Tony DeAngelo complains publicly after being forced to sign in the KHL

In case you missed the news yesterday, veteran NHL defenseman Tony DeAngelo signed a one year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

This comes after a somewhat rocky season with the Carolina Hurricanes where he managed three goals and 11 points in 31 games. He's just a couple seasons removed from some stellar point production seasons though, having put up 51 and 53 point seasons in back to back years in 2020 and 2021. It's clear that DeAngelo has the skill to compete in the NHL, but he has essentially been driven out of the league because he just kind fit into a team dynamic. Or, at least, he has struggled to do so at the NHL level. 

In his first interview since signing overseas, DeAngelo explains (whines) what led him to signing in Russia and why he thinks no NHL teams wanted to take a chance on him.

"I waited through most of the summer," DeAngelo said in a one-on-one interview with RG.org. "It took a bit long. It was back and forth. With a bunch of different things, the negotiation process wasn't where we wanted to go. I had a great opportunity to come here and play in a great League with great players. It was the best situation for myself at this time."

DeAngelo says he "considered every option", including signing a PTO contract in the NHL: "Any option was on the table, but as I said, the best option for me was this one."

In other words, 'I had options, but no good options... so now I'm in Russia.'

It's believed that DeAngelo couldn't even land a stellar contract in Russia though and it has been reported that his contract carries a low salary with several performance bonuses.

"I'm a confident player," he said. "I'm confident about what I can do regarding bonuses. I want to win as well. The most important thing is winning. A win is good for everybody. I'm looking to be a big part of the team."

As for his return to the NHL?

"I guess, we'll see. I'm not sure. That question is not for me but for GMs and coaches in the NHL. Now, I'm just focused on this season."