeAngelo was put on waivers. Soon after the news broke, the whirlwind of rumors began.
The Rangers have actually confirmed that DeAngelo and goaltender, Alexandar Georgiev, had an altercation with one another, which led to DeAngelo being cut loose by the team. But how this event went down was like figuring out how the Library of Alexandria caught fire. A tricky task to say the least.
Rumor had it that alternate captain, Chris Kreider, punched DeAngelo in the face in defense of Georgiev. It wasn’t confirmed by any reliable sources or the organization, but people took it and ran with it anyway.
Another rumor then emerged. This one even more serious. Blueshirt Banter reported that DeAngelo and fellow defenseman K’Andre Miller had a complicated relationship and that DeAngelo was even calling Miller racial slurs. Yes, this is how far down the rumor hole people dug into.
The Facts
Today, at 5:45 PM EST, the Rangers held a press conference to set the record straight. They confirmed that the altercation between DeAngelo and Georgiev was the reason why Tony DeAngelo was waived. The organization also stated how the situation went down. DeAngelo apparently threw a smart remark towards Georgiev after a 5-4 OT loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home. Georgiev then went over to DeAngelo and punched him in the face. If that doesn’t show that David Quinn has lost the locker room, I don’t know what will. But we will arrive at that shortly.
Team President John Davidson also refuted the K’Andre Miller rumors. In fact, Miller even texted DeAngelo after he was waived. You have to feel bad for a guy like Miller, being involved in the first place; dragged in by vicious rumors revolving around him being mistreated for his skin color. Which, brings me to my last point.
Organizational Dysfunction
The way the Rangers handled this situation was not good at all. They should’ve squashed all of the rumors and misinformation before it even had a chance to circulate. Instead, the team is now a dysfunctional mess that mirrors another New York-based team in 2017.
David Quinn needs to go. He has lost the locker room and allowed this situation to happen under his watch. He is supposed to be a leader and the guy who keeps his players in line. Instead, he let them run wild and helped add fuel to a blazing fire. There is no reasonable excuse for him not to go.
The Verdict
Hopefully, the Rangers move on from this fiasco and focus on what matters most: Playing hockey. Maybe they can win some more games before the season’s end.
