Hockey Essentials vs. Draft Day Black

D’Alessandro has shown off offensive potency at every level he’s played at. But the extent of his confidence in the offensive zone on Tuesday was still beyond impressive. D’Alessandro is a big-body in this class, with his 5’10”, 170 lbs-frame keeping him strong against opponents. But despite that, he remained very agile along the blue-line. His ability to walk the blue, gauging passes or opening up new lanes for his teammates, was incredibly valuable. He navigated the zone well and, along with Cole Longacre, kept active and open in the offensive end. For such a fast-paced game, having such an active pair on the blue-line created a wall that kept things locked into the offensive zone for Essentials. But beyond being a reliable passing option, D’Alessandro managed to constantly create chances with the puck on his stick. His ability to move laterally helped shift play and constantly open up different opportunities. He was also smart with his positioning, floating between the blue-line and tops of the circles confidently, which helped open space and earn him different angles and a bit more comfort in his role. And while he wasn’t afraid to make the safe play, D’Alessandro also flaunted a very heavy shot. He got the puck on net quickly and powerfully, a very welcome commodity in such a young player. He was an offensive dynamo and recorded two points as a result, one goal off a dazzling offensive play and one assist on the game-winner; both coming from nice walks along the blue-line.

Hockey Essentials vs. Elite Hockey Group

I gotta be honest, I remember him being a bit bigger and stronger physically to his stride and his play. You could tell he was constantly wanting to be in the mix in all situations but his cuts, turns, and acceleration stride could certainly take a few steps forward. All the fundamentals are there but compared to his teammate Check, there is strength to be built. He showed he can carve and cut with one skate while keeping his head up for passing lanes but also combined that with some outlet passing mistakes. Stylistically, he was all over the ice and in the mix of the play, but the individual elements to his toolkit looked to still be a work in progress.