Leafs' Max Domi pens 4-word reaction to New York Islanders signing Tony DeAngelo for the remainder of the season

The New York Islanders signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a one-year deal for the remainder of the 2024-25 season this week. Maple Leafs forward Max Domi was among the first to congratulate his former Coyotes teammate upon his return to the NHL.

Following a short tenure in the KHL with SKA Saint Petersburg, DeAngelo parted ways with the Russian team, citing family reasons. His new contract with the Islanders is a prorated league minimum of $775,000, per the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.

On Friday, Max Domi shared a post from the Spittin’ Chiclets Instagram account reporting Tony DeAngelo's new contract and congratulated his former teammate.

“LFG. Congrats my brother 👊❤️,” Domi wrote in the caption, tagging DeAngelo.

via Instagram /@max

During his time in the KHL, DeAngelo led SKA’s defensemen with 32 points, including 26 assists in 34 games. His NHL return will require clearing waivers because of his overseas stint.

Drafted 19th overall by Tampa Bay in the 2014 entry draft, DeAngelo has played 371 NHL games with four teams, recording 210 points (48 goals, 162 assists). His signing comes at a time when the Islanders are sitting 15th in the Eastern Conference and need to close an eight-point gap for a wild-card spot.

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Tony DeAngelo left KHL to be ‘closer to home’

Tony DeAngelo was the KHL’s top-scoring defenseman before announcing his decision to leave Russia for family reasons. In an official statement, he expressed his gratitude to SKA Saint Petersburg, its fans and the team’s staff, mentioning how difficult his decision was.

“This decision was not easy, but now it is important for me to be closer to home. It is very sad to leave such a city and such a team in St. Petersburg, they really love hockey, appreciate each player, do everything to ensure that the club achieves high results,” he said (per Hockey Feed).

DeAngelo also praised the team’s professionalism and the strong hockey culture in St. Petersburg, wishing them success for the rest of the season, including in the Gagarin Cup. The defenseman mentioned that his time with SKA was a great experience that he would always remember.

Earlier this season, DeAngelo explained that he chose to play in the KHL after struggling to secure an NHL contract over the summer. He claimed it was the best option for him at the time. He is now set to make his NHL return if all goes well and he is cleared off waivers.