BY: The New York Rangers
NEW YORK, July 18, 2019 – The New York Rangers announced today that the team has agreed to terms with free-agent forward Phillip Di Giuseppe.
Di Giuseppe, 25, split this past season between the Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators organizations. He skated in 24 NHL games with Carolina and Nashville in 2018-19, registering one goal and three assists for four points, along with eight penalty minutes. Di Giuseppe was credited with 54 hits in the 24 NHL games he played during the past season (2.3 hits per game). In addition, Di Giuseppe’s team registered 51.69% of the shot attempts at 5-on-5 when he was on the ice in 2018-19. Di Giuseppe also skated in 26 American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Charlotte Checkers and Milwaukee Admirals this past season, registering five goals and seven assists for 12 points, along with a plus-six rating and 25 penalty minutes. In addition, he recorded two goals in five games with the Admirals during the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs.
The 6-0, 192-pounder has skated in 150 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (2015-16 – 2018-19) with Carolina and Nashville, registering 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points, along with 58 penalty minutes. Throughout his NHL career, Di Giuseppe’s team has recorded 52.05% of shot attempts at 5-on-5 when he has been on the ice, including 54.78% of the shot attempts at 5-on-5 in 49 games with the Hurricanes during the 2017-18 season. He established a career-high in hits with 113 in 41 games during the 2015-16 season (2.8 hits per game), and he has averaged 2.3 hits per game in his NHL career (346 hits in 150 games). Among NHL forwards who have skated in at least 150 games since the start of the 2015-16 season, Di Giuseppe is tied for 29th in hits per game. He established career-highs in goals (seven), assists (10), and points (17) during the 2015-16 season.
Di Giuseppe has also skated in 184 career AHL games over parts of six seasons (2013-14 – 2018-19) with Charlotte and Milwaukee, registering 40 goals and 61 assists for 101 points, along with a plus-four rating and 93 penalty minutes. He has averaged at least 0.70 points per game in three of his last four seasons in the AHL. Di Giuseppe has also skated in 10 career Calder Cup Playoff games, and he has registered three goals and eight penalty minutes in those 10 contests.
Prior to beginning his professional career, Di Giuseppe played three seasons of collegiate hockey at the University of Michigan (2011-12 – 2013-14). He skated in 115 career collegiate games with the Wolverines, registering 33 goals and 45 assists for 78 points, along with a plus-20 rating and 79 penalty minutes. Di Giuseppe tallied at least 20 points in each of his three collegiate seasons. During his collegiate career, Di Giuseppe was teammates with Jacob Trouba and Boo Nieves.
The Toronto, Ontario native was selected by Carolina in the second round, 38th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
