Ty Dellandrea was a bright spot on a Flint Firebirds team that finished in the basement of the OHL’s Western Conference this past season and it could result in him being taken in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Dellandrea made huge improvements in his sophomore junior season, leading his team with 27 goals (14 more than he had as a rookie) and finishing the season with 59 points in 67 games this past season.
His stock rose after a solid outing at the 2018 Sherwin-Williams Top Prospects Game, scoring two goals for a victorious Team Cherry. That certainly was a contributing factor to him going from No. 76 in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings of North American skaters to No. 25 by season’s end.
Here’s more on Dellandrea…
Team: Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Position: Centre
Shoots: Right
Age: 17
From: Toronto
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 184 pounds
HAS SHOWN CHARACTER AT YOUNG AGE
Flint, Michigan isn’t among the flashier junior hockey destinations. In fact, some players simply don’t want to join the organization. Dellandrea didn’t fall into that category, though, after the team took him fifth overall in the 2016 OHL Draft.
“If they have the trust in me to pick me and want me to be their player with that pick, I think I knew I had to be loyal to them,” Dellandrea recently told NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman. “I think there were other players who did say no in the past, who didn’t want to be there. I had trust that if they were putting their trust in me that I was going to be there for them and do everything I can to help change the organization.
“I think [Flint] gets a bad rap. It’s not fair that all you see is a lot of the negatives. We’re there and we see the negatives but the positivity in the town and in the city and around the team is quite brilliant. I think the news and the outside world sees a lot of the negative and I wish they saw more of how great it’s doing.”
Dellandrea says he tries to model his game after Jonathan Toews and the quotes above highlight his off-ice leadership, something Toews has become known for.
WHAT SCOUTS ARE SAYING …
Jeff Marek: “When the stage is the biggest (Ivan Hlinka, Top Prospects game, U18) he delivers. Was a bright spot for the Firebirds in a tough season for Flint.”
Central Scouting senior manager David Gregory: “He’s the type of player that impressed us more as the year went on.”
Sam Cosentino: “You can guarantee two things with this player: work ethic and character, which are difficult to maintain playing for a last-place team. Once you know you have a model citizen, add his skating and shooting ability, and you have the perfect prospect. Dellandrea was the lone go-to option after Flint moved veterans Nick Caamano and Ryan Moore. Dellandrea faced the opposition’s best defence pairings and was often matched up against the opponent’s top line, which explains his minus-30 rating. Hone in on projection and you see a player that is good now, but will lay it all on the line to maximize his potential.”
HAS CARDIO FOR DAYS
Dellandrea was among the 104 prospects invited to the recent scouting combine and he excelled in perhaps the most infamous and difficult physical test. Dellandrea finished with the fifth-best score in VO2 Max test. It was the only test in which he finished in the top 10.
If there's one thing Ty Dellandrea and @t_emberson have down, it's their ability to answer questions RAPIDLY.
Who goes where at the #NHLDraft? pic.twitter.com/pwdJyxQXOk
— NHL (@NHL) June 19, 2018
WEARS THE MAPLE LEAF PROUDLY
Dellandrea should be a contender to represent Canada at the 2019 world juniors and based on his international track record it would appear he stands a strong chance at being a difference maker on the roster. The Greater Toronto Area product won gold with Canada at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and was a point-per-game player at the most recent under-18s.
[relatedlinks]
