Dal Colle is a bust.

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Everyone got cut at camp today. It's not "early" at all. The only 'young' player yet to prove himself with a chance on making the roster is 24 year old, two-time AHL all-star Devon Toews, and the Islanders just signed Sbisa to compete with him for ice-time.

Dal Colle was never making the team out of camp, so I don't see why being cut proves anything.

Regardless of him getting cut along with everyone else, is this sentence alone not concerning for a former 5th overall pick going into his fifth training camp?

 

[The Crypto Guy]

A bust indeed.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Considering that he is 5th overall pick and barely AHL level player, yes he is a bust.
141 games in the AHL, 22 goals, 44 assists.

 

[McTonyBrar]

whats his biggest issue skating/ iq?
i mean never say never, leivo although not a high pick had to struggle quite a bit, average fitness/skating even with good attributes, seems like hes finally making the leafs well into his 20's.

He would be best served to be traded, new scene, but also to a team with elite sports science and skating coaches.

Hockey IQ

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Was he ranked 3rd to 5th and got picked 5th only due to his size and potential what his size would give, when he matured?.

Because that what it looks like, surely he wasn't ranked high because most thought he was better,more talented what likes of
Nylander,Ehlers,Fiala,Larkin,Schmaltz,Fabbri,Pastrnak,Dvorak,Point... of his draft class

 

[93LEAFS]

whats his biggest issue skating/ iq?
i mean never say never, leivo although not a high pick had to struggle quite a bit, average fitness/skating even with good attributes, seems like hes finally making the leafs well into his 20's.

He would be best served to be traded, new scene, but also to a team with elite sports science and skating coaches.

Not a great skater, only really useful as a scorer on a top line. His style of play without being dramatically changed, doesn't play well elsewhere in the line-up. Look, the Islanders may not have the best development track record, but anyone who wants can put in the work with outside trainers in the off-season. Dal Colle grew up around the GTA where many of the best player development consultants live. For example, both Gary Roberts and Daryl Belfry are based out of there. You can hire elite skating coaches as they aren't fully contracted to teams.

Was he ranked 3rd to 5th and got picked 5th only due to his size and potential what his size would give, when he matured?.

Because that what it looks like, surely he wasn't ranked high because most thought he was better,more talented what likes of
Nylander,Ehlers,Fiala,Larkin,Schmaltz,Fabbri,Pastrnak,Dvorak,Point... of his draft class

I'll point out what happened in a couple of these cases, which are key to remember at the point they were drafted.

Nylander: Struggled in the SHL, and a bit during one of his Allsvenskan stints (he had two). His dad had a damaged reputation in the NHL, and people thought William was a selfish player. He was also cut from the WJC team, which can hurt highly rated euros.

Ehlers: Emerged from relative nowhere. People questioned if he was a product of Drouin (despite playing on a different line), and the belief QMJHL scoring is inflated. Combine that with a league that hadn't embraced the emergence of smaller guys to the current extent, you have a guy who has significant volitility in his stock.

Pastrnak: Suffered concussions

Larkin: Buried behind Eichel on the USNTDP's second line. Even more shine was taken away when Matthews was promoted mid-year to be the other middle-six center.

Fabbri: Scouts again worried about size, he also has always had a tendency to get hit hard. NHL teams are still skeptical about small guys who tend to get hit hard. It also hurt Konecny's stock

Point: Small, but never should have fallen as far as he did.

Dvorak: Missed almost the entire year with a torn knee, and previously had only played a small sample in the USHL. He was also buried in a deep Knights line-up prior to injury which stacked up due to hosting the Memorial Cup that year.

So, Dal Colle was expected to get more explosive as he filled out, and was viewed as a guy who would be a great complimentary scorer. The issue with him was, he was never really a very strong play driver benefitting from guys like Laughton and Cole Cassels who were strong play-driving 2-way centers at the CHL level. His 4th year in the OHL when he was asked to be the guy for his team, he regressed significantly in Oshawa.

 

[Roo Mad Bro]

Isles fans loved him pre draft as a core piece to put on the wing with JT. I remember that board being almost unanimous in their joy when he was selected.

 

[Canadian Game]

It's too bad. When he was with Oshawa in the OHL, I always said he was a real treat to watch. Really enjoyed watching him despite him playing on a rival team.

 

[Volica]

I wasn't a fan of his during his draft year.
There were many on the Flames board who wanted to take him. I mean, it's not that we go a world beater, but we got an NHLer at least.

It too bad, never like seeing busts like this.

 

[sabresEH]

Picks like this one and Reinhart show much the game has changed in a short amount of time. I would bet a lot of the scouts were saying we can coach up his skating to acceptable by NHL standards, and combine that shot and size and there is a lot of potential. But the game has gotten too fast.

 

[Stephen]

I can't think of a player who was in a comparable situation who bounced back for the team that drafted them. If you were that high a pick and can't earn an NHL spot in your D+5. That combined with his numbers in the AHL means he basically belongs in the long-shot category until he does something of note.

Well, Thomas Hickey looked like he would never make the NHL. Spent something like 4 solid seasons in the AHL.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Isles had a few bad years of drafting early in the 1st with him and Reinhart.

And strome and nino. All were top 5 picks.

 

[Foppberg]

Outside of Tavares the Islanders have sucked with their top picks. MDC, Reinhart, Nino, Strome.

 

[93LEAFS]

Well, Thomas Hickey looked like he would never make the NHL. Spent something like 4 solid seasons in the AHL.

And didn't do it for the team that drafted him. He was a wasted pick for LA. They lost him to waivers before he became a passable NHLer.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

I realize that. I pretty clearly said that the Isles have a somewhat poor drafting record EARLY in the first, referencing Reinhart and Dal Colle. Ho-Sang at 28th overall isn't early.

Lol you said Ho Sang is pretty young yet Dal colle was the same draft

so how isnt Ho Sang a bust?

 

[Gnashville]

and ho-sang

Ho-Sang can play but he has the work ethic of Brennan Huff.

 

[Brunomics]

He's a complimentary player who has never had the chance to be one at the professional level. More likely than not he's a better Matt Moulson. He'll be the guy on the line that can finish the play. But he'll never create or be the driver of a line.

At this point he's nothing more than an afterthought. But if you put him with a good center/wing combo that is looking for that third guy he'll probably have about 20 goals or so but you won't notice him in any other facet of the game.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

Considering I completely forgot he existed and haven't heard his name in like 2 years besides the "Notable Busts" threads, I thought this was already well established.

 

[Bonzo111]

Ho-Sang can play but he has the work ethic of Brennan Huff.

Hahah. Well played

 

[ijuka]

Yeah, next to Reinhart, biggest busts in a while.

I think Islanders should try to trade Dal Colle for Bouchard. You never know.

 

[RedWingzz]

A trade would do him good. You never know, if he gets that chance in the NHL he could still become a useful player. Unlikely, but you never know.

 

[MXD]

Can we say that Michael Dal Colle is a bit similar do Michael Ryder in the way they play?

Ryder was somewhat similar to Dal Colle in the Juniors and in the Minors (with the exception that he played in the ECHL, something 5th overall are never doing anyways). Then Ryder proceeded to have a pretty good D+5 (virtually PPG in the AHL), started his D+6 in Montréal and finished 2nd in Calder voting with a 81-25-38-63 line in 03-04, nearly leading the ECSF-bound Habs in scoring.

Ryder ended up playing over 800 RS NHL games, scoring 484 points. Scored 30 goals twice. Very solid playoff contributor (for the Bruins at least), and without him, they almost certainly stumble in the first round in 2011.

Granted, Ryder was picked 216th overall, and thus overachieved. And drafting the future Michael Ryder at 5th OA would be a disappointment. But it could be worse -- you could draft Benoit Pouliot @ 4th!

 

[tucker3434]

Lol you said Ho Sang is pretty young yet Dal colle was the same draft

so how isnt Ho Sang a bust?

Usually guys only get the bust label if they originally seemed like locks to be impact players in the NHL. That’s not Ho Sang. He was always a big risk, which is fine when you’re picking at 28.

 

[Brock Radunske]

Someone might be able to grab him with a 5th-7th round pick.
Would be good to see if he could be salvaged.

 

[PuckItUp27]

Knew he was a bust after watching him the first ever prospect game after the Isles drafted him. Looked like complete garbage just like Reinhart. The Eye Test is better than any scouting report or analytics/stats.