SCOUTING REPORTS
“The foundation of Dickinson’s game is his mobility. It’s rare to find a defender who moves as well as Dickinson does at 6’3. It was no surprise to see him dominate the on-ice testing at the CHL Top Prospect’s Game; he’s a spectacular athlete. Thanks to his effortless skating stride, Dickinson is an impactful player at both ends of the ice and is able to play aggressively, with and without the puck. What is sure to impress scouts is his composure with the puck under pressure. Dickinson is a breakout machine who rarely gets hemmed in the defensive end at the OHL level. His scanning habits are terrific and because of his skating ability, he’s able to evade pressure consistently, quickly moving the puck up ice, either with an accurate outlet pass or with his feet. His booming shot also makes him a strong power play triggerman, while his excellent gap control and strong stick play make him an asset in the defensive end.” - Brock Otten, McKeen’s Hockey
“Wicked all-around defenseman who has put up more offense than a lot of us expected this season. Dickinson is hard to play against in his own zone, thanks to his details and physicality. Another player on the NHL fast-track, he’s already good at the things young blueliners usually need to be taught.” - Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News
“Every team needs a defenseman like London’s Sam Dickinson, a player with impressive physical gifts who can defend at a high level. He has an explosive first few strides and can reach a top speed that’s rivaled by few in this draft class. Dickinson defends well and can eliminate rush opportunities completely using his unfair combination of length, skating, and gap control. Because of his physical tools, Dickinson can maintain wider gaps as he knows he’ll be able to close in on the puck carrier with ease. Dickinson is physical and competes really well, something that bodes well for him when defending in his own zone. He’s not the highly cerebral playmaker like others in this class, but he generates offense in other ways thanks to a booming shot. Dickinson gets pucks through and on net and can shoot to score or generate rebounds. Dickinson also jumps up in the play as a trailer and can finish at a high rate. The biggest weakness in Dickinson’s game is his hockey sense. He can misread plays in both ends and make questionable decisions. Still, Dickinson’s physical tools, skating, and competitiveness will allow him to succeed even if the hockey sense is lacking. Expect Dickinson to go in the top 10 and be ahead heavy minutes eater who can also chip in about 30-40 points while he’s at it. - Jordan Harris, Dobber Prospects
