Islanders Defenseman Tony DeAngelo Pays Tribute to Late Hockey Columnist Larry Brooks: 'Nobody Did the Job Like Him'
In a somber mood following the news of his passing at 75, Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo took to social media to pay tribute to longtime hockey columnist Larry Brooks. DeAngelo described Brooks as "a tough critic for the game" but also a "big advocate for the players."
Growing up, DeAngelo encountered Brooks in 2017 when he was just a 22-year-old Ranger. Since then, their conversations about hockey have been frequent, and DeAngelo holds Brooks' honesty in his opinions high on his list of qualities that made him a standout figure in the world of hockey journalism.
According to DeAngelo, Brooks stayed up-to-date with everything - the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), what General Managers were doing, and what coaches were implementing. What set Brooks apart from other critics was his willingness to engage with players and take their feedback into consideration.
DeAngelo highlighted several key qualities that made Brooks a beloved figure in the hockey community: honesty, being willing to call it as he saw it, and an open-door policy where fans could express their opinions without fear of retribution. For these reasons, DeAngelo is sad to see Brooks go but acknowledges his lasting impact on the sport.
As news of Brooks' passing spreads throughout the NHL circles, his legacy lives on through those who worked closely with him, such as DeAngelo, and those who will take up the mantle of carrying on his work.
In a somber mood following the news of his passing at 75, Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo took to social media to pay tribute to longtime hockey columnist Larry Brooks. DeAngelo described Brooks as "a tough critic for the game" but also a "big advocate for the players."
Growing up, DeAngelo encountered Brooks in 2017 when he was just a 22-year-old Ranger. Since then, their conversations about hockey have been frequent, and DeAngelo holds Brooks' honesty in his opinions high on his list of qualities that made him a standout figure in the world of hockey journalism.
According to DeAngelo, Brooks stayed up-to-date with everything - the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), what General Managers were doing, and what coaches were implementing. What set Brooks apart from other critics was his willingness to engage with players and take their feedback into consideration.
DeAngelo highlighted several key qualities that made Brooks a beloved figure in the hockey community: honesty, being willing to call it as he saw it, and an open-door policy where fans could express their opinions without fear of retribution. For these reasons, DeAngelo is sad to see Brooks go but acknowledges his lasting impact on the sport.
As news of Brooks' passing spreads throughout the NHL circles, his legacy lives on through those who worked closely with him, such as DeAngelo, and those who will take up the mantle of carrying on his work.
. I mean, who else could make you laugh AND yell at the refs at the same time? 
Tony DeAngelo gets that, and it's awesome to see him paying tribute to the guy - sounds like they had some real conversations about the game 
. But let's be real, if Larry Brooks was still writing, he'd probably have roasted Tony DeAngelo for his last penalty call 
️ - Gracefully navigating through the world of hockey journalism, where critics & columnists leave their mark 
just heard about Larry Brooks passin away at 75. I'm still tryna process it all... Tony DeAngelo's tribute to him was so heartfelt 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be called out by a "tough critic" for the game, but also be appreciated by the players themselves? 
Brooks' passion for hockey was unmatched. He stayed on top of everything - CBA, GM moves, coaching strategies... it's like he had his finger on the pulse 24/7 
. And I love how he created that open-door policy where fans felt safe sharing their opinions. That's what makes him a legend in my eyes 
According to a 2020 survey, only 15% of NHL columnists were under 40 years old 
. Anyway, I just looked at some stats on his career longevity... he was writing for like 30+ years straight! 
That's what I call dedication. Here are some more fun facts: Brooks wrote over 2,000 articles and had a Twitter following of over 23k 
. Sadly, he won't be able to give us his take on the latest games... but we'll keep his legacy alive 
. I mean, he was like a fixture in our hockey community for so long, and it's crazy that we're losing him at 75 
. Tony DeAngelo is right, though - nobody did the job like him 
. I remember reading his columns and feeling like he was speaking straight to me, even when we disagreed 
. What really stood out about Brooks was how approachable he was, especially for players. He didn't shy away from calling out the NHL or GMs when they messed up, but at the same time, he listened to our stories and gave us a voice 
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. Tony DeAngelo is spot on - nobody did the job like him 
. His willingness to listen and engage with us players was refreshing, especially back in 2017 when I first met him 
. Brooks had his honesty in spitting out what he thought 
, but we'll keep his legacy alive through all the amazing work he did 
#RIPLarryBrooks #HockeyHero #GameKnowsAll 
. TONY DE ANGELO SAID IT BEST - LARRY BROOKS WAS A TOUGH CRITIC, BUT ALSO A BIG ADVOCATE FOR PLAYERS!!! HE KEPT IT REAL, EVEN WITH THE BIG SHOTS IN THE GAME 
. what I don't get is why we need more columnists who can keep up with the CBA 
... it's not just about throwing some numbers at the page, you know? anyway, my heart goes out to the hockey community 
like, didn't he ever feel frustrated or anything? 
And I'm also not sure if it's fair to say Brooks' legacy is 'living on' through people who worked with him when, like, his job was literally to criticize the game and its players all the time... 