Player Discussion: Michael Dal Colle

[Chapin Landvogt]

There's no reason for the organization to "give up" on Dal Colle. He's got another year on his contract and it's a BIG year of development for him. It's one he has to take VERY seriously if he has any desire of one day being an NHL player, much less one of impact.

Of course, if he gets off to a good start and another team comes to Lou offering a player for him who Lou and the staff are convinced has an NHL future, then it might be wise to make the move, especially considering that in no less than Bellows, we have the element in the system that Dal Colle was supposed to bring to the table.

This said, there can be no doubting that his results have been very disappointing to date and any close look at his tools paints a clear picture that this is a player who is lacking the type of foot speed AND reactionary speed to get all too much done on his own. For someone who was picked based on a strong shot, it simply can't be utilized with the manner in which he is playing. His few games in the NHL suggested that he may even need to transform his game into one of banging and clogging, yet even that could require more footspeed. The size is there to become a bit of a wrecking ball.

What continues to hurt most is taking a look at what has come of sooo many of the players taken in that first round. Sheesh! The club would have practically been damned to getting better results just by throwing darts at a board full of names.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

There's no reason for the organization to "give up" on Dal Colle. He's got another year on his contract and it's a BIG year of development for him. It's one he has to take VERY seriously if he has any desire of one day being an NHL player, much less one of impact.

Of course, if he gets off to a good start and another team comes to Lou offering a player for him who Lou and the staff are convinced has an NHL future, then it might be wise to make the move, especially considering that in no less than Bellows, we have the element in the system that Dal Colle was supposed to bring to the table.

This said, there can be no doubting that his results have been very disappointing to date and any close look at his tools paints a clear picture that this is a player who is lacking the type of foot speed AND reactionary speed to get all too much done on his own. For someone who was picked based on a strong shot, it simply can't be utilized with the manner in which he is playing. His few games in the NHL suggested that he may even need to transform his game into one of banging and clogging, yet even that could require more footspeed. The size is there to become a bit of a wrecking ball.

What continues to hurt most is taking a look at what has come of sooo many of the players taken in that first round. Sheesh! The club would have practically been damned to getting better results just by throwing darts at a board full of names.

Does anyone know if Snow had a dart board in his office?

 

[blinkman360]

There's no reason for the organization to "give up" on Dal Colle. He's got another year on his contract and it's a BIG year of development for him. It's one he has to take VERY seriously if he has any desire of one day being an NHL player, much less one of impact.

Of course, if he gets off to a good start and another team comes to Lou offering a player for him who Lou and the staff are convinced has an NHL future, then it might be wise to make the move, especially considering that in no less than Bellows, we have the element in the system that Dal Colle was supposed to bring to the table.

This said, there can be no doubting that his results have been very disappointing to date and any close look at his tools paints a clear picture that this is a player who is lacking the type of foot speed AND reactionary speed to get all too much done on his own. For someone who was picked based on a strong shot, it simply can't be utilized with the manner in which he is playing. His few games in the NHL suggested that he may even need to transform his game into one of banging and clogging, yet even that could require more footspeed. The size is there to become a bit of a wrecking ball.

What continues to hurt most is taking a look at what has come of sooo many of the players taken in that first round. Sheesh! The club would have practically been damned to getting better results just by throwing darts at a board full of names.

That was one of the more mediocre 1st rounds that I can remember. The only players from that draft that I would consider to be "stars" are Draisaitl and Pastrnak. Ehlers and Nylander have looked good but aren't really at that level yet. Even Ekblad hasn't really separated himself from the pack the way I thought he would after that rookie season. I still have hope for Fabbri though if he can come back from missing a year+ to injury.

Looking back obviously Nylander or Ehlers would have been the guys to go with in that spot, as far as players who were actually considered at the time. Obviously in hindsight it's easy to say we should have passed up that pick to Buffalo but giving away a 5th overall pick was never realistic.

Oh well, even still with that huge miss we still have a top-4 system(according to HF polls at least). Not bad for a team with a 5th overall bust and 3 massive graduations last year in Barzal, Beauvillier, and Pulock.

To stay on topic though, I do have a BIT more hope for MDC now that Trotz is here. If the kid has any desire to make it as an NHLer I would assume that he'll look at this as a fresh start, and go into camp looking to impress. If he has any character at all he would have been working his ass off this entire summer trying to salvage his career. Hopefully he'll surprise and put up a respectable AHL season, where we can then re-evaluate his standing in the organization next summer.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

That was one of the more mediocre 1st rounds that I can remember. The only players from that draft that I would consider to be "stars" are Draisaitl and Pastrnak. Ehlers and Nylander have looked good but aren't really at that level yet. Even Ekblad hasn't really separated himself from the pack the way I thought he would after that rookie season. I still have hope for Fabbri though if he can come back from missing a year+ to injury.

Here's the first round (and more) from that draft and the amount of games the respective players have played in the NHL thus far as well as their stats:
Elite Prospects - NHL Entry Draft 2014

To put it simply, I see 16 picks in that first round who have already suited up for over 100 NHL games, 7 of which have suited up for over 200.

I see another 5 who are now regulars on one of their team's top 3 lines.

Then I STILL see Sanheim, Kapanen, Scherbak, Goldobin, Ho-Sang, and Quenneville, all of which could soon be regular NHLers.

No matter WHAT you think about the impact quality of the players, we struck out IMMENSELY in light of what the overwhelming majority of those first rounders have achieved to date.

In fact, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find a first round that, within 4 years of taking place, had produced so many young players who have already suited up for so many NHL games. It was a virtual gold mine.

And we got a kid who has little more to show than a born-of-desperation, mercy-based 4-game cup of coffee last season.

To this point in time, Dal Colle is an utter and almost uncontested failure in comparison to his first round brethren. ONLY Bleackley, taken 23rd overall, has been less-successful than Dal Colle.

 

[blinkman360]

Here's the first round (and more) from that draft and the amount of games the respective players have played in the NHL thus far as well as their stats:
Elite Prospects - NHL Entry Draft 2014

To put it simply, I see 16 picks in that first round who have already suited up for over 100 NHL games, 7 of which have suited up for over 200.

I see another 5 who are now regulars on one of their team's top 3 lines.

Then I STILL see Sanheim, Kapanen, Scherbak, Goldobin, Ho-Sang, and Quenneville, all of which could soon be regular NHLers.

No matter WHAT you think about the impact quality of the players, we struck out IMMENSELY in light of what the overwhelming majority of those first rounders have achieved to date.

In fact, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find a first round that, within 4 years of taking place, had produced so many young players who have already suited up for so many NHL games. It was a virtual gold mine.

And we got a kid who has little more to show than a born-of-desperation, mercy-based 4-game cup of coffee last season.

To this point in time, Dal Colle is an utter and almost uncontested failure in comparison to his first round brethren. ONLY Bleackley, taken 23rd overall, has been less-successful than Dal Colle.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to justify the miss, just saying compare that year to 2015 and you'll see what I mean.

 

[doublechili]

Does anyone know if Snow had a dart board in his office?

Yes he did. He kept it in his desk drawer, and when he needed to make a decision he'd have Cappy stand about 10 feet away holding it in front of him.

 

[13th Floor]

Does anyone know if Snow had a dart board in his office?

The argument I have every time this comes up is that this falls flat when these are consensus picks. When all scouts are projecting these players to go where they go and people on this board are thrilled with the picks on draft day, we can't play revisionist.

If Snow goes off the board and flops, then tar and feather him for that. Or at least add it to the long list of things to tar and feather for him, because that list is super long because he sucked.

But the blame for this falls more on our shit organization and their shoestring budget in actually developing players and putting them in positions to succeed, as in: creating a culture of winning; getting good development coaches; getting good big club coaches that employ systems that fit our team and highlight the assets of our players; not dumpster diving and putting impressionable prospects next to over-the-hill couldn't-care-less crap players; etc.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Dal Colle was huge in the memorial cup the year Oshawa won it under DJ Smith. As a hockey fan, I just hope he can find a place in the NHL. If not here, then there is always the Swiss league NLA. Nice place to live from my exp.

 

[DalGoal4Cups]

Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or is Dal Colle actually playing well this camp. I like his game this camp.

 

[eoin92]

Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or is Dal Colle actually playing well this camp. I like his game this camp.

Home Page - Davis Vision
Tell them I sent you. They won’t know who I am, but. Well that doesn’t matter Danny.

 

[WinhallVT124]

Honestly I don't think Dal Colle can crack the top 6 in Bridgeport.

 

[Sparksrus3]

With all the BS surrounding Willie Nylander the last few months makes me really happy we selected MDC . Let me quote a phrase from my not quite autistic 19 year old when we are trying to get him out of the house and apply it to MDC.
" Don't freaken rush me , I'll be ready when I'm ready". I love that kid. My kid .

LGI

 

[Macch]

With all the BS surrounding Willie Nylander the last few months makes me really happy we selected MDC . Let me quote a phrase from my not quite autistic 19 year old when we are trying to get him out of the house and apply it to MDC.
" Don't freaken rush me , I'll be ready when I'm ready". I love that kid. My kid .

LGI

Yeah.... rather be in the Leaf's situation with Nylander than have MDC

 

[And You Feel Shame]

Nylander for Dal Colle! (We drafted MDC to be JT's winger anyway - the heck with that Marner guy... throw him in too!)

 

[Thrasymachus]

I am not getting my hopes up. He needs to show me more.

 

[LordNeverLose]

With all the BS surrounding Willie Nylander the last few months makes me really happy we selected MDC

 

[Sparksrus3]

My wish is for all of the isles posters , not just some, to understand Sparky one day.

LGI

 

[SI]

I am not getting my hopes up. He needs to show me more.

He just needs to boost his value with a good season in the AHL

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

He just needs to boost his value with a good season in the AHL

He needs to get used to riding buses.

 

[Macch]

He needs to get used to riding buses.

Great post!

 

[seafoam]

He needs to get used to riding buses.

Or trains.

 

[Poulin 0n My St1ck]

Or trains.

or the bench.

 

[Sparksrus3]

or the bench.

Or one of those old bicycles with the super giant wheel in the front and the tiny wheel in the back. While wearing a clown costume

 

[Islanders4Cups]

Maybe he is having enough of the busses and is turning he corner.

 

[Quickdraw2828]

My wish is for all of the isles posters , not just some, to understand Sparky one day.

LGI

Is Sparky still around? Does he do games at Nassau?

Shouldn't the Islanders have a clam mascot?