NHL Rumor Mill – April 12, 2023
Questions over Tony DeAngelo’s future with the Flyers plus the latest Flames speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH TONY DEANGELO?
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Jordan Hall recently reported eyebrows were raised when Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo was made a healthy scratch for three straight games. He felt the move probably wasn’t due to his on-ice performance, especially when DeAngelo’s benching for Sunday’s game against the Bruins left the Flyers with just five defensemen.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo (NHL Images).
DeAngelo leads all Flyers blueliners this season with 42 points. Hall speculated he hasn’t played as well defensively as head coach John Tortorella would prefer.
THE ATHLETIC: Charlie O’Connor reports Tortorella offered no explanation for benching DeAngelo for the Flyers’ 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. “He’s out. And I’ve talked to him,” Tortorella told reporters yesterday. “He knows where he stands with me. And that’s where we’re gonna go with it.” The Flyers coach declined to say if DeAngelo would play in the club’s season finale against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
O’Connor felt it might be due to assistant coach Rocky Thompson’s remarks following the Flyers’ loss to the St. Louis Blues in which he said some of his players didn’t seem to be trying.
It is raising questions about DeAngelo’s future with the rebuilding club after this season. If the Flyers were to trade DeAngelo this summer, O’Connor believes they’ll have to retain some salary. He has a year remaining on his contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: DeAngelo played his way off the New York Rangers in 2020-21 after clashing with teammates early in that season. He had a solid bounce-back performance last season with the Carolina Hurricanes but they opted not to re-sign him.
As Hall and O’Connor observed, Tortorella frequently defended DeAngelo this season but things seem to have soured of late. Both sides are keeping this to themselves thus far.
The Flyers could find it difficult to trade DeAngelo this summer. He lacks no-trade protection but is earning $5 million annually on his current contract. The 27-year-old defenseman generates offense from the blueline but his defensive game has long been an issue.
LATEST ON THE FLAMES
SPORTSNET: Eric Francis wondered about the future of the Calgary Flames after they were eliminated earlier this week from playoff contention. He believes neither general manager Brad Treliving or head coach Darryl Sutter are certain to return next season.
Treliving’s contract expires at the end of this season. Despite an earlier offer from ownership, he could opt to depart this summer. Sutter’s two-year contract extension ($4 million annually) is set to start next season but ownership could have questions over his inability to get the most out of his players this season.
Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri struggled in their first seasons with the Flames. Francis wondered if they or other players might ask to be traded if Sutter stays. He also noted that those players eligible for unrestricted free agent status next summer (including Elias Lindholm, Tyler Toffoli, Mikael Backlund, and Noah Hanifin) might not wish to sign contract extensions.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The priority will be deciding Treliving’s fate. If he returns, perhaps the Flames decide this season was an aberration and hope for a better outlook in 2023-24. A new general manager, however, could opt to shake things up.
Flames ownership might not be keen to replace Sutter and have those two years of his contract extension burning a hole in their wallets. Perhaps they’ll decide they need to bring in players better suited for his system.
I’ll be surprised if Huberdeau and Kadri ask to be traded. However, those players slated for UFA status next summer could force the issue for themselves by telling management they won’t re-sign.
It’s going to be another interesting summer in Calgary.
Flames should bounce back next year. They lost a ton of 1 goal games and top that with a horrible season for Markstrom.
Totally agree on Markstrom, not sure what was going on with him but he didnt seem to have the confidence of years past. Hopefully he can train and take time away from hockey and come back next year and play the way we all know he is capable.
For giggles Ottawa should check out if they want to move Markstrom. He would fit perfectly on there team.
As for the Flames not sure i agree with you, and I think the teams strengths are some what being stiffled by Sutters system. Hub & Weegar were successful in Fla because they were allowed to be creative and I think Sutters systems doesnt mess well with that type of play. He wants north and south driving hard play.
looking from the outside in Regarding the Sen’s Goaltending situation
🍁 I think Ottawa should look at Cans UFA Goaltender Freddie Andreson a UFA at the end of the season….GP,33 GA, 2.43 SV% 0.904
for a 2-3 year reasonalble contract $2 to $3.M
to be the starter and work with The Sens Countryman, young 22 yr old Goaltender Mads Søgaard…..& the other 22 yr old Goaltender the Sen’s have (Kevin Mandolese)
if the Sen’s cant get a Starter for a reasonable Price/Trade……🤔
Defiantly put him on the UFA Goaltender list then they wount have to give up any young prospects…..👍
Overtime record sunk the Flames who are tops in regulation ties. Approx one in every 3 games ended in a tie.
OT Record: 5 – 12
Shootouts: 2 – 5
Total: 7 – 17
If Calgary had split the OT bonus points, they would be sitting at 96 and in the second wildcard spot, one up on the Jets.
I disagree partly on Markström, yes he wasnt very good until late february but after that he has been pretty good. The problem as I see it are 2, firstly his way of letting in a goal in the first 5 minutes, why is that?? The other was that the D did give up a lot of chances on his doorstep and he wasnt able to bail them out, which doesnt mean that he was bad, but not good enough either.
The piece I think that could be traded is Hanifin this summer. Backlund will be back, my guess it Toffoli as well unless he wants to much money on his next contract. The wildcard is Lindholm, on the one hand I can see him traded, he will want a big raise and he will fetch a good return, however Markström partly chose Calgary because of him and that might influence his choice. I heard Carolina has asked about him
TonyD is done, if the Flyers dont trade him they might buy him out. While there is skill and talent there, its whats on his shoulders thats the trainwreck. If only he could stfu and listen to coaches he would be making 9.5m a year, but instead hes on to a new team or the minors.
There was a reason Carolina didn’t resign him and it is game vs actions on & off the ice. He’s not worth the money and distraction to a contender, but yet dumbass Flyers gave up 2,3,4 picks to acquire him. Hurts my head when i think of this and the risto trade.
if they send him to the AHL does that salary still count on the NHL Cap?
is there another team that needs powerplay help enough to take him for one year?
Think its 1m come off the cap and rest the Flyers would have to carry until his contract is up.
Personally I wouldnt want him anywhere near my young kids trying to learn to play the game right.
Chychrun and a 3rd for Weaver!
Break out the smelling salts
If the Flames could of picked up the extra point in OT/shootouts a little more often…
Crazy how often they lost those games.
Gudbranson for Tony D + a 2nd
We are done trading 2nd picks for has beens, plus not sure we have any until 2025. Our stupid GMs have traded 2nd picks like they are nothing 2008-2012 traded also 2022-2024. Sad part is what we acquire for those picks.
There are often references to something akin to a generational misalignment between old school coaches and this generation’s players.
Not buying it. True, Sutter has a reputation as a hard ass going back to his days with the Kings. Who won two cups under him. Torts burns out his welcome after several seasons, but he gets a lot out of his teams – and also won a Cup.
Huberdeau and Khadri both had 55 points this year and clearly did not play up to snuff. I’ve said before that sometimes it takes a season to adjust to a new conference’s style of play. Their play, and Markstrom’s, is the issue. Not the coaching.
Recent performance history has Flames missing and then making the playoffs. I give everyone a pass on this year and they have until US thanksgiving to show improvement or wholesale changes. Kadri was pouting and Huberdeau trying to make high end passes to non finishers. Sutter wants to win 3-2 in a 4-3 league is another issue
How about Darryl upstairs and Brent behind the bench. Yikes !