Former teammate on why DeAngelo was suspended in the OHL and what it's like to play with him

Despite what many thought might be the end of the road for Tony DeAngelo in the NHL, the defenceman has a one year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes and another chance to prove he can keep his emotions in check. DeAngelo, who's offensive talent was never in doubt, was bought out by the New York Rangers at the end of last season after sitting out almost all of 2020-21 following a dust-up with teammate Alex Georgiev. It wasn't the only issue that led to a strained relationship with the team, nor was it DeAngelo's first as a hockey player. A former teammate is now offering some insight.

DeAngelo's issues started when he signed with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League in 2011. Despite a strong offensive output, he was suspended for eight games by the league in 2014 for "violating the Abuse/Diversity policy" of the league. It was revealed that this was actually DeAngelo's second suspension of the season, but his first for directing comments towards a teammate. The details regarding the first suspension have never been made public and the details of the second were kept very quiet.

In an interview in his home country of Russia, former Sarnia teammate Nikita Korostelev was asked about playing with DeAngelo and whether he had faced issues like the ones he faced with the Rangers before.

"Yes, he has had situations like with Rangers before," said Korostelev. "There was even a disqualification for a conflict with Dani Nikandrov — a Russian-speaking Canadian who came from Israel with his family.

Nikandrov was born and mostly raised in Israel, coming to Canada at the age of nine. Korostelev was then asked if he himself had ever had any issues with DeAngelo.

"There were no fights, but he had verbal altercations with everyone. If he thinks you did something wrong, he shouts, he grumbles. No one took that into account anymore."

Korostelev was asked if he was surprised after he heard that DeAngelo got into a fight with Georgiev, his own teammate, while with the Rangers.

"Knowing him, I'm not surprised. He's a great player, of course, just very emotional," said Korostelev.

DeAngelo's issues weren't only with the Sting and the Rangers. While with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL after being drafted by Tampa Bay, he was given a 10-minute misconduct during a game for abuse of officials (verbal) and was a healthy scratch for eight games due to behavioural issues and poor defensive play. While a member of the Arizona Coyotes in 2017, DeAngelo was suspended for three games for abusing an official (shoving). He also received a $14,000 fine. In January of this year, DeAngelo was made a healthy scratch by the Rangers after after taking an unsportsmanlike penalty the previous game that coach David Quinn felt was "undisciplined." After the fight with Georgiev, then GM Jeff Gorton explained that DeAngelo was not happy with being scratched and made his feeling very clear in the locker room, which only added to the Rangers' decision to get rid of him.

Korostelev was a seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015. He would never make the NHL, spending his time in North America in the AHL and ECHL after aging out of the OHL. He has spent the last two seasons in the KHL and will play there again in 2021-22.

Source: Sport24.ru

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