What’s going on? DeAngelo an eyebrow-raising healthy scratch again originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A fishy situation is unfurling with Tony DeAngelo and the Flyers.
The 27-year-old defenseman was a healthy scratch for a third straight game Sunday as the Flyers hosted the NHL-best Bruins.
So, is John Tortorella’s reason for sitting DeAngelo strictly about on-ice performance? That is seeming more and more unlikely.
Why?
Well, the Flyers on Sunday had only six available defensemen, including DeAngelo. Nick Seeler was sick and unavailable. The team was playing the second game of a back-to-back set, with travel, and facing a Boston club vying for an NHL-record 63rd win. And, with three games left on the schedule, Tortorella admitted the Flyers are “a tired team.”
For Tortorella to still bench DeAngelo in those circumstances felt telling. The Flyers actually played 13 forwards and only five defensemen.
“Just our decision,” the head coach said over two hours before puck drop.
How is the competitive DeAngelo taking it?
“Haven’t talked to him,” Tortorella said.
The Flyers acquired DeAngelo and a 2022 seventh-round pick in a trade with the Hurricanes last July. They sent a 2024 second-round pick, 2023 third-round pick and 2022 fourth-round pick to Carolina.
DeAngelo, a restricted free agent when traded, signed a two-year, $10 million deal with his hometown team.
He came to the Flyers with a tainted track record, but he held up his end of the bargain with the Hurricanes and has been an accountable player in Philadelphia.
Tortorella praised DeAngelo’s fiery nature last July.
“Is he going to say and do some stupid stuff? You’re damn right he is. But I’d rather have a guy doing stupid stuff than having a choir boy here just going about your business,” Tortorella said. “You don’t win that way, you don’t win championships, you don’t build a team without any personality. Tony’s going to bring that and, plus, he’s a hell of a player.”
With 42 points, DeAngelo has led all Flyers defensemen in goals (11) and assists (31). But defensively there have been moments in which Tortorella has wanted more out of DeAngelo. He owns a minus-27 rating.
The Flyers are rebuilding and DeAngelo has another year left on his contract.
Four days before the trade deadline, Tortorella expressed his belief in DeAngelo being a part of the solution moving forward.
“He competes, he does all the things and the personality shows — it’s what we want,” he said in late February. “Do I think he’s a big part of trying to get us on the right track? Absolutely.”
Time will tell if that has changed.
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