Former Rangers Defenseman Discusses Infamous Fight

The former New York Rangers defender shared his side of one of the team's most famous scuffles.

Nov 26, 2022; Elmont, New York, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo (77) fights New York Islanders right wing Oliver Wahlstrom (26) during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Former New York Rangers' defenseman Tony DeAngelo is one of the most polarizing players in the NHL. Currently a free agent, the 28 year old puck mover has a less than sterling reputation after playing for four different organizations around the league. It's a huge reason why he's without a contract, despite also having four 30+ point seasons since 2018.

What permanently damaged his image in the league was his fight with goaltender Alex Georgiev. When the pair were teammates the Rangers during the 2020-2021 season, they had one of the most talked about fights in recent NHL memory. During a losing game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the two got into a heated physical altercation with both players taking shots at one another.

Three years later, DeAngelo has spoken out about his side of the story. He appeared on Daily Faceoff podcast Morning Cuppa Hockey to discuss his side of the story and where his career is at. When they got into the subject of his fight, DeAngelo opened up about that night. He admitted that night was full of heightened emotions amidst a difficult start to a season and that's why he said what he did to Georgiev, starting the infamous fight.

"Coming down the tunnel, I yelled at Georgie (Georgiev): 'Make a f----ing save!'," DeAngelo said. "So if I didn't yell at Georgie, Georgie wasn't gonna turn around and try to do anything. That's a fact."

DeAngelo owned up to beginning the altercation and took responsibility for it. He also defended his former teammate and said that there were no hard feelings after the dust settled.

“Georgie shouldn’t be blamed either," he said. "Because listen, if somebody said something to me coming out of the tunnel after a tough game, I don’t know what I would have done. I never blamed him, that was just heat of the moment."

The two tussled, were quickly separated, and no further issues between the two occurred. The next day, DeAngelo was placed on waivers and subsequently released by the Rangers. He would catch on with the Carolina Hurricanes for the rest of the season and have a successful campaign the following season with the Philadelphia Flyers, but the damage was done. He's spent the past few years trying to repair a broken reputation with little success.

Now, he's closing in on 30 and hoping to have another chance in the NHL. He might not get it, but the former Rangers defenseman at least had a chance to share his side of the story.

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