When children lose teeth, it’s usually a momentous occasion. When they speak, you can hear the air whistling through the opening and wonder at their crooked smile. They’re expanding! The missing tooth is a sign of pride. But similar graces are not extended to my children. “That doesn’t seem normal,” “Grown men shouldn’t be losing teeth,” and “Professional hockey players who are older than you are not your children” are some of the comments people make when they lose their front teeth. However, a lot of things are spoken.
The day my son, bottom-six Stars forward Ty Dellandrea, hard-launched his teeth loss is still fresh in my memory. It was a Saturday and the NHL 2022–2023 season had just started. It appeared that Delly had made it through the preseason and was here to stay after appearing in just two games during the previous season—one regular-season game and one playoff game! Twitter was not known as X at the time, and life was good. When I opened the app, the Dallas Stars account had uploaded a new picture. It was Andrea Dellandrea! Even though he was missing one of his central incisors, he nevertheless managed to seem extremely sophisticated.
A tooth loss might be beneficial to some people’s auras. Hockey players are generally in this exclusive club, right among school-age kids who have developed a lisp all of a sudden. In Dellandrea’s instance, his dental devastation resulted in his adoption as my unique child. Plus, it was the beginning of his best season ever. That’s not really saying much, considering Dellandrea has only played a significant three NHL seasons—usually on the fourth line—and is still only 23 years old. Nevertheless, he participated in all 82 games during that season, scoring a total of 28 points—more than most mothers can say about their kids.
When the Stars played in Newark, I even had the opportunity to witness one of his nine goals during the regular season. Two of my buddies, who were supporting the home team, were pulled along by me. Dellandrea’s tip-in early in the second quarter gave Dallas the lead after a scoreless first.
“My child scored a goal!” I informed my pals. Their faces were buried in their hands. Subsequently, the Devils announcer mispronounced Dellandrea’s name when reciting the goal. Noteworthy: The Stars prevailed 4-1 in that match.
I’m telling you all of this to try and relive the happy moments. Dellandrea hasn’t had much luck with the Stars since the end of the previous season, when he turned in a pivotal and redeeming two-goal effort after being a healthy scratch. Dellandrea was a marginal checking-line player this past season despite his enormous off-ice presence, which led his teammates to believe he may be a captain someday. Throughout the regular season, he appeared in just 42 games due to his inconsistent play. Head coach Pete DeBoer didn’t need to put his trust in Dellandrea because there were other young possibilities clamoring for attention, such as summer acquisition Sam Steel and intriguing youngster Mavrik Bourque.
I’ve been preparing myself for the possibility of losing Dellandrea for a while now. I was ready for the worst when the Stars tried to acquire Chris Tanev in February. “Yes, the Void, Chris Tanev is good,” I replied. “But did you think that I might pass away?” I was shocked to see that the Void answered my summons. Without losing a single duckling, the Stars made it past the trade deadline. Dellandrea’s best friend and former roommate, Jake Oettinger, even found time to unveil his brand-new goalie mask, which showcased an image of my frail child in all his beauty. Regretfully, though, a mask is not a binding no-movement agreement.
My child was sent away Wednesday afternoon. That is to say, Dellandrea was eventually traded, with the sunny rebuild of San Jose as his new home. I have lost one of my own to the Bay Area before. This is not the first time. After former Stars forward Jacob Peterson was traded to the Sharks last year, he has been spending his time in the AHL. I have a little more faith in Dellandrea. He will have more opportunities to prove himself because he was previously selected in the first round, and there is undoubtedly potential. There weren’t enough minutes to go around because of the Stars’ deep bench, and it appeared that he had lost some confidence due to defensive blunders. Ultimately, I want what’s best for my child, even if it means allowing him to relocate across the country.
He will be joined in California by players like Barclay Goodrow, who will also be making the transition from a group that may challenge for a Stanley Cup to one that may have trouble winning a Calder Cup. Given Macklin Celebrini’s star potential and the youthful Sharks team in need of scorers, Dellandrea might have an opportunity to establish himself as both a leader of men and a more potent offensive player. Who knows? They mature so quickly.
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