Anthony DeAngelo
Anthony DeAngelo is a prime example of a player being blocked by Marc Staal, which became even more apparent following his demotion to Hartford. Despite being effective in limited action, Vigneault opted to shelter the offensive-minded young star.
In order for young players like DeAngelo to find their footing in the NHL, they must be given the opportunity to work through their mistakes. However, in typical Alain Vigneault fashion, any and every mistake was followed by long stretches stapled to the bench.
In fact, even with Vigneault’s recent deployment, he continued to be a non-factor. During the game against the Nashville Predators, a game in which they used seven defensemen, DeAngelo only saw five shifts for a total of 5:20TOI.
DeAngelo was a high draft pick with extreme upside given a chance, particularly with the puck in the offensive zone. While there is little reason to believe the Rangers are ready to ship DeAngelo out after acquiring him just months ago, his inability to maintain a roster spot is alarming and does very little to maintain his value moving forward.