Hands like Kane. Height like Malkin. Vision like Getzlaf. Are you salivating yet?
It’s hard to go wrong with Michael Dal Colle, left-winger and points leader for the Oshawa Generals. Dal Colle racked up 95 points over the course of 67 games (39 G, 56 A) for Oshawa this season, a huge jump from his 48-point 2012-2013 gig.
Michael Dal Colle may evolve into some sort of Kane-Malkin-Getzlaf mutant somewhere down the road. Scouts have touted his hands and his playmaking skills over the course of this past season, deeming them reminiscent of current NHL greats.
When teammates Boone Jenner and Tyler Biggs aged out of junior last season, the Richmond Hill, ON native assumed greater responsibilities with the Generals. One of those added tasks came on the man advantage, where Dal Colle led his team with 16 PPG.
The numbers are pretty, but players drafted in Rounds 2 or 3 might have comparable stats. Dal Colle stands out as a top five draft pick not only because of an attractive stat sheet, but also due to the proverbial “on-ice talent” that numbers cannot quantify.
The phrase is vague, but Dal Colle’s seven-minute highlight reel will clear up any sort of confusion or skepticism regarding his knack for goal scoring.
The tape is riddled with laser beam-esque wrist shots, the tip-toppiest of top cheddar backhands, and plenty of game-winning goals. Flyers prospect Scott Laughton makes a number of appearances, and while the two have undeniable offensive chemistry, Laughton’s defensive skills have slowly begun to rub off on Dal Colle as well.
Dal Colle ranks in at #5 overall with CSS, Bob McKenzie, and Craig Button. The New York Islanders possess the fifth pick at the 2014 Draft in Philadelphia, and Dal Colle would make an excellent companion for John Tavares.
Every talented player has his shortcomings, and Dal Colle is no exception. While he may have Malkin-like height, his weight is still not totally up to par. At 6’2”, 183 lbs., Dal Colle could afford to bulk up, but his lack of an ideal size is not an overwhelmingly deterring factor.
18-year-old boys will grow, especially with the proper monitoring by the ever-involved personal trainers of the NHL. But forechecking doesn’t come as naturally as weight gain, and Dal Colle will need to make the extra effort to develop his skills without the puck if he wants to contend for a spot on an NHL roster.