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LD Sam Dickinson - London Knights, OHL (2024, 11th, SJS)

BlueBull said:
Sounds like a very NHL Name tbh.

Don't know much about this kid but he looks promising.
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Ill provide some info:

Dickinson is an elite and complete defender that has the ability to control the game. He is a powerful skater that uses his mobility to defend and create offence. Dickinson was one of the toughest players to play against in the GTHL this season because of how physically imposing he is. He is good at taking time and space away, good at separating man from puck and has a very good stick. Reminds me somewhat of Owen Power.
 
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Didn't watch any of it but word is he lived up to the hype at the Canada U17 camp.

More interestingly - it appears he is leaning towards playing with the Chicago Steel this up-coming season. Yup...another high-profile Canadian kid on his way to the Windy City (if the report is true). Not sure if that means he's considering the NCAA path or not but this would really sting for the IceDogs because this kid looks ready to go from day one. I can't imagine Niagara would have used the 4th overall pick on a guy they might have trouble signing but here we are.

Edit: Sounds like he just doesn’t want to go to Niagara. The Steel could be leverage and/or a temporary stop until the IceDogs trade his rights to another OHL team.
 
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BKarchitect said:
Didn't watch any of it but word is he lived up to the hype at the Canada U17 camp.

More interestingly - it appears he is leaning towards playing with the Chicago Steel this up-coming season. Yup...another high-profile Canadian kid on his way to the Windy City (if the report is true). Not sure if that means he's considering the NCAA path or not but this would really sting for the IceDogs because this kid looks ready to go from day one. I can't imagine Niagara would have used the 4th overall pick on a guy they might have trouble signing but here we are.

Edit: Sounds like he just doesn’t want to go to Niagara. The Steel could be leverage and/or a temporary stop until the IceDogs trade his rights to another OHL team.
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Awesome post! Glad to hear he is as good as advertised! He’s already been widely speculated in OHL circles he’s not going to report to Niagara unfortunately. He will be labeled as defective, traded for a haul of picks and they’ll get a compensatory selection in next year’s priority selection (I believe at 5th overall, but I could be wrong).

It’s unfortune for Niagara fans for sure, they have a pretty good list of defects in their franchise’s history and Dickinson likely adds to that.
 
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GermanSpitfire said:
Awesome post! Glad to hear he is as good as advertised! He’s already been widely speculated in OHL circles he’s not going to report to Niagara unfortunately. He will be labeled as defective, traded for a haul of picks and they’ll get a compensatory selection in next year’s priority selection (I believe at 5th overall, but I could be wrong).

It’s unfortune for Niagara fans for sure, they have a pretty good list of defects in their franchise’s history and Dickinson likely adds to that.
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As of now the Steel could potentially have the following Canadians on the team next year. I will be surprised if Hage doesn’t sign with Kitchener and if Dickinson gets dealt I’ll assume he’s likely going to stay with the OHL as well but:

Celebrini (06), Dickinson (06), Hage (06), Perron (05), Moldenhauser (04)
 
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BKarchitect said:
As of now the Steel could potentially have the following Canadians on the team next year. I will be surprised if Hage doesn’t sign with Kitchener and if Dickinson gets dealt I’ll assume he’s likely going to stay with the OHL as well but:

Celebrini (06), Dickinson (06), Hage (06), Perron (05), Moldenhauser (04)
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That’s actually insane if you think about what the USHL looked like 10 years ago and how CHL franchises perceived the league then.

Celebrini could be the top ‘06 in the world, Hage top 10 and Dickinson one of the top defenders, Perron was a potential top-10 WHL bantam pick and Moldenhauer was a first rounder and they choose to go te USHL/College route. And it’s only going to become more common.

I’m still not convinced that Dickinson will report but if he does. WOW does that ever give the USHL more credibility.
 
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It's great to see top talent looking into the USHL as an option, but how is it that the Steel just gets first pick of all the top talent? Genuine question, not sure how that process works in the USHL.
 
The Puckhound said:
It's great to see top talent looking into the USHL as an option, but how is it that the Steel just gets first pick of all the top talent? Genuine question, not sure how that process works in the USHL.
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It's all recruitment and the Chicago Steel, Tri-City Storm and the Muskegon Lumberjacks are in a class of their own in this regard in the league for the most part.
 
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GermanSpitfire said:
It's all recruitment and the Chicago Steel, Tri-City Storm and the Muskegon Lumberjacks are in a class of their own in this regard in the league for the most part.
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Appreciate the reply! No denying that the Steel have built some prestige for themselves as destination. It will be interesting to see how many of the players above end up playing there.
 
canuck2010 said:
Makes for a shit league competitively if you ask me.
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Parity still exists in the USHL. Look at the previous four champions eliminating the Covid lost season. Sioux City, Chicago and Fargo have all won.

Chicago continues to recruit those elite Canadians. Great program and if it's Chicago it's definitely an option for him to play next season and the year after. Not just a leverage tactic.
 
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Speaking of prestige teams in a league and being able to leverage things heavily in their direction compared to their league mates - it appears his rights are being dealt to London - I’d say this may change his plans for suiting up in the USHL this year…and London end up with the probably most promising 06 defender in Ontario for a bunch of 2nd and 3rd round picks.

(For the record - I’m not saying those picks don’t help Niagara re-tool just that powerhouse teams are in every league he it Chicago, London or Halifax)

 
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I would like to add that I believe Niagara Selected him with the hope he’d be defective - by doing this they get an absolute haul of draft picks and also the 5th overall pick in the 2023 OHL draft. Niagara essentially kicks the can down the road with their draft pick, and they pick up multiple 2nd and 3rd round picks also.

Peterborough did this in 2018 when they selected Will Cuylle 3rd overall in the OHL draft and he refused to report so he was traded to the Windsor Spitfires for bunch of picks plus the guaranteed top 5 pick in 2019… that pick turned into Mason McTavish.

Sam Dickinson got what he wanted by going to one of the big dogs in the OHL but it was definitely a win - win as Niagara got what they wanted also.
 
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GermanSpitfire said:
Awesome post! Glad to hear he is as good as advertised! He’s already been widely speculated in OHL circles he’s not going to report to Niagara unfortunately. He will be labeled as defective, traded for a haul of picks and they’ll get a compensatory selection in next year’s priority selection (I believe at 5th overall, but I could be wrong).

It’s unfortune for Niagara fans for sure, they have a pretty good list of defects in their franchise’s history and Dickinson likely adds to that.
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I’d be interested in seeing that list.
 
Kent Nilsson said:
I’d be interested in seeing that list.
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Sure - their first draft was in 2008 and here are the defects:

Lucas Lessio - 2009

Adam Bateman - 2011

Logan Brown - 2014

Sam Dickinson - 2022










It may not seem like alot - but here is the amount of defects from other OHL franchises since 2008:

Barrie: 1 - Kerby Rychel

Erie: 0

Flint/Plymouth: 1 - Ryan Mcleod

Guelph: 0

Belleville/Hamilton: 0

Kingston: 1 - Max Domi

Kitchener: 0

London: 0

Mississauga: 2 - Kirill Nizhbikov, Nick Ebert

North Bay: 0

Oshawa: 1 - Aiden Castle* This was technically a defect but he was a part of the unfinished Phil Tomasino trade, Niagara essentially made this draft pick

Ottawa: 1 - Nick Moldenhauer

Owen Sound: 1 - Victor Mete

Peterborough: 1 - Will Cuylle

Saginaw: 1 - Adam Fantilli

Sarnia: 0

Soo: 0

Sudbury: 0

Windsor: 0

Defects from Niagara since 2008: 4

Defects from the 19 other OHL franchises since 2008: 10
 
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GermanSpitfire said:
Sure - their first draft was in 2008 and here are the defects:

Lucas Lessio - 2009

Adam Bateman - 2011

Logan Brown - 2014

Sam Dickinson - 2022










It may not seem like alot - but here is the amount of defects from other OHL franchises since 2008:

Barrie: 1 - Kerby Rychel

Erie: 0

Flint/Plymouth: 1 - Ryan Mcleod

Guelph: 0

Belleville/Hamilton: 0

Kingston: 1 - Max Domi

Kitchener: 0

London: 0

Mississauga: 2 - Kirill Nizhbikov, Nick Ebert

North Bay: 0

Oshawa: 1 - Aiden Castle* This was technically a defect but he was a part of the unfinished Phil Tomasino trade, Niagara essentially made this draft pick

Ottawa: 1 - Nick Moldenhauer

Owen Sound: 1 - Victor Mete

Peterborough: 1 - Will Cuylle

Saginaw: 1 - Adam Fantilli

Sarnia: 0

Soo: 0

Sudbury: 0

Windsor: 0

Defects from Niagara since 2008: 4

Defects from the 19 other OHL franchises since 2008: 10
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What's the problem with Niagara falls?

I've never been there nor do I follow them but I do remember some Winnipeg Jet draft pick Andrew McBain playing there and having a pretty good draft season.

Scratch that it was North Bay.
 
wetcoast said:
What's the problem with Niagara falls?

I've never been there nor do I follow them but I do remember some Winnipeg Jet draft pick Andrew McBain playing there and having a pretty good draft season.

Scratch that it was North Bay.
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It’s a very good question and one I don’t necessarily have the answer to.

Dickinson was definitely because of the turmoil of the former ownership, and the uncertainty going forward.

The other 3 - I have no idea. Eugene Melnyk was an owner when Lessio and Bateman were drafted - so maybe that caused them and their family‘s to want to play elsewhere?
 
wetcoast said:
What's the problem with Niagara falls?

I've never been there nor do I follow them but I do remember some Winnipeg Jet draft pick Andrew McBain playing there and having a pretty good draft season.

Scratch that it was North Bay.
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Majority of issues probably came from the top/ownership. There was recruiting violations, questions on the team culture, etc...
 
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GermanSpitfire said:
Yesterday wasn’t his greatest game but he played well today.
Like any 16 year old in the OHL there is going to be some speed bumps. He recovered real well today.
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He's got a lot of work to do on zone exits for sure.

Reminds me a lot of Bouchard when he broke in with the Knights. Rough around the edges with decision making, but loads of potential offensively.
 
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