Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo is the latest Flyer to surface in trade speculation and rumors.
Trade rumors have dogged the Philadelphia Flyers this season. While Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov and Carter Hart have been subjects of speculation, questions recently emerged over Tony DeAngelo's future in the City of Brotherly Love.
DeAngelo was a healthy scratch for the Flyers' last four games heading into their season finale on Thursday. The 27-year-old leads the club's defensemen with 42 points, but NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jordan Hall suggested he may not have been playing as well defensively as coach John Tortorella would prefer.
The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor reported Tortorella refused to offer an explanation behind DeAngelo's benchings other than claiming that he'd spoken to the blueliner about it.
“He knows where he stands with me,” said the Flyers coach. “And that's where we're gonna go with it.”
O'Connor felt that this might be related to the Flyers' 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on April 4. Assistant coach Rocky Thompson was filling in for Tortorella in that game and said afterward that he believed some of the players didn't seem to be trying.
DeAngelo is a skilled offensive blueliner, but he's had recent difficulty sticking with teams. The New York Rangers banished him for most of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season following an altercation with Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and subsequently bought out his contract. He had 51 points in 64 games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, but they opted not to re-sign him.
It remains to be seen if there's a place for DeAngelo with the now-rebuilding Flyers. CapFriendly shows he's signed through next season with an annual salary of $5 million and lacks no-trade protection. O'Connor believes they'll have to retain part of it if they decide to trade him this summer.