Defenseman Sebastian Dell’Elce with St. Andrew’s College. Photo credit: Paul Mosey/St. Andrew’s College”>
As the Niagara IceDogs get set to open up their 2025 pre-season against the Flint Firebirds on Saturday, Aug. 30, the pack will have several new faces in their lineup. There will be eyes on 2025 first-rounder Ryerson Edgar and recently acquired Vancouver Canucks prospect Riley Patterson. However, the organization has a new member on their blueline who is ready to follow in his older brother’s footsteps.
On June 30, the organization traded away forward Blake Arrowsmith and a conditional 2028 seventh-round draft pick to the Soo Greyhounds in exchange for the player rights to defenseman Sebastian Dell’Elce. A couple of weeks after the move, Niagara announced the signing of the Nobleton, Ontario, native, further strengthening their blueline ahead of the 2025-26 season, an area the team needed to improve upon from last season.
Dell’Elce has been developing under the St. Andrew’s College academy in Aurora, Ontario, for the past two seasons.
“It was awesome (playing for SAC). The development is first there and is treated like a college program. We were skating and working out every day after school. I think it was a great two years of development for myself, and I am super grateful for St. Andrew’s,” said Dell’Elce.
After leading his prep hockey squad in scoring amongst defenseman with 38 points (4 goals, 34 assists) in 55 games, the 6-foot-1 left-shot rearguard is ready to take that next step in his development, and is eager to get that first official OHL game under his belt.
“I think the OHL is the best junior league there is in terms of development and preparing you for the next level. I’ve always wanted to play in the OHL. I just didn’t think I was ready to make that jump as a 16-year-old, and decided to take some time to play at St. Andrew’s. But with the rule opening up (NCAA commitment rule change with CHL leagues), I think I’m ready to make the jump, and I’m super excited and grateful for Niagara on this opportunity.”
During the 2024-25 season at St. Andrew’s, Dell’Elce played with a couple of high-end forwards, who ended up hearing their names called at the 2025 NHL Draft. Aidan Lane — Calgary Flames sixth-rounder — and Kieren Dervin — Vancouver Canucks third-rounder — both had brief stints in the OHL last season with Brampton and Kingston, though they spent the brunt of the year playing at the prep level alongside Dell’Elce.
Like his St. Andrew’s teammates, Dell’Elce was entering his first year of NHL draft eligibility. Unfortunately, the young man went undrafted. Good thing he has an older brother who knows what it’s like to go through the draft without getting that exciting phone call from an NHL GM.
Sebastian’s older brother is fellow blueliner Francesco Dell’Elce. Francesco wasn’t just passed up once in the NHL draft; he went through two drafts without hearing his name called. The word perseverance must be written somewhere in the Dell’Elce household, as Francesco finally had his name called at the 2025 NHL Draft, with the Colorado Avalanche drafting him 77th overall in the third round.
“We were at home watching the draft with my family, hoping for the best, and when we saw his name pop up on the screen, it was just super exciting. It was awesome and just super happy for my brother.”
It can’t be easy to watch your older brother working so hard and striving to reach his goal of playing in the NHL one day, and having to suffer the disappointment of going undrafted in consecutive drafts.
“It was hard for my entire family. But the way he picked himself back up after that was inspiring for me and my family. We were all just super happy for him on his last go around of the draft to get it done and hear his name called.”
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The Niagara IceDogs are loaded with high-end talent at the forward position, and they just announced another significant commitment to their lineup for the 2025-26 season.
Older brother Francesco shared some words of wisdom with his younger brother Sebastian after he had to experience going undrafted this past June.
“Just like myself and him not going in our first year, he said it’s not the end of the world, because there are many different ways that you can make it. Being drafted is obviously one of them, but it’s not the only way to make it.”
Dell’Elce recognizes that the OHL has tons of players who get drafted into the NHL every year, and he will gain more attention from scouts playing for the IceDogs.
The OHL had 41 of its players selected at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles. Of course, it was highlighted by Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa going first and second overall, but it was also the most OHL players selected in the NHL draft since 2017.
The new Niagara blueliner is a smooth-skating defenseman who can be relied upon in all situations and consistently makes a smart first pass on his zone exits. As voted on by St. Andrew’s players and staff, Sebastian received the Top Defensive Player Award last season. The IceDogs were a potent offensive team last season. Alas, their struggles came on the defensive side of the puck, and those holes were exposed in the second half of the year.
Sebastian grew up a Patrick Kane and Chicago Blackhawks fan. He is also a supporter of his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs and likes to watch Morgan Rielly.
Dell’Elce committed to Quinnipiac University in the spring of 2024. Older brother Francesco played for UMass this past year. Sebastian will look to follow in his footsteps. However, it is not set in stone yet when he will head to the NCAA. The IceDogs have him for this season and may get him for another.
For now, he is focused on building a winning culture in Niagara for the 2025-26 season and getting better with every passing game, hoping by the end of June 2026, he will have his name called at the draft.
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