New York Islanders: Impact of Dylan Strome Trade on Michael Dal Colle

Late on Sunday night former third overall pick in 2015 Dylan Strome was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. What does that mean for the New York Islanders fifth overall pick in 2014 and a potential trade?

With a successful start to the 2018-19 AHL season, Michael Dal Colle found himself called up by the New York Islanders for some NHL playing time. With 14 points in 14 games in the AHL, the former fifth overall pick in 2014 deserved the call-up to the NHL.

Dal Colle skated in two games for a total of 8:08 of ice time and was promptly sent back down to the AHL.

Again, Dal Colle was drafted fifth overall four years ago. He has six NHL games to his name. Only Connor Bleakley has fewer games played in the NHL than Dal Colle  in the first round. Bleakley hasn’t played in the NHL yet.

As the Islanders look to retool their roster players like Dal Colle are typically enticing to other teams even if they haven’t done much at the NHL level. So how does the Dylan Strome trade affect Michael Dal Colle’s potential trade value?

Similarities

Much like Michael Dal Colle, Dylan Strome is a failing top prospect. Drafted third overall in 2015, Strome has impressed at every level but the NHL. We all know how good he was in the OHL with the Erie Otters, and at the AHL level he’s a point-per-game player with 53 points in 50 games. But in the NHL that hasn’t been the case with 16 points in 48 games.

Dal Colle, drafted fifth overall in 2014 is just starting to show quality at the AHL level with 15 points in 16 games. In his 187 career AHL games, Dal Colle has 80 points. In his six NHL games to date, Dal Colle has no points.

Not only is Strome a higher draft pick he’s also been much more productive than Dal Colle at every single level from junior, to the AHL, and the NHL. The ceiling is much higher for Strome than it is for Dal Colle.

20th>3rd

On Sunday Dylan Strome (third overall in 2015) and Brendan Perlini (12th overall in 2014) were traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, the Arizona Coyotes got Nick Schmaltz (20th overall in 2014).

All three players have struggled this season, but all have potential.

Essentially, the Blackhawks gave up a former 50 point player in Schmaltz for a former 30 point player in Perlini and a kid whose a complete unknown at the NHL level but has promise.

What does this trade mean for a guy like Dal Colle, who (A) hasn’t been as good at the AHL level and (B) has done nothing when called upon at the NHL level.

Dal Colle alone was never going to return a good NHL player. He was always going to be part of a package, but with the Strome trade you can see that Dal Colle’s contribution to any package will be minute.

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Whatever value Dal Colle had its clearly been diluted. Its been four years since he was drafted fifth overall and has done little to nothing since. Dylan Strome has had less time and done more with it and was still just a supplemental piece in a trade for Nick Schmaltz.