Talk about culture shock. Ty Dellandrea has been loaned to JYP Jyväskylä of Finland’s top league until further notice, with the young forward expected to return to Dallas Stars training camp when it gets underway. Dellandrea, 20, has spent the last four seasons playing for the Flint Firebirds of the OHL, serving as captain since 2018.
The 13th overall pick in 2018, there’s a lot to like about the game Dellandrea brings to the ice. Not only is he talented enough to score in bunches, but his character, leadership and work ethic are all exceptional. While those things can be said about many players and it’s hard to quantify exactly what they mean on the ice, Dellandrea has continually seen his stock rise directly because of the impact he makes off the ice as well.
At last year’s World Junior tournament he was named an alternate captain for Team Canada and held his own offensively, scoring three goals and five points in seven games. He also managed to get into 11 AHL games at the end of the 2018-19 season, where he scored his first few professional points.
Now old enough to head to the AHL full time, Dellandrea will first get a taste of international hockey in Finland. At this point, success won’t be a surprise for the young forward, but development is still the goal.
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