LD Sam Dickinson - London Knights, OHL (2024, 11th, SJ)
- Thread starter LeProspector
- Start date
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Playing great in a junior hockey league and then coming to a tournament like this can be eye opening over what a player actually is. All these guys dominate against competition that is mostly future cashiers and cooks.
Even more so I think when you play on the London Knights. There are good aspects of development you get from a team like that, but it’s also an unrealistic environment. You have to take some of what’s accomplished with a grain of salt.
Even more so I think when you play on the London Knights. There are good aspects of development you get from a team like that, but it’s also an unrealistic environment. You have to take some of what’s accomplished with a grain of salt.
It was Bonk, then Dickinson but his first chance last night he tried to pass a puck through a Czech skate and it's funny how the puck didn't go through the skate.. stopped right in front of the player so he could shoot it down the ice. It was Molendyk after that who ended up with the blast that Martone tipped.
Jargon
Registered User
From what it sounds like from folks on the Sharks who have been watching him, it seems like the coach has told him to play a quiet defensive game. It’s possible that he’s being coached against his own instincts and those moments of indecision are coming from not really knowing what’s expected of him. I’d be a bit more worried if this team didn’t generally sound like a mess.
There’s no doubt he’s got a ton to learn still but he’s very very young and has all the tools.
There’s no doubt he’s got a ton to learn still but he’s very very young and has all the tools.
Dickinson will be fine. You want him to have a better showing than he did, but it's a short tourney.
I remember Luke Hughes trying to play hero hockey every shift and getting bashed because of his showing at the WJC.
I remember Luke Hughes trying to play hero hockey every shift and getting bashed because of his showing at the WJC.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
When all of Team Canada looked in disarray it kind of blunts the significance of any one particular prospect having a bad tournament.
Dickinson has to improve to jump to the pros. Most prospects do because that's normal. But I'm not going to hang him for struggling when cast into a role he wasn't used to playing, then having to suddenly shift gears mid-tournament due to injury and looking unsure about what he should be doing (gee, some practices might've helped with that...)
Dickinson has to improve to jump to the pros. Most prospects do because that's normal. But I'm not going to hang him for struggling when cast into a role he wasn't used to playing, then having to suddenly shift gears mid-tournament due to injury and looking unsure about what he should be doing (gee, some practices might've helped with that...)
Bounces R Way
Registered User
They definitely needed more from him. He wasn't very good all touney and horrible in the QF against the Czechs.
Doesn't mean he's not a solid prospect but for me kinda reinforced my thoughts pre-draft he'd be more of a good top 4 NHLer than a sure fire top pairing or #1. Good looking floor and a solid pick at #11 but I dunno about the home run some were seeing it as.
Doesn't mean he's not a solid prospect but for me kinda reinforced my thoughts pre-draft he'd be more of a good top 4 NHLer than a sure fire top pairing or #1. Good looking floor and a solid pick at #11 but I dunno about the home run some were seeing it as.
Didn't you recently say the same thing on a different thread about USNTDP players?
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dickinson is still on track to become a perennial Norris winner once he makes the big club. It's not his fault that Team Canada sucks and has a terrible coaching staff that couldn't win even if they had prime Gretzky on their squad.
I guess that I should have used the sarcasm emoji, the OHL is still a hotbed for NHL talent and like every other feeder league most players are out of hockey very quickly after their time there.
Well I'm high on Dickenson having a long NHL career, I doubt that he even has more than 2 top finishes in his future as the NHL is blessed with many elite Dmen.
hockey20000
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Star Platinum
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It really depends on where one stands in the good judgment nature vs. nurture debate.
Watching him in preseason, the tools are evident. The one tool that didn't seem apparent to me was that even when he makes the right decision, he's an okay passer at best and passing in my opinion is the most important trade of an offensive defenseman - even above the heavy shot. In preseason, he was playing very similarly to how it sounds like he played for Canada (I didn't watch any of the games), but a more cautious trying to be responsible on the defensive end style of game and not as offensively aggressive as he is with London. Our challenge with him is that his two options next year are to return to London, where he's not really being sufficiently challenged or to play at the NHL level where he may be overwhelmed even in a third pairing role.
I hope he can learn to make quicker stronger decisions as he matures.
Perennial Norris winner.. I will gladly return to this space and eat a smorgasbord of crow and crow like materials if he wins a Norris. If he gets a vote in his career even.
CaptainShark
Registered User
I was ready to agree… then you had to take it too far (last sentence).
Pavels Dog
Registered User
I try not to let one WJC influence my entire opinion about a player, but this guy gave me vibes of David Rundblad’s disastrous tournament many years ago. Not a great sign.
one2gamble
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- Dec 24, 2007
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People are putting way to much blame on the players for that shit show lol
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
100% I was absolutely expecting more from Dickinson based off the season he has had in the OHL. But I feel like to a man pretty much the entire team under performed. At a certain point that stops being on the players and is on the coaches being unable to unlock anyones best game.
