Acquired by the Flyers last Friday and signing a new contract on Monday, defender Tony DeAngelo says he is ready for a fresh start under fiery head coach John Tortorella, a man who does not accept half measures and deviations driving.
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In Philadelphia, where he signed a two-year, $10 million deal, his work environment will be quite different with the presence, among others, of the instructor who will also be making his debut in the City of Brotherly Love.
Nevertheless, the skater wishes above all to allow his new formation to experience more success after an exclusion from the playoffs. And he is ready to follow the boss’s directives.
“The only way to win in this league is to have guys who buy into your system,” he told NHL.com. No matter what he wants or what we have to achieve, it will have to be achieved. Within a game plan, everyone must present themselves. If you’re an attacking guy, your game needs to reflect that. Coaches know that their players will have to excel at what they do best.
He grew up
Traded by the Carolina Hurricanes for a few draft picks, the 26-year-old athlete had a less eventful 2021-2022 campaign than the previous one, but his past continues to stick with him and no doubt his new team l will have an eye on.
The incidents that led to the end of his association with the New York Rangers in the winter of 2021 are far behind him, whether it was an altercation with goalkeeper Alexandar Goergiev or his political positions on social networks.
“I think a lot of the issues I had there stemmed from me being an intense person and a competitive guy the way I play. It’s because I want to win and sometimes I went a bit too far. However, I think I have matured a lot this year and I have done a better job,” he said.
The guard, who scored 51 points in 64 games during the last regular season, said he took advantage of his second chance in Carolina, under the command of head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
“When I got an opportunity, I took advantage trying to mature. I can still play with passion and fire in my eyes, but I stayed in control. I never doubted that. It has been a good year and I know it will continue to be so, he promised. I can’t thank him enough. He’s an amazing coach, a good guy. (…) Everything you hear about him is true. He’s a great coach and motivator, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have played for him.”