Former 5th overall pick forced to sign in European league

This just in, longtime New York Islanders forward Michael Dal Colle has signed a one year deal with the Iserlohn Rooster of the German DEL.

The 27 year old former 5th overall pick (2014 NHL Entry Draft) played last season with TPS Turku of the Finnish Liiga. Previous to that he split his time in the Isles organization between the NHL and the team's AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. In total he managed just eight goals and 21 points in 112 NHL games over five seasons.

A scoring phenom in Toronto's GTHL minor hockey league, Dal Colle had an outstanding OHL career with the Oshawa Generals and Kingston Frontenacs. He was able to parlay that into a 5th overall selection, but his game never translated to the pro level. He's far too cautious and, frankly, slow of a skater to keep up at the pro level. He's supremely talented with the puck, but when you're too slow to get into the play that hardly matters.

With today's news that Dal Colle's career will continue overseas, I think we can now officially call him a draft bust. He was chosen ahead of the likes of William Nylander, Nik Ehlers and David Pastrnak. Ouch...

What's even worse is that Dal Colle was just one of two failed choices for the Isles in the 1st round of the 2014 Draft, having selected Joshua Ho-Sang 28th overall. Both players are long gone from the Isles system, having never made an impact despite their draft pedigree. Interestingly enough though, the Isles did manage to nab superstar goaltender Ilya Sorokin in the 3rd round of the 2014 Draft, so it wasn't a complete bust for former GM Garth Snow.