[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

How do you write a profile on a prospect that has everything, and no real weaknesses? LHD Sam Dickinson is one of my favorites in this year's draft, so this write-up should be classified as more of a "fluff piece", than a profile. Dickinson- who is fairly young, with a June birthday- is currently 4th in OHL scoring for defensemen, with 53 points in 52 games with the London Knights, and second in the league with a plus-42. My first viewing of Dickinson was in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he helped lead team Canada to a Gold Medal, with 3 points in 5 games. He is blessed with size (6'3",194lbs), speed, and skill, and is a minute-munching workhorse who plays against the best competition every night, and can do so in any situation. He is a calming presence on the backend, composed and never in a rush, and plays the right way- never cheating the game. Dickinson was selected 4th overall in the OHL Draft by Niagara, who traded him to London for 3 seconds, 3 thirds, and a 5th- a shrewd move by the Knights, as Dickinson helped lead them to the OHL Finals in his first season, and was selected to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.

Dickinson is a smooth, powerful skater in all directions, blessed with speed that's near-elite- at 6'3", he can can separate from opponents on the rush, and win races to pucks against smaller players. It's almost impossible to get around him, with his quickness and size, combined with his wingspan and stick. He can carry through transition, spearheading the rush, after initiating the play in the defensive end. He has to be the most calm, poised, and patient defender I've ever seen- those words don't even begin to describe his smooth demeanor on the ice. He is never in a rush- he has the patience to hold on to the puck until the best play becomes available, and consistently makes smart decisions with the puck. He's a treat to watch for that reason- he sometimes looks likes he's not doing much, when in reality, his game is so smooth and fluid, and his moves are just so calculated. Dickinson's usual defense partner in London is Oliver Bonk, who is a rover and likes to activate early and often, so Dickinson is usually relegated to being the conservative one in the pairing- which suits his game just fine, as he seldom goes below the hashmarks in the offensive zone. Dickinson stays high, smoothly walking the blueline, distributing high-danger passes, and keeping the puck in the zone- thereby extending zone time. He will not sacrifice quality defense for offense. He's highly intelligent, with top-tier IQ, and the ability to problem-solve on the fly. Off the puck, he is always in position to recieve passes, and support his teammates. He's a dynamic playmaker, and his passes are hard, crisp, and accurate- he can get them through traffic, under sticks, and between legs. He can connect on some pretty stretch passes, when he wants to push the pace. He owns a booming point shot, and an accurate wrister.

Though Dickinson is seen as an offensive type, he is one of the best defensive blueliners in the CHL, and most likely in this year's Draft- he defends at an elite level. His defensive awareness and IQ are off the charts, and when combined with his physical gifts, make him extremely hard to play against. He's a menace in the D zone, and the kiss of death to an oncoming rush with his feet, stick, and physicality- he can often stop it before it ever comes near his blueline. His gap-control is perfect, and he guides attackers to the boards where the play is terminated, and he wins possession. In-zone, he boxes opponents out of the crease, giving his goalie a clear line of sight, and takes their sticks so they can't get tips or rebounds. He hounds puck carriers, suffocates them of time and space, and blocks shots with aplomb. Off-puck, he's as good defensively as he is in the other end of the rink, and is always in position to intercept passes, and clog lanes. At the Hlinka, he showed his penalty-killing talents off- he was excellent. Dickinson plays hard, and is a strong competitor who plays a physical brand of hockey. He uses his size well to body opponents off the puck, win battles, and bully his way around the ice- and when he dishes out a hit, he hits hard.

There's precious little to nitpick in Dickinson's game, but there are times he could show a little more urgency, as he can sometimes hold on to the puck too long, while waiting for the perfect play to develop, which can paint him into a corner- resulting in turnovers of the more dangerous variety. There's also instances where he can go down to early, or too low, to block a shot, thereby taking himself out of the play. Dickinson is the third D available on most lists, but I wouldn't blame a team for taking him as the first defenseman chosen in the Draft. This kid is abolute stud, with a very high floor. At the very least, he ends up riding shotgun on a top-pairing in the NHL, much like a Brent Seabrook- but I think this kid is better.