Former Rangers defenseman explains why Adam Fox is elite player

Former New York Rangers blueliner Tony DeAngelo knows a thing or two about offensive defensemen. As a member of the Blueshirts in 2019-20, he finished fourth among all NHL defensemen with 53 points in 68 games.

It should come as no surprise that when asked about his favorite defensemen to watch in the NHL on Morning Cuppa Hockey this Wednesday , former teammate Adam Fox was one of the first names out of his mouth.

“‘Foxy’s’ hockey IQ, if he’s not top three, he’s gotta be right there,” DeAngelo said. “It was impressive to watch him from when he was a rookie, too, which was the crazy part — he did it right away. Patient, calm, he wasn’t in a hurry as a rookie. He’s just got that demeanor to him, and obviously he’s turned into a Norris Trophy guy.”

After finishing fourth in Calder Trophy voting as NHL rookie of the year in 2019-20, Fox won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman, leading all players at the position with 47 points in 55 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.

He’s since posted three straight seasons with 10-plus goals and 70-plus points, finishing top five in Norris Trophy voting in each of the past four seasons.

Fox wasn’t the only defenseman DeAngelo gave credit to. The eight-year NHL veteran first mentioned Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, who he praised as being “in a class of his own,” before also highlighting blueliners like Quinn Hughes, Roman Josi, Victor Hedman, and Charlie McAvoy.

But DeAngelo made an important distinction between Fox and the other elite defensemen mentioned.

“Foxy does it a total different way. Foxy does it more with just smarts and patience and skill, and he’ll just hold you out and then boom, perfect pass,” DeAngelo explained. “And he’s got the stick position and head movement, and that’s almost even more impressive than some of the guys with speed and skating can do. Because speed and skating, you can create that time for yourself, right?”

Former NHL defenseman Colby Cohen and Jonny Lazarus, the latter of whom covers the Rangers for Daily Faceoff, both noted that Fox doesn’t boast elite size or speed, yet manages to consistently be one of the top-producing defensemen in the NHL and a nightmare for the opposition.

“He’s smooth,” added DeAngelo. “I’m not gonna say he’s faster than Quinn or Makar or [Miro] Heiskanen. Them other guys float — they get a step on you, they’re gone. Foxy will just get a step on you mentally and you got no chance. He’ll put it right through your stick, he can do anything he wants with it, which is probably even more impressive in a sense.”

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Tony DeAngelo praises former Rangers coach

Fox wasn’t the only former colleague that DeAngelo praised when he reflected on his four-year stint with the Rangers.

In a surprising twist, he showed some love toward the often-criticized David Quinn, who was Rangers coach for three of DeAngelo’s four seasons in New York.

“It was pretty public knowledge that we went back and forth a little bit, but I actually really liked him,” DeAngelo said. “I think people thought we hated each other.”

DeAngelo mentioned that he was one of the first people who reached out to Quinn after he was fired by the Rangers. Ironically, the 2020-21 season would mark the end of both DeAngelo and Quinn’s tenures in New York, with DeAngelo placed on waivers after an altercation with Alexander Georgiev and Quinn’s contract terminated after failing to build off an appearance in the play-in round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs the season prior.

“There were some things that I didn’t agree with that he did as a coach or how we went back and forth with each other about it, but one of the things I liked most about him was how much he cared. We could be down in a game 4-0 in the third period, if we scored, you could hear him behind you,” he said. “I like that cause it just showed how much passion he had for the team winning and wanting to win. Whether you liked some of the things he did or not, it meant nothing.”

Quinn was named San Jose Sharks coach in 2022-23, but managed a measly 41-98-25 record across two seasons with a roster that didn’t have much in the way of talent. After finishing the 2023-24 season with a League-worst 47 points, Quinn was let go by San Jose and has since rejoined the Metropolitan Division as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins under coach Mike Sullivan.

“The more chances he gets, I think the better and better and better he’ll get,” DeAngelo said confidently. “I” still think ‘Quinnie’s’ got a future again as a head coach.”

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