SAN JOSE – Forward Ty Dellandrea is fighting for a everlasting role with the San Jose Sharks this season after struggling to remain on the Dallas Stars roster last yr.
So far, Dellandrea is off to a superb start within the eyes of Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky.
During training camp and the primary two games of the season, Warsofsky has liked much of what he has seen from the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Dellandrea, who has played a north-south game while in charge away from the puck .
Dellandrea, chosen thirteenth overall by the Stars in 2018 and bought by the Sharks (0-1-1) in June, averages just 9:20 in ice time but is probably the greatest forwards within the United States San Jose killing penalties and has contributed to the identity that the team desires to have.
“I thought he was one of our best players Saturday night,” Warsofsky said of Delladrea’s appearance throughout the Sharks’ 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. “He skated and he had his legs. Looking back, I probably need to give him a little more ice time in certain situations because he was out and I need to have a little more feel for it.
“But I thought he was really good on Saturday and had some chances to score.”
Dellandrea is anticipated to begin Tuesday with Nico Sturm and Carl Grundstrom on the fourth line when the Sharks play the Stars and start a three-game road trip. The game will likely be Dellandrea's first at American Airlines Center since joining the Sharks from the Stars in June.
Despite moving from a Stanley Cup-contending team in Dallas to a rebuilding team in San Jose, Dellandrea was excited concerning the change of scenery.
A yr after scoring 28 points in 82 games for the Stars, Dellandrea was a heavy hitter 40 times last season, scoring just nine points in 42 games for a lower-ranked Dallas team that won the Central Division. He was also dropped in 13 of 19 playoff games because the Stars reached the Western Conference Finals.
The Stars made several additions ahead of the 2023-24 season, bringing in forwards Matt Duchene, Sam Steel and Craig Smith and giving younger players like Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven larger roles.
With a roster of proven veteran players like Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson already ahead of him, Dellandrea was on the surface looking in about half the time last season. And as a pending restricted free agent, his future with Big D with the Stars was unclear at best.
“They had some really good teams and they're trying to win a Cup and so they had a lot of good players, a lot of players with a lot of depth,” Dellandrea said when asked about his fewer options.
“I think I got off to a great start two years ago, and as it got toward the end and I was in and out of the lineup, I had a hard time staying consistent and maintaining my game every night. So I think that affected the way I played and performed.”
Shortly after the Sharks acquired Dellandrea for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick originally owned by the Winnipeg Jets, they signed him to a two-year, $3.4 million contract.
It was a low-risk move by Sharks general manager Mike Grier that would repay if Dellandrea regains the shape of two years ago and might put up 25-30 points while playing 13-14 minutes per game.
“He was a first-round pick, so he changed his game a little bit, probably to what he thought he would be as an NHL player, and he's still trying to find his way,” Warsofsky said of Dellandrea. “I can’t say what happened in Dallas, but I think it was a great move by (Grier). (Dellandrea) is an ambitious boy, and he also has some leadership qualities.
“Not a big singing guy, but he moves forward with his playing.”
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