Controversial Defenseman Tony DeAngelo Returns to North America After KHL Contract Gets Terminated
The controversial defenseman Tony DeAngelo is returning to North America after his KHL contract was terminated.
After a tumultuous journey in the National Hockey League, Tony DeAngelo decided to join the St. Petersburgh SKA in the KHL for the 2024-25 season.
The 29-year-old defenseman took his offensive talents to Russia, but it appears that his time with his new team has already run out.
Indeed, according to an official statement from his team, DeAngelo's contract was terminated on a mutual agreement between the organization and the player, as DeAngelo needed to return to North America due to family reasons.
Read the team's full statement here:
It'll be interesting to see if an NHL team gives him a chance despite all the controversy surrounding the player. Considering his reputation and obvious talent, teams with not a lot of cap space available could be tempted to add him to their roster.
However, it could be a big risk, as the player was involved in a few locker room rifts. The most successful hockey teams have a tight locker room, and it only takes one player to create division within the team and hurt their chances of winning.
But with 210 points, including 48 goals, in 371 NHL games for the Arizona Coyotes, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Philadelphia Flyers, some general managers may think it's worth the risk.
This season, in the KHL, he tallied great numbers. Not many players can keep up with a point-per-game rate in the KHL, but DeAngelo had the skills to do it. After 34 games, he had 32 points, playing alongside talented players such as Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ivan Demidov.
Speaking of Demidov, DeAngelo had great words for the young Montreal Canadiens prospect:
