LD Sam Dickinson - London Knights, OHL (2024 Draft)

[WeThreeKings]

Lol This is what I was referring to

I personally think the Hawks go Levshunov (but like you said, I don't see Demidov getting by Columbus in the event the Hawks don't take him, so this isn't cope like some Habs fans have)

I wouldn't be shocked if they did go Demidov, but if you don't have live viewings of Demidov and you are split between a winger and a defenseman, a right shot defenseman no less, and you have viewings of the defenseman but not the winger.. I would think they'd go defenseman as most teams do.

Especially if you're in a multi year rebuild like the Hawks, this might be their only chance to get a legitimate shot a top pairing right shot defenseman, next year is looking very forward heavy and with forwards that bring more size and bite to their game which would complement Bedard more.

TL;DR I think they'd take Levshunov all things considered but if they went with Demidov, I'd not be surprised at all. Either way, I know the Habs aren't getting Demidov.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Lol This is what I was referring to

Dickinson will have a bigger impact on the ice then Demidov will specially come playoff time maybe they take Levshunov but im willing to bet they dont take the russian winger

 

[HawksDub89]

I personally think the Hawks go Levshunov (but like you said, I don't see Demidov getting by Columbus in the event the Hawks don't take him, so this isn't cope like some Habs fans have)

I wouldn't be shocked if they did go Demidov, but if you don't have live viewings of Demidov and you are split between a winger and a defenseman, a right shot defenseman no less, and you have viewings of the defenseman but not the winger.. I would think they'd go defenseman as most teams do.

Especially if you're in a multi year rebuild like the Hawks, this might be their only chance to get a legitimate shot a top pairing right shot defenseman, next year is looking very forward heavy and with forwards that bring more size and bite to their game which would complement Bedard more.

TL;DR I think they'd take Levshunov all things considered but if they went with Demidov, I'd not be surprised at all. Either way, I know the Habs aren't getting Demidov.

It’s been widely reported they are most likely choosing between Demidov and Levshunov. They did their due diligence on Silayev but he’s seen as a long shot.

So I agree I think Lev is the pick if they go D.

Dickinson will have a bigger impact on the ice then Demidov will specially come playoff time maybe they take Levshunov but im willing to bet they dont take the russian winger

They may go Levshunov, regardless, I doubt Demidov makes it past Columbus.

So the gymnastics over this is probably all for nothing.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

It’s been widely reported they are most likely choosing between Demidov and Levshunov. They did their due diligence on Silayev but he’s seen as a long shot.

So I agree I think Lev is the pick if they go D.



They may go Levshunov, regardless, I doubt Demidov makes it past Columbus.

So the gymnastics over this is probably all for nothing.

Its all speculation no real info gets leaked before draft in case GMs call to move up or down most reports have Habs picking Lindstrom and i dont see it bookmark me on this if you want but Chicago aint taking Demidov its gonna be a dman i think Dickinson but could be Levshunov Silayev or even Buium i do see Columbus taking the russian star tho

Dickinson is the type of def you go to war with in the playoffs 1st paring def playing 30min a night against the opposition best players kid is already so mature hes going top 5 for sure but i think its CHI GMs always pick Defs high because they know the value they bring to a team

 

[A Loyal Dog]

I really hope Dickinson falls to the Habs and that we pick him (unlikely, since "LHD"). But he's the player I want the most.

 

[lanky]

Have you ever gotten in a tussle with @rt on the trade boards? Now is the time to get the last word in. He's started spotlighting prospects on his new Substack. Leave a comment on one his articles. Many of them are free and the cost to unlock the others is negligible.

Spotlight: Sam Dickinson

"Mr. Perfect" by Trent Hess

open.substack.com

Also credit to @Grimes for covering the trade proposals for Clean Hits.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Am I off in thinking McDonagh-like potential with this player? Stylistically you can quibble if you want, but I mean more as far as caliber of player? Or maybe current day Ekholm type impact?

Basically he's going to be; 1st pair at evens, 1st PK, he'll play the 2nd PP & chip in his share of offense at evens too (maybe a 30-40+ pt guy?).

Buium will be a better offensive player, PP1 for sure, but will he be as reliable in the other parts? I'm struggling in ranking one guy over the other haha.

 

[Kingpin794]

Am I off in thinking McDonagh-like potential with this player? Stylistically you can quibble if you want, but I mean more as far as caliber of player? Or maybe current day Ekholm type impact?

Basically he's going to be; 1st pair at evens, 1st PK, he'll play the 2nd PP & chip in his share of offense at evens too (maybe a 30-40+ pt guy?).

Buium will be a better offensive player, PP1 for sure, but will he be as reliable in the other parts? I'm struggling in ranking one guy over the other haha.

He’s kinda reminded me of Aaron Ekblad. I mean this from a junior perspective. Just a super steady, two way Dman. Someone that at worst is a reliable top 4 guy. Probably better for a team that doesn’t have as great of depth at D. Needing a sure thing vs a project with a higher ceiling that might not pan out.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

He should go top 5 IMHO, but decent chance he doesn't.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Would love him to fall to the Flames.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Am I off in thinking McDonagh-like potential with this player? Stylistically you can quibble if you want, but I mean more as far as caliber of player? Or maybe current day Ekholm type impact?

Basically he's going to be; 1st pair at evens, 1st PK, he'll play the 2nd PP & chip in his share of offense at evens too (maybe a 30-40+ pt guy?).

Buium will be a better offensive player, PP1 for sure, but will he be as reliable in the other parts? I'm struggling in ranking one guy over the other haha.

McDonagh is a little smarter. Dickinson a little bigger. Otherwise, the comparison fits.

 

[Castle8130]

Thought this quote from a GM was pretty funny;


OHL GM on Dickinson: “Dickinson will fall off. His IQ is questionable and he gets the London bump. Protected with the quality of team.”


Feels like saltiness with a little truth to it

 

[User1996]

Am I off in thinking McDonagh-like potential with this player? Stylistically you can quibble if you want, but I mean more as far as caliber of player? Or maybe current day Ekholm type impact?

Basically he's going to be; 1st pair at evens, 1st PK, he'll play the 2nd PP & chip in his share of offense at evens too (maybe a 30-40+ pt guy?).

Buium will be a better offensive player, PP1 for sure, but will he be as reliable in the other parts? I'm struggling in ranking one guy over the other haha.

Saying “he’s going to be”, seems a little hopeful to me. Especially the 1st pair part.

I am notably low on the player, though.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Thought this quote from a GM was pretty funny;


OHL GM on Dickinson: “Dickinson will fall off. His IQ is questionable and he gets the London bump. Protected with the quality of team.”


Feels like saltiness with a little truth to it

Don’t disagree with the gm, think he’s become overrated playing very freely on a stacked team. Don’t think he’d look nearly as good or produce as much on a worse team and he shouldn’t be a top 10 pick in my opinion.

Pretty good chance he’s a decent 2nd pair guy but don’t think it’s all that likely he’s much better than that.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Saying “he’s going to be”, seems a little hopeful to me. Especially the 1st pair part.

I am notably low on the player, though.

That's fair. What is it you don't like about him?

Don’t disagree with the gm, think he’s become overrated playing very freely on a stacked team. Don’t think he’d look nearly as good or produce as much on a worse team and he shouldn’t be a top 10 pick in my opinion.

Pretty good chance he’s a decent 2nd pair guy but don’t think it’s all that likely he’s much better than that.

Its not so much the production for me, its more that he skates so well & defensively some of his details are already really good. He's got size to play against NHL competition, he uses his body effectively along the walls, has a good gap, good reach. Offensively he does get involved too which is nice, and he has a good shot, but that's not his primary value.

Off puck he may be prone to the odd controller disconnect moment or can get himself into trouble overhandling the puck, but he's mostly a guy that head mans it anyways - and hes a good passer too.

Just very projectable.

 

[Senator Stanley]

Thought this quote from a GM was pretty funny;


OHL GM on Dickinson: “Dickinson will fall off. His IQ is questionable and he gets the London bump. Protected with the quality of team.”


Feels like saltiness with a little truth to it

I don't understand the "London protects him" criticism. In the Memorial Cup, I didn't see a guy who was protected, I saw a guy who was relied upon. How is playing heavy minutes against the highest level of competition in the CHL being "protected"?

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I don't understand the "London protects him" criticism. In the Memorial Cup, I didn't see a guy who was protected, I saw a guy who was relied upon. How is playing heavy minutes against the highest level of competition in the CHL being "protected"?

It's an exaggerated take IMO. London had a heck of a blueline group with the three older drafted Dmen but Dickinson was a huge part of that run as well.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

That's fair. What is it you don't like about him?



Its not so much the production for me, its more that he skates so well & defensively some of his details are already really good. He's got size to play against NHL competition, he uses his body effectively along the walls, has a good gap, good reach. Offensively he does get involved too which is nice, and he has a good shot, but that's not his primary value.

Off puck he may be prone to the odd controller disconnect moment or can get himself into trouble overhandling the puck, but he's mostly a guy that head mans it anyways - and hes a good passer too.

Just very projectable.

The thing is I think his skating is pa but overrated. It’s pretty good but nothing special. Probably an above average skater at the nhl level but that’s it. He has a good shot but don’t think his offensive skills are anything that great otherwise. Think he’s fine defensively but nothing special and he makes his share of mistakes. Don’t think he’s a great puckmover although he’s fine with his first pass and I agree that he does get involved in the offense and jump a lot which is where a lot of his offense comes from but I don’t think he’d be able to do it as much on a lesser team.

Everything about him looks more like a mid to later first rounder to me. Don’t see much upside nor do I think he’s bust-proof. Pretty good chance he’ll be a decent 2nd pair guy but don’t think it’s likely he’ll be much better than that. He doesn’t have the high-end offensive tools to be a top offensive guy nor is he gonna be an elite shutdown guy. You should be able to take players with reachable top line or pair upside in the top 10 who aren’t also risky.

 

[coooldude]

You should be able to take players with reachable top line or pair upside in the top 10 who aren’t also risky.

I mean, not this year.

If he's above average at skating, has a good shot, fine defensively, fine with a first pass out of the zone, and decent at jumping up into the play, you're describing a bona fide top 4 on any team in the league. Drafting that player in the late 1st is a huge win. Drafting them in the top half of the first feels like market rate.

If he had elite offensive upside or an elite shutdown profile alongside medium everything else, he'd be a lock for the top 5.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I mean, not this year.

If he's above average at skating, has a good shot, fine defensively, fine with a first pass out of the zone, and decent at jumping up into the play, you're describing a bona fide top 4 on any team in the league. Drafting that player in the late 1st is a huge win. Drafting them in the top half of the first feels like market rate.

If he had elite offensive upside or an elite shutdown profile alongside medium everything else, he'd be a lock for the top 5.

Any year. There’s guy who will be available at 10 who have better upside. Everything I said was also about him in juniors right now other than the skating. He may not be fine defensively at the NHL level, and so on so forth with everything else I said.

There is guys with elite upside outside of the top 5. Lots don’t reach it but there’s guys with that upside.

It’s also not about market rate. If you get a top 4 defensemen at the end or just outside of the top 10 you haven’t completely failed. But you still want to pick guys that have potential to be better than that.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I don't understand the "London protects him" criticism. In the Memorial Cup, I didn't see a guy who was protected, I saw a guy who was relied upon. How is playing heavy minutes against the highest level of competition in the CHL being "protected"?

I took the quote to mean 1) the team is good so he looks better than he would on a bad team and 2) the system in London is so structured it hides some of Dickinson’s decision-making and IQ issues. Not that London was sheltering Dickinson or anything like that.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Any year. There’s guy who will be available at 10 who have better upside. Everything I said was also about him in juniors right now other than the skating. He may not be fine defensively at the NHL level, and so on so forth with everything else I said.

There is guys with elite upside outside of the top 5. Lots don’t reach it but there’s guys with that upside.

It’s also not about market rate. If you get a top 4 defensemen at the end or just outside of the top 10 you haven’t completely failed. But you still want to pick guys that have potential to be better than that.

He's the best all around draft eligible defenseman in junior right now. Size, poise, responsibility, and quality offensive ability. London relied on him more than they usually do with their 17 year olds. Speaks to where his game is at IMHO. I'd take him at 5 or 6, depending on how the top 4 shakes out.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

He's the best all around draft eligible defenseman in junior right now. Size, poise, responsibility, and quality offensive ability. London relied on him more than they usually do with their 17 year olds. Speaks to where his game is at IMHO. I'd take him at 5 or 6, depending on how the top 4 shakes out.

Agree to disagree

 

[User1996]

That's fair. What is it you don't like about him?

My evaluation has been that his skating is fine. Straight line skating is a plus for sure, and a good ability to carry the puck - in a straight line. But when you get more into his overall mobility, change of direction, evasiveness, etc. I have him marked as below average. His rushes with the puck, for example, aren’t dynamic enough to translate to the NHL, in my opinion. Which, in my viewings is a big part of how Dickinson gets out of trouble - taking control and rushing the puck up ice.

Then I have seen some suspect decision making from him - joining rushes without his team having full control and leaving opposing players behind him, for example. These things leads me to believe his hockey IQ may be limited.

Overall, I’d chalk it up to not enough high end puck skills, dynamic ability, or vision to have a massive impact offensively, and limited defensive ability as well.

But hey, the great thing about scouting is that my viewings could have been on off days, or I could have it pegged wrong.

 

[Jabba11]

McDonagh is a little smarter. Dickinson a little bigger. Otherwise, the comparison fits.

McDonagh was definitely better on his edgework but Dickinson is much more explosive/faster than McDonagh. McDonagh wasn't a transition type of defenseman, but Dickinson is. McDonagh was better in his own zone than Dickinson. From comparing both during their draft season. Watched a lot of McDonagh because he was drafted by Montreal. (D+1)