Before the second day of the draft began, Chuck Fletcher looked to bolster the Flyers defense and found his guy in Tony DeAngelo. A restricted free agent this summer, DeAngelo has also reportedly signed a two-year extension worth $5M per season.
The Flyers also acquired a 2022 seventh round pick from Carolina. In return, the Hurricanes received a 2022 fourth round pick, a 2023 third round pick, and a 2024 second round.
The Flyers defense is in need of help and DeAngelo also provided insurance in case Ryan Ellis is not ready. When Fletcher spoke before the draft, he said that Ellis was where everyone expected to be at this time. But there’s still no word on when he may be ready and if he’ll even be available in training camp.
DeAngelo lead all Hurricanes defensemen last year in goals (10), assists (41), and points (51). 22 of his points came on the power play, somewhere the Flyers desperately need help in. They had a league worst 12.6% on the man advantage. From a purely offensive standpoint, this move makes sense for the Flyers.
It’s everything else about him that should have turned the team off. From a hockey standpoint, DeAngelo’s offensive talent doesn’t always make up for what he lacks on the defensive end. And when that’s your position, you should probably be at least above average at it. The Flyers cannot continue to afford to trot out defensemen who aren’t able to defend their position.
If you focus on *only* the on ice aspect, the Tony DeAngelo contract itself is not awful because of the low term. The cost of acquisition and everything else, well... that's another conversation. pic.twitter.com/NArSB3tawj
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) July 8, 2022
The biggest thing, though, is DeAngelo has an extremely controversial past, coming to a head in New York when he was reportedly involved in an altercation with Alexander Georgiev where the goaltender allegedly punched him in the face. That lead to the Rangers waiving him.
He was also suspended by the Sarnia Sting for using racial slurs back in 2014. He eventually was bought out by the Rangers. The Hurricanes then signed him, taking on the PR nightmare that likely came from the move.
It’s clear that the Flyers are willing to take that on next. Which is exactly why this is an extremely polarizing move for them. For an organization that has stressed inclusivity and has even donated to LGBTQ+ foundations this off-season, bringing DeAngelo in feels like a slap in the face.
And when you have to say that you did your due diligence in bringing someone in, maybe there should have been some pause.