A high-character leader and insatiable two-way puck hound, Ty Dellandrea's industrious nature that blends high levels of speed, skill, and awareness make him a natural fit for the modern professional game.
If you want to see an example of a kid who "plays the game the right way," go ahead and dial up Dellandrea's tape because that's exactly what he does.
First and foremost, his head is always up and his feet are always moving. His first three steps are among the best in the class, and he uses them to go hard into the corners and bring the heat with intense backpressure. When he gets the puck in the offensive zone, Dellandrea is on a mission to the get the net, releasing pucks from the high-quality areas with a keen ability to elevate it quickly when in tight.
The overwhelming majority of his 27 goals this past season came from within the 10-foot radius of the net. He added 32 assists and a team-best 239 shots on goal while leading the charge for a Flint Firebirds club that won just 20 Ontario Hockey League games.
Playing on a weaker team didn't afford Dellandrea many chances to show off his creative game-breaking ability and shooter's mentality, but he certainly has that club in the bag. At the CHL Top Prospects Game, Dellandrea set an event record by scoring twice in a span of 20 seconds.
Still, a player like Dellandrea focuses on the details as he's a player that generally creates offense by working smartly. He's tough as nails on the boards and has a special knack for using his stick to create turnovers. Being a natural centerman, Dellandrea's extra work at the dot also paid off with 750 faceoffs won this past season.
All signs point to Dellandrea being a prospect that won't need to take a longer path to make it to the show. It's reasonable to think that one or two more seasons of strength development will get him there as his speed and overall maturity have him on a fast track.
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For more on all the youngsters in the Sabres pipeline, check out Kris Baker's website, SabresProspects.com. You can also follow him on Twitter (@SabresProspects).
