The New York Rangers announced on Tuesday afternoon that they have agreed to terms with forward Philip Di Giuseppe.
The 27-year-old was a restricted free agent at the end of this season and avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract for $700,000. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the next season.
Di Giuseppe, 27, split this past season between the Rangers and the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL). He recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in 20 NHL games with the Rangers in 2019-20, and the Blueshirts posted a 12-7-1 record in the 20 games which he played during the season.
he 6-0, 193-pounder also skated in 43 AHL games with the Wolf Pack this past season, registering 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) and a plus-10 rating. Di Giuseppe established an AHL career-high in goals in 2019-20, and he ranked third in the AHL in shots on goal at the time he was recalled by the Rangers on February 2, 2020 (149).
Di Giuseppe has skated in 170 career NHL games over parts of five seasons (2015-16 – 2019-20) with Carolina, Nashville, and the Rangers, registering 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points, along with 68 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in goals (seven), assists (10), and points (17) with Carolina during the 2015-16 season. Di Giuseppe has also skated in 227 career AHL games over parts of seven seasons (2013-14 – 2019-20), recording 54 goals and 73 assists for 127 points, along with a plus-14 rating and 132 penalty minutes.
He played well with the Rangers last season mainly as part of the fourth line under head coach David Quinn.
The Toronto, Ontario native was originally selected by Carolina in the second round, 38th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Di Giuseppe was signed by the Rangers as a free agent on July 18, 2019.