There is perhaps no player that divides the Islanders fanbase more than Michael Dal Colle. Some fans love his hardworking spirit and unwavering work ethic. Others believe there are players in the organization that better fit the Islanders needs.
Dal Colle’s career up until this point has been a roller-coaster. With the fifth pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders selected Dal Colle from the Oshawa Generals. Dal Colle was an 18-year-old sniper with the ability to score at a crazy rate. In the season leading up to the draft, Dal Colle scored 39 goals and 56 assists for a total of 95 points in just 67 games. 
One season later, Dal Colle scored 42 goals and notched 51 assists for a total of 93 points. Also during the 2014-15 season, Dal Colle helped lead the Oshawa Generals to an OHL championship, and later, a Memorial Cup Championship. The potential for Dal Colle was evident, but he still was spending time in the minors.
The 2015-16 season saw Dal Colle traded from the Oshawa Generals to the Kingston Frontenacs. After this trade, he finally was able to make his AHL debut, playing in both the regular season and the playoffs. This brought hope to Dal Colle as it finally looked like he could see NHL time soon.
The 2016-17 season would be Dal Colle’s first full season in the AHL. Dal Colle played in 75 of the Sound Tigers games that season, managing 15 goals and 26 assists. Many believed that this would finally be Dal Colle’s time in the NHL, but he did not see time for the Islanders that season.
The 2017-18 season came and it seemed certain that it would finally be the time that Dal Colle was given his chance to show what he was made of in the NHL. But Dal Colle was cut from preseason camp and sent to the AHL where he spent the majority of the 2017-18 season. Dal Colle scored seven goals and notched 17 assists for a total 24 points in 60 games that season. Dal Colle finally got to the Islanders on Jan. 13, 2018. But he only played four games for the team that season.
The wait would finally end for Dal Colle during the 2018-19 season. After having an all-star season in the AHL scoring 16 goals and 18 assists in only 34 games, Dal Colle was finally called up for 28 games during the season, where he scored three goals and four assists for a total of seven points. As of Oct. 14, 2019, Dal Colle has played in all six games to start the 2019-2020 NHL season.
There are many questions surrounding Dal Colle. Many wonder why is this only his first full season in the NHL after being drafted in the top-five nearly six years ago. Could it be due to poor development? Could he have just not been ready? These questions will only answer themselves over the course of this season.
After over five years of waiting and a fresh two-year contract, Dal Colle looks to finally be a full-time member of the New York Islanders.

David Lazar