Kevin Bieksa opines Tony DeAngelo has 'personal beef' with New York Rangers

The Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman Tony DeAngelo made his way into the headlines when he openly challenged his former Rangers teammates to a fight in Game 3 of their playoff series. NHL analyst Kevin Bieska thinks that the ‘personal beef’ between the player and his former team is affecting DeAngelo’s game.

Following the Rangers’ 4-3 loss in Game 4 at PNC Arena, Kevin Bieska and Sportsnet’s panelists were discussing Tony DeAngelo’s recent performances. Bieska mentioned DeAngelo's time with the Rangers, where he had significant offensive contributions as a defenseman, scoring 15 goals and tallying 53 points in his last full season.

However, DeAngelo's tenure with the Rangers ended abruptly due to various incidents, including an altercation with Alexander Georgiev. This led to DeAngelo being placed on waivers and eventually bought out by the team.

Despite the rocky exit from the Rangers, DeAngelo found opportunities with other teams, notably with Carolina and Philadelphia, where he had successful seasons. Bieska then mentioned that Tony DeAngelo's emotional friction with the Rangers seemed to affect his performance negatively.

In the now deleted tweet, Bieska said:

“So there's a history. I feel like he's a bit unhinged. There's some personal beef here with the Rangers, and they've been chirping at him, he's been chirping at them, but this is a terrible penalty he took last game.”

He pointed out instances of poor decision-making and turnovers on the ice from Saturday’s game.

“And tonight, I thought he's been very, very bad on the ice,” Kevin Bieska said. “And when a guy like this is emotionally attached to this series, and he's not performing the right way, as a defense coach or coach, you have to realize, he's not giving you his best, he's going to hurt you eventually.”

Bissonnette emphasized the importance for coaches to recognize when a player is not performing at their best and the potential consequences it could have on the team's success. He referred to more such specific instances from recent games where D'Angelo's mistakes led to scoring opportunities for the opposing team.

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Tony DeAngelo ‘enjoys’ fan hostility thrown his way

Last Sunday, when Tony DeAngelo returned to Madison Square Garden, some 18,000 Rangers fans were chanting profanities directed at him. The fact that DeAngelo had joined the Carolina Hurricanes, a direct rival of the Rangers after being waived by the NY team did not sit well with the fans.

Since then, their encounters have only fueled the bitterness between the player and the Rangers fan base. Speaking of such hostile treatment from fans, DeAngelo said:

“I actually enjoy it. I think it’s great. It gets me into the game more. It shows you’re getting under their skin, and they’re trying to get under my skin. It doesn’t work, but I get a laugh out of it. That’s all part of the playoffs.” [H/T The Athletic]

DeAngelo mentioned that the hostile chants only intensify his focus during the game, rather than distracting or unsettling him. He interprets the fans' reactions as evidence that he's successfully getting under their skin, which he views as a tactical advantage.

Now that the Carolina Hurricanes have secured a win in Game 4, Tony DeAngelo would better focus on his game than try to get into altercations with his former teammates.