Ty Dellandrea
2017-18 Team: Flint Firebirds (#53)
Date of Birth: July 21, 2000
Place of Birth: Toronto, ON
Ht: 6’1” Wt: 190 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: C
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2018 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term: 76th
- Future Considerations: 32nd
The Flint Firebirds were excited at the start of the 2017-18 season. They came off a season in 2016-17 that saw them make the playoffs before losing in five games to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Things were looking up. They even started the season 3-0. Then things went south in a hurry.
The Firebirds lost nine in a row in October and November to fall out of the playoff race. Then they traded two of their best players in Nick Caamano and Ryan Moore. A promising start to a season faded into a long winter. But there was good news that came from this. The stage now belonged to Ty Dellandrea.
RELATED: THW’s 2018 Draft Guide
Dellandrea didn’t disappoint. Although the Firebirds couldn’t get back into the playoff race, we got a good glimpse of just how bright their future was with him running the show. He finished the season with a line of 27-32-59 in 67 games. Considering how much defensive attention his line got every night, this is an impressive line given he’s one of the youngest players available in this draft.
Dellandrea did it all for the Firebirds. He was their number one center. He played in all situations including both special teams units. In my live viewings of him, it felt like he’d do something special every time he touched the puck. He was also a workhorse on the defensive end. He had no issue rushing back to stop an opponent’s rush. He was consistently one of the hardest working players on the ice.
If there was anything I’d see him improve on, it’s his impact on the defensive end and his faceoffs. His -30 rating was one of the worst on the team. That’s a function of the team around him. The team save percentage was around .870. I’d still like to see Dellandrea be more of a force on the defensive end. He has the skating and body to create good transition out of his own zone. He was also a little over 50% at the dot. I’d like to see a good jump in that number in 2018-19.
Other THW Draft Profiles:
Ty Dellandrea – NHL Draft Projection
I am notably higher on Dellandrea than most in the industry. He is a top-20 overall pick for me because of the skill and upside he brings. Teams knew they needed to shut him down and he still found a way to produce good numbers. Most have him as a late first rounder to mid second rounder. His current rank of 76th by Central Scouting at midterm will shoot up thanks to his performance at the Top Prospects’ Game among other things.
Quotables
“Dellandrea has decent size, some very intriguing skill sets and is a very good skater with good speed and an explosiveness to his first few strides. He protects the puck extremely well and controls it on his stick while flying up the ice. He can beat defenders wide with no fear of taking the disk to the net.” -Dominic Tiano/OHL Writers
“Brings a perfect mix of skill and grit to the ice, Dellandrea has all the tools to be a pro in the very near future. Offensive instincts are off the charts, and he competes at a very high level, sacrificing his body to make a play. Potential top-25 pick in 2018.” -Future Considerations
“If there was one prospect who i was actively rooting for from a fan’s perspective, it was this two-way center whose solid season in terms of draft rankings has gone relatively unnoticed. Dellandrea is a big kid with above-average puck skills, but there’s a lot more to his game than just scoring. Positioning for forwards is something often overlooked, but Dellandrea is one of the smarter centers in that regard.” -Steve Kournianos/The Draft Analyst
Strengths
- Deceptive shot
- Excellent two-way center
- Good skater with explosive acceleration
- High hockey IQ
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Needs to add strength for next level
- Defensive Impact
- Faceoffs
NHL Potential
Dellandrea has top-six upside at the next level with a chance to reach top-line center potential. We’ll likely see him play another season in Flint. But don’t be surprised if he’s competing for full-time NHL duty in 2-3 years.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3/5, Reward – 4.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offence – 8/10, Defence – 7/10
Awards/Achievements
Dellandrea was the fifth overall pick of the OHL Draft in 2016. He won a gold medal for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in 2017.