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When defenseman Haydn Fleury suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes this season he became the ninth top-10 pick from the 2014 NHL draft to have played a game in the league. Michael Dal Colle, the fifth overall pick from that draft, still has a ways to go to make it 10 of 10.
The Woodbridge Ontario native has had his ups and downs since joining the Bridgeport Sound Tigers back in 2016. "Coming to the rink and playing against men. It's not like in juniors playing against kids your age, Dal Colle said. "You're playing with guys with families off the ice. The game is faster and more physical. There's less time and space to make plays. It's definitely harder to score," he said.
Scoring was never an issue for Dal Colle in the Ontario Hockey League, registering 131 goals, 316 points in 246 games. He struggled to find consistency last season but put up decent numbers, 15 goals, 41 points in 76 games.
"Last year was a learning year in the pro game. When you look at his stats, they were decent. He put up good numbers for a first-year player and took a step in the right direction, Sound Tigers head coach Brent Thompson said. "He definitely needed to be stronger, to be able to win those one-on-one battles, to be able to go to the net, and do the little things needed to be successful in this league and the NHL, Thompson said.
Dal Colle took it upon himself to get bigger this past offseason, adding seven pound of muscle. "He came into camp, his pace was better, and that helps you get into those areas, and that’s a function of his strength improving," Thompson said. "His commitment, even this last month, he’s been really working hard in the weight room, which has improved his pace on the ice and really being able to kept up with the play or get in and engage physically, or get to the net." he said.
Unfortunately his commitment has not translated to the score sheet. Dal Colle came out of the gate slowly with one goal in the first ten games. Thompson scratched him for a game in November. The strategy worked the previous season, as Dal Colle responded to the benching with eight points in his next six games. This season, not so much, as he only recorded two assists in his next six games. He did snap an eight-game goalless streak last Sunday against Leigh Valley, with his third of the season.
The issue with Dal Colle is he is not getting his shot off, his great shot was a key reason why the Islanders selected him fifth overall in 2014. Through 26 games, he has only managed 47 shots, ninth on the team.
"Sometimes It’s hard to get it off in this league. It’s a lot less time (than juniors), Dal Colle said. "Sometimes you have to pick your spots. I’ve been a little more of a disher early on (fifth on the team with nine assists). I’m confident in my ability to shoot the puck."
Thompson knows what Dal Colle needs to do. "Right now we are trying to encourage him to shoot the puck more. Especially lately I’ve really seen his shot come off his stick quickly over the last week or two, in practice especially," Thompson said. "I really like the way he’s leaning into it. Again it’s a function of him getting stronger in the weight room, now it’s just matter of finding that space in the game to get it off."
Despite the lacking of scoring, Thompson does see positives in Dal Colle's game. "He’s playing a 200-foot game now. On the offensive side of things, he is making great passes. He’s really distributing the puck very well, he’s got a great hockey sense and good offensive vision," Thompson said.
I can understand why Islanders fans have used the dreaded B word when it comes to Dal Colle, especially seeing the quality of scorers that were drafted after him, William Nylander, Nikolaj Ehlers, Dylan Larkin, David Pastrnak to name a few. In fact 28 of the other 29 first rounders have played in the league.
Am I ready to use that word when it comes to the 21-year-old winger? Not yet.
"I’m confident that if I play the right way the numbers will come," Dal Colle said. "I just gotta keep playing the right way, the 200-foot game, my defensive awareness, winning my wall battles. I’m confident in my abilities."
Dal Colle was projected to be winger that John Tavares and the organization has longed for. Now that Tavares and his linemates are tearing up the NHL. Could we see Dal Colle turn out to be a two-way forward?
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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