"Vande came in beginning of the year and I don't want to call it a surprise, but really created a lot of offense and bought into the defensive side of the game," Sound Tigers Coach Brent Thompson said. "Because of that has created some offense for us from the back side."
The Islanders 2015 third-round pick is fresh out of the Ontario Hockey League, where he spent three-and-a-half with the Oshawa Generals and a half season with his hometown London Knights. Vande Sompel won a Memorial Cup with Oshawa in 2015 - along with Michael Dal Colle - and amassed 174 points (47G, 127A) over four years in junior. So far that offensive upside has carried over to the AHL.
Instagram from @mitchvandesompel: Mem cup champs.....dream come true
"It's been good for the most part," Vande Sompel said. "There have been ups and downs obviously your first pro year. The most important thing is coming ready every day to learn and work as hard as you can and willing to get better."
The ups include scoring his first professional goal, lining up against and playing with former NHL players, including teammates like Stephen Gionta and Steve Bernier, and opponents like Calvin Pickard, the former Colorado Avalanche goalie playing for the Toronto Marlies. He feels his game is evolving, working with a defensive-minded coach in Thompson, though the Sound Tigers bench boss knows what Vande Sompel's foundation is.
"A huge asset of his is his feet," Thompson said. "He's adapted really well to the pro game because he's so fast. He's such a strong, fast skater he can use his feet to find solutions or at least recover into defensive position."
There's a learning curve too. Vande Sompel was used to being one of the go-to guys in Oshawa, where he was an alternate captain under fellow Isles prospect Michael Dal Colle, but like most rookies, had to prove himself worthy of playing every night. As he found out earlier this season, a spot in the lineup isn't guaranteed.