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What happened to Dal Colle?

Romkey

Registered User
Jul 24, 2011
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He was a highly touted prospect, looked incredible in junior.

So why, 6 years later, has he never made the roster in New York? Is his work ethic lackluster? Did he have a major injury that changed him? Was he never really that good to begin with?

I'm genuinely curious why this guy's development fell off a cliff.
 
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Hynh said:
Drafted by the Islanders top 5 and he wasn't named Tavares.
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Pretty much. Since the 2006 draft:

Picking 4th or 5th OA: Nino, Strome, Reinhart, MDC

Picking anywhere else in the 1st: Okposo, Bailey, Tavares, de Haan, Nelson, Pulock, Ho-Sang, Barzal, Beauvillier, Bellows, Wahlstrom, Dobson

So we're 0/4 picking 4th or 5th, but have yet to have a bust anywhere else in the 1st
 
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Who knows. I think he lost a linemate in Oshawa during his draft +2 season and his production took a nose dive. He found his form after going to Kingston but the seeds were already planted for certain Isles fans to question his quality. After that he went to the "forward wasteland" that is Bridgeport and, no surprise, he didn't produce. The only player there that I've seen that displayed any ability to create offense was Ho-Sang and from what I understand they did not play together much(not sure why).

For a kid with poor skating ability who already lacked some confidence, coming over to BP and not being able to produce because he's not the type of player to drive a line probably made things 10x worse. Add in a couple of years at Prospect Camp where he should have been a force - considering he was an older top-5 pick - yet he was JAG, I'm sure that didn't help things.

Personally I wanted Fabbri back in '14, was pretty vocal about it, but still I never anticipated this. Funny considering he was viewed as the "safe" pick. You'd figure Isles fans would be a bit more weary of taking the "safe" pick after seeing Ryan O'Marra turn into a nothing player. I'm rooting for the kid though. His story is a pretty emotional one and he seems like a great kid. If Trotz can build that confidence back up and if they can put some playmakers around him in Bridgeport, maybe he can make an NHL career for himself - even if it's far from what you'd expect of a 5th overall pick.
 
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LordNeverLose said:
Pretty much. Since the 2006 draft:

Picking 4th or 5th OA: Nino, Strome, Reinhart, MDC

Picking anywhere else in the 1st: Okposo, Bailey, Tavares, de Haan, Nelson, Pulock, Ho-Sang, Barzal, Beauvillier, Bellows, Wahlstrom, Dobson

So we're 0/4 picking 4th or 5th, but have yet to have a bust anywhere else in the 1st
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Nino is not a bust or even close to being one. He just didn’t work out on Long Island.
 
blinkman360 said:
Who knows. I think he lost a linemate in Oshawa during his draft +2 season and his production took a nose dive. He found his form after going to Kingston but the seeds were already planted for certain Isles fans to question his quality. After that he went to the "forward wasteland" that is Bridgeport and, no surprise, he didn't produce.
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A Better organization probably would have gotten a career AHL center for Dal Colle to play with. I am curious myself how much his production in the AHL would increase if he played with better players.

At this point I think the best one can hope for Dal Colle is carving out a career like Brett Connolly, but I am not even sure if that is the case.
 
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The Crypto Guy said:
Just a bad pick.
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Well, he was the consensus 5th best prospect in literally every ranking. The Islanders were getting him no matter what.

He just hasn't improved at all since his draft year.


It looked like he was going to be at the very least a James Neal type of winger but he just sucks at everything .
 
Sometimes guys don't put it together, it happens to someone picked high in almost every draft. You just gotta hope it isn't your guy.
 
he's a bust. Not the first top 5 to bust, but it is pretty striking that he didn't even make the NHL yet. Even Griffin Reinhart played some games.
 
SadSabresFan said:
Sometimes guys don't put it together, it happens to someone picked high in almost every draft. You just gotta hope it isn't your guy.
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Pretty much. I was hoping he’d drop to the Canucks. Looking back Sam Bennett, Da Colle and Virtanen were all picks who disappointed so far. At least Bennett and Virtanen look like NHL players but still not what you’d hope for in those spots.
 
chill guys he's 22 year old, whats up with thinking every prospect should be NHL ready at 20 year old... some take longer... he might be ajusting to the pro game, he had a decent first AHL season with an underwhelming one, he can still turn it around.
 
HOPE said:
chill guys he's 22 year old, whats up with thinking every prospect should be NHL ready at 20 year old... some take longer... he might be ajusting to the pro game, he had a decent first AHL season with an underwhelming one, he can still turn it around.
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Hes going to be a bust unless if a miracle happens. He was a 5th overall pick who was cut from the world juniors in his draft +1 and draft +2 years. Im pretty sure hes the only one with that kind of eligibility who was drafted in the top 5 who never played in the WJC. He does not have the skill set. You cant just hope hes going to turn into something because of his draft position. If he was taken in the 5th round no one would talk about him.
 
His skating never improved, his strength doesn't seem to have compensated for it. Unless you've got elite-level skills to compensate, you can't be a sub-par skater AND not being very strong.
 
Icebreakers said:
Hes going to be a bust unless if a miracle happens. He was a 5th overall pick who was cut from the world juniors in his draft +1 and draft +2 years. Im pretty sure hes the only one with that kind of eligibility who was drafted in the top 5 who never played in the WJC. He does not have the skill set. You cant just hope hes going to turn into something because of his draft position. If he was taken in the 5th round no one would talk about him.
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after you're drafted, you're draft pedigree should be irrelivant. it sucks they wasted a top5 on a guy who isn't ready or might never be. i would just not count a 22 year old out just yet, everyone developpement curve is different, his might be not idea but at the end of the day its a journey and he can still make it!
 
Former 5th Overall Pick. 6'3. 200lbs.

Dominated Junior.

Got to the AHL and had a terrific rookie season.

Then last season, he fell off a cliff.


Anyone have any ideas as to what happened with his game? Any Isles fans or avid AHL watches know what happened?
 
Short awnser = he busted hard

Typical islander bad drafting in the top 5 of the draft during snows tenure
 
Thrasymachus said:
Short awnser = he busted hard

Typical islander bad drafting in the top 5 of the draft during snows tenure
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I think everyone agrees with that. It's pretty clear that the verdict is in on him being any sort of regular and/or impactful NHL player.

I think the question was more "Why did he bust" or what about his game specifically didn't translate. That might be overthinking it though
 
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