Brind'Amour spoke pregame about Islanders new defenseman Tony DeAngelo.

ELMONT, NY -- New York Islanders brand new defenseman Tony DeAngelo spent two stints under Rod Brind'Amour with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Through two seasons in Raleigh, the 29-year-old defenseman recorded 62 points (13 goals, 49 assists) in 95 games. 

"He's a great player. He's elite, especially as an offensive player. I mean, when he gets the puck, he's one of the best passers in the game and sees the game really, really well," Brind'Amour said before his team battled the Islanders. "We had nothing but good things to say about him, and we use him everywhere in the lineup. He wa a top-four defenseman for a lot of the time he was here, and he certainly can run the power play as well as anybody."

Following Carolina's 2024-25 season, DeAngelo elected to sign in the KHL with St. Petersburg before eventually having his contract terminated.

Brind'Amour was shocked that DeAngelo was playing in the KHL in the first place. 

"To be quite honest, I thought he was getting signed this summer," Brind'Amour said. "I'm kind of surprised he didn't. He's too good a player not to be in this league."

DeAngelo is in the building, and we'll find out soon if he is in the Islanders lineup to face his former team when we speak to Islanders head coach Patrick Roy at 6:15 PM ET.