D Rodwin Dionicio - Niagara IceDogs, OHL (2023, 129th, ANA)

[LeProspector]

His equivalent is Lane Hutson, plays in the NCAA and is THE best in his entire league in his field at a low age.

The fact that Montreal already has a player of this profile means that I do not want to have another and neither does the management. It is rather defensive backs who are to be favored.

Logan Mailloux has an offensive profile, he doesn't excite me that much.

I'm past the age of being a child and the experience to understand that you don't build an NHL defense by only looking at points in junior leagues.

I thought with Simashev and Dragicevic the scout criteria seemed more obvious.

Love seeing you ignore my discussion Points and steer the conversation away from what i was saying. Once again letting pride get in the way.

 

[PanniniClaus]

In Rodwin we trust.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Love seeing you ignore my discussion Points and steer the conversation away from what i was saying. Once again letting pride get in the way.

I don't agree on anything with what you say so I don't see the interest in continuing with off-topic debates.

For example, the Dionicio/Pulkkinen comparison, I have trouble seeing the resemblance so okay, I'll let it go.

 

[Giguere27]

I don't agree on anything with what you say so I don't see the interest in continuing with off-topic debates.

For example, the Dionicio/Pulkkinen comparison, I have trouble seeing the resemblance so okay, I'll let it go.

Normally I’m just reading on this board, but it gets annoying.

So please stop posting again and again in threads about Ducks prospects.


You stated you opinion on Dionico so many times. Why do you have to comment on every other user’s assessment on Dionico. You don‘t have to agree with their sight, but stop trying to convert everybody.


Concentrate on the prospects of your favorite team and stop making other teams prospects bad.


They are all prospects and only time will tell, who will make the NHL regularly.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Normally I’m just reading on this board, but it gets annoying.

So please stop posting again and again in threads about Ducks prospects.


You stated you opinion on Dionico so many times. Why do you have to comment on every other user’s assessment on Dionico. You don‘t have to agree with their sight, but stop trying to convert everybody.


Concentrate on the prospects of your favorite team and stop making other teams prospects bad.


They are all prospects and only time will tell, who will make the NHL regularly.

You will notice two things: I posted on the Dionicio topic well before he was selected by Anaheim, I avoided entering into a childish Anaheim/Montreal war. But otherwise, I do what I want, sorry.

 

[Speyer]

Has signed a contract with NL(A) team Biel-Bienne for next season. I thought he was going to play AHL but coming back to Switzerland is certainly not the worst career move either. It will be interesting to see where he slots in in Biels lineup next year.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Has signed a contract with NL(A) team Biel-Bienne for next season. I thought he was going to play AHL but coming back to Switzerland is certainly not the worst career move either. It will be interesting to see where he slots in in Biels lineup next year.

Ducks have a lot of good d prospects, himself included, so this might be the best way for him to play.

 

[Speyer]

Ducks have a lot of good d prospects, himself included, so this might be the best way for him to play.

He needs several years of seasoning anyway if he is going to make the NHL. He might start to learn the pro game in Switzerland and then move to the AHL down the line when some of the Ducks other prospects have already graduated in that league. The NL is not perfect and doesn't offer the same level of intensity and tactics as the SHL, but its a good skating league. So Dionicio will have to improve his skating when he wants to succeed here which should be one of his main goals regarding his development anyway.

 

[LeProspector]

He needs several years of seasoning anyway if he is going to make the NHL. He might start to learn the pro game in Switzerland and then move to the AHL down the line when some of the Ducks prospects have already graduated in that league. The NL is not perfect and offers not the same level of intensity and tactics as the SHL but its a good skating league. So Dionicio will have to improve his skating when he wants to succeed here which should be one of his main goals regarding his development anyway.

Smart move by Dionicio

 

[Kcoyote3]

Seen him a lot this year. He’s big, but painful awkward on his skates. He can get a top speed going eventually that is decent but he doesn’t have great balance or agility. Most of his points have come from the power play, directing pucks on net. He is an interesting project cause he does seem to have an offensive mind and knows where the play is going, but doesn’t always have the speed or the passing skills to really get it there. Needs a lot of work, but has a good frame to build on. Maybe a 5-7th round pick and see where it goes

From this post 2 years ago to now one of, if not the best, offensive defenseman in junior hockey. Dude is insane. 5 points tonight

 

[Static]

 

[Sean Garrity]

From this post 2 years ago to now one of, if not the best, offensive defenseman in junior hockey. Dude is insane. 5 points tonight

What would you say have been the keys to the development you’re describing?

 

[Kcoyote3]

What would you say have been the keys to the development you’re describing?

He's changed his offensive game completely since then. Before he was stretch-pass focused, and trying an abundance of point shots as his many drivers of offense. He's now turned into a puck-possession monster. He has developed some seriously good hands that allow him to maintain possession in all three zones. He's gotten a touch quicker and his feet have improved. They're still not a strength but they're not awful awful like they were in his draft year. Combo all that with some improved physicality and he's rounded out nicely. He has so many more leaps to go before being an NHLer, but the improvement is frankly really impressive in 2 years.

 

[Hinterland]

He's changed his offensive game completely since then. Before he was stretch-pass focused, and trying an abundance of point shots as his many drivers of offense. He's now turned into a puck-possession monster. He has developed some seriously good hands that allow him to maintain possession in all three zones. He's gotten a touch quicker and his feet have improved. They're still not a strength but they're not awful awful like they were in his draft year. Combo all that with some improved physicality and he's rounded out nicely. He has so many more leaps to go before being an NHLer, but the improvement is frankly really impressive in 2 years.

Yeah. I think that is all mostly tied to two things though.

Firstly he only started playing defense relatively shortly before moving over to North America. He had to make adjustments first, learn how to play defense and then ajusting again to the smaller ice. Also, his first team (Niagara) was a mess. Not really an ideal environment for a perhaps bit more mentally fragile prospect like Dionicio.

Secondly I think he only started taking hockey seriously after moving over to NA. The same season (21/22) he failed a physical at camp ahead of the WJC20. Head coach Marco Bayer still put him on the roster but Dionicio played a bad tournament. He was a double underager as well but I think that was a wake up call. He realized he can't continue like this if he wants to reach his potential. I forgot about the details but I heard he then started to change his diet, practice more and differently.

It's between that WJC20 and the next one (where I had zero expectations but he was actually really good) that he made the biggest jump I believe. He's obviously still improving but I think it was mostly just key for him to understand that he can't take full advantage of his tools such as his big body or his great hands if he doesn't have the speed and mobility to back it up.

 

[Speyer]

I really like his fake's in the offensive zone. Often its really hard for the opposing defenseman and goaltender to predict if he is going to shoot, pass or hold on to the puck and dangle. You can really see this well on his assist of the rush from yesterdays game. Overall he is definitely the most talented Swiss defenseman with the puck since Josi. If he could now round out his skating a bit he could become a really good NHL player.

 

[Static]

 

[De Montreal]

Lead the OHL in points among defenceman. Now up to 15 points in 17 games with half a game still to go.

I'm partial to big dman who wants to be difference maker on the ice and he's exactly that. Maybe prone to some mistakes from time to time but if he develops well he could be a force on the Ducks top 4 in a few years.

 

[Bobby Holik agent]

Some scouts were sleeping on that guys let me tell ya.
Should have been a 2nd rounder at minimum.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Some scouts were sleeping on that guys let me tell ya.
Should have been a 2nd rounder at minimum.

I'm pretty salty Montreal didn't take this guy.

Instead they took their 3rd goalie of the draft.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I'm pretty salty Montreal didn't take this guy.

Instead they took their 3rd goalie of the draft.

That was a bit weird, guess they thought it was a position of weakness.

Idk what to make of our 23 draft

Pitre Tearrance and Myatovic seem like really vanilla forwards with limited nhl upside.

Carlsson and Clara look legit

Siderov looks like the best forward not named carlsson from draft, but very boom or bust style.

Dionicio/Port seems like a great value pick... kinda opposite in terms of age... but both seem to have NHL potential

 

[tomd]

He was a 5th round over age pick b/c his skating and defense were big weaknesses. How much he improves in those area will determine how far his pro career will progress.

 

[Bobby Holik agent]

New highlights dropped. 4th points for Dionicio tonight and it getting NASTY

 

[Hinterland]

Some scouts were sleeping on that guys let me tell ya.
Should have been a 2nd rounder at minimum.

I'm still shocked NJ didn't take him. It's not every year you get to draft a Newark native.

Also, he was expected to go in the 3rd round and NJ even traded a pick I believe.
At least they easily could have taken him and the same goes for all other teams.

He's still a long shot to make the NHL but shouldn't have fallen to the 5th round because of his upside alone.

Will be interesting to see how he does playing vs men on the wider European ice next season. Should be a good challenge. I think he's better suited for the smaller NA ice but European ice will force him to continue working on his skating.

 

[De Montreal]

I'm still shocked NJ didn't take him. It's not every year you get to draft a Newark native.

Also, he was expected to go in the 3rd round and NJ even traded a pick I believe.
At least they easily could have taken him and the same goes for all other teams.

He's still a long shot to make the NHL but shouldn't have fallen to the 5th round because of his upside alone.

Will be interesting to see how he does playing vs men on the wider European ice next season. Should be a good challenge. I think he's better suited for the smaller NA ice but European ice will force him to continue working on his skating.

Uh what did I miss? Will he be playing in Europe next year? I thought he was going to AHL

 

[Hinterland]

Uh what did I miss? Will he be playing in Europe next year? I thought he was going to AHL

He's gonna play for Biel-Bienne next season. He desperately wanted to play for San Diego this season but that plan died with him getting traded to Saginaw. He then said he's not gonna return to the OHL for an overager season and that he'd talk with the Ducks about his plan for next season. Then the news dropped that he signed in Switzerland: