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Great Expectations - Feb. 27, 2023  – Ryan Kennedy

THE MOST EXCITING aspect of junior hockey is the potential that comes with every new player. In the case of London Knights defenseman Sam Dickinson, it’s the fact that in an era blessed with mobile puckhandlers, many of whom are on the smaller side, the Knights have a beast in training.

Already 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Dickinson showed off his physical, all-around game at the World Under-17 Challenge, where he wore the ‘C’ for Canada Black. Simply put, the kid is built differently than a lot of his peers. “One guy that I really watched for that physical aspect was Shea Weber,” Dickinson said. “The way he used his body so effectively to separate the puck from the player and kill offensive plays with his size and strength.”

Back in London, Dickinson is part of an experienced defense corps that includes NHL draft picks Logan Mailloux (MTL), Isaiah George (NYI) and Jackson Edward (BOS), plus a potential 2023 first-rounder in Oliver Bonk. Dickinson has had the chance to play with a lot of different partners, something Knights assistant coach Dylan Hunter believes will help his development. “It’s good for him because each guy is different, so he can learn to adapt his game to his partner and their traits,” Hunter said. “He started with just even-strength minutes and worked his way into some power-play and penalty-kill time. And he earned it. It wasn’t just given to him.”

Those veteran teammates also give Dickinson a lot of support, which is nice when you’re 16 and playing in the OHL. “I’m playing with a bunch of really special players, a lot of drafted NHL players and guys who have a chance to be drafted high,” Dickinson said. “Being able to learn from them, I’m really lucky. They’ve all gone through things that I’m going through now and will be going through in the future, and they’re always willing to help. It’s a great tool to help me get better.”

The Knights do a lot of video with their players, and when it comes to newbies, the focus is usually on the player himself. But Hunter has also shown Dickinson footage of Jakob Chychrun and other NHLers. “What sets him apart, other than his elite physical tools, is his ability to understand information, take it in and be able to put it on the ice,” Hunter said. “He’s mature beyond his years, the way he can change his game within individual games, and he gets a lot of ice because of that. He’s smart, and he knows how to play the game.”

So the foundation is looking solid already and undoubtedly will be cemented further as the Knights attempt to make another long playoff run in the spring. But the fact Dickinson still has several more years of eligibility means Hunter and the rest of the staff can do a lot more work with the young man, taking all that potential and honing it into something special.

Hunter made an interesting point when it comes to development, noting that the jump from U-16 (where Dickinson played for the GTHL’s Toronto Marlboros) to major junior is a big one, much like going from major junior to the pros. For all but a select few, those jumps require adaptation since they’re no longer big fish in smaller ponds. “Sam just has to fine-tune what he’s going to be,” Hunter said. “He has the skills, skating, defending, but you have to reinvent your game at different levels. There aren’t a lot of (Connor) McDavids who can do the same thing they’ve been doing since they were 10. Next year, he can get more aggressive on the blueline – he’s got a great shot – and add more physicality. NHL teams want offensive ‘D’ but also for players to be able to box out and separate pucks.”

For Dickinson, he’d like to add more offense as well. Through early February, he had put up a respectable 13 points in 42 games. “In the future, I’m looking to become a better offensive player and make better offensive reads,” he said. “The OHL is a tough league to put up points in as a defenseman, so that’s definitely something I’m looking to get better at.”

Looking ahead to next season, the Knights will lose Mailloux to the pro ranks, but George, Edward, Bonk and Dickinson will all be back, giving the team an intimidating blueline with a variety of skill sets. And when NHL teams start to key in on Dickinson for the 2024 draft, they’re going to find a big kid in the Chychrun/Weber mold, something that isn’t as common in the current Cale Makar/Adam Fox era. “It has trended towards the smaller guys in recent years,” Hunter said. “But he’s more of a throwback to when I was his age, the Shea Webers of the world who are big and mobile, that can give you offense but also shut down the top line. He’s a rare artifact.”