Anthony DeAngelo THW Close-Up:
Date of birth: 10/24/1995
Place of birth: Sewell, NJ
Ht: 5’11” Wt: 168 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): 27
Other Rankings:
THW War Room Rankings (April): 33
Craig Button: 12
CS Final Rankings for North American skaters: 14
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It seems the Philadelphia/New Jersey area is beginning to produce more and more NHL talent. Anthony DeAngelo is the next big thing from the tri-state area. If you’re looking for a fast-paced offensive-minded defenseman, DeAngelo is the player you want on your team. Even though he missed time this season, he was the highest scoring defenseman in the OHL on an awful Sarnia Sting team.
Up ice, he handles the puck well and sees outlets open up constantly. A great puck-mover, his quickness up the ice allows him to gain entry into the offensive zone with ease and set up offensive chances. He showed flashes of brilliance during the Top Prospects Game. He’s a small defender, but an effective one who has been put on the powerplay all season with the Sarnia Sting. He doesn’t have an overpowering shot by any means, but it is extremely accurate, which is reassuring.
An aspect I like about DeAngelo’s game is his heart and how often he sticks up for his teammates. Even at 5’11”, DeAngelo isn’t one to back down from a fight and has had enough bouts in his short career (oftentimes against bigger opponents).
His game doesn’t come without concern, however. He’s eager to jump up into the play and pinches too frequently. In turn, he gets caught out of position a bit too much for my liking, but then again, teams aren’t really drafting him to be a shutdown defenseman. Hopefully he can tack on a few more pounds to help out his undersized body.
Where Will He End Up In June:
It’s difficult to gauge where DeAngelo might end up, but my gut feeling is somewhere in the late first round or very early second round. It’s possible he may go higher than expected if teams are really keen on picking up a run-and-gun defenseman.
Scout’s Honor:
“DeAngelo is a smooth skating, offense-generating defenseman who has some very quick feet. He’s slippery and very creative with the puck. His offensive awareness is incredible but is easily out-muscled in his own end and needs to work on his positioning. (August 2013)”
Aaron Vickers – Future Considerations
“It seems like we’ve been waiting forever for Anthony DeAngelo to become NHL Draft eligible as the Sewell, N.J. native started his junior career as a 15-year-old with Cedar Rapids (USHL) in 2010-11. After jumping ship to the OHL a year later, DeAngelo has rather quietly become one of the premier offensive defensmen in the league. The undersized defenseman can be a fourth forward on the ice at times and is a major asset on the powerplay where his shot placement and puck distribution is top notch. DeAngelo’s defensive game is coming around but there’s no doubt that that’s the area that NHL scouts will be fixated on.“
“Elusive undersized defenseman with a calm demeanor, great wheels, and an really quick stick. A riverboat gambler.”
Bill Placzek – Draftsite.com
Statistics:
Bio/Interview(s)/Links:
Overview by Broad Street Hockey
Interview with NHL.com on his suspension and how he plans to move on
International Tournaments:
DeAngelo played for Team USA in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament where he had six assists in four games.
ETA:
3-4 years
Risk/Reward Analysis:
Risk: 2/5 Reward: 4/5
NHL Potential:
1st pairing offensive defenseman capable of playing on the powerplay
Strengths:
Shot accuracy
Speed getting out of the zone
Great stickhandler up the ice
Vision up the ice
Great breakout passes
Plays with an edge
Flaws/Aspects He Needs To Work On:
Pinching in the offensive zone
Defensive positioning
Adding extra muscle
Maturing at the next level
Fantasy Hockey Potential:
Offensive: 9/10 Defensive: 4/10
NHL Player Comparison:
– NHL comparison: Mike Green
Video(s):
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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph
Follow Shawn on Twitter: @ShawnTHW
DeAngelo would have been a sure-fire top 20 pick before his racist rant. I think he’ll be an absolute steal for the team willing to forgive and move past his (at the time) immaturity.