Sam Dickinson Is Making A Run

The London Knights are on a Golden State Warriors run. They've gone 12-0 this postseason and have easily been the class of the OHL. San Jose Sharks' prospect, Sam Dickinson, is a massive reason why.

After 12 games, Dickinson has posted 7 goals and 15 assists for 22 points. That is 1.83 points per game, up from his regular season production of 1.65 points per game.

In 12 games, Dickinson has more games with four points (two) than zero points (one), of his 22 points, 15 of them have been primary (seven goals and eight assists). Famously, not a math guy, but that is 68% of his points as primary points.

Yes, London's roster features 12 NHL draft picks, but Dickinson is a massive reason for its success. Dickinson drives offensive play and is a key cog in the team's penalty kill, which was ranked first in the regular season at 84.9% despite being the third most penalized team. In the playoffs, it is operating at 83.9%.

While Dickinson does have questions about his decision-making, especially under pressure, he is well on his way to being a top-flight two-way defenseman for the San Jose Sharks, whose game only gets better when the lights get brighter.

The Sharks will have to decide with Dickinson next training camp where he will spend the 2025-2026 season. The 6'3" defenseman doesn't turn 19 until June 7th and is ineligible to play in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda because of the CHL/NHL agreement. Since Dickinson has already signed his ELC, he is not eligible for transfer to the NCAA, as we are starting to see from CHL prospects.

Do the Sharks bring Dickinson to camp with a plan similar to what we saw from Will Smith last season? While heavily criticized at first, the results speak for themselves. Smith had 30 points in 34 games since January 19th. Granted, it's much easier to hide a forward in Will Smith, who played 14:18 a game before January 19th and 17:40 a game in the last 34 games.

It's much harder to shelter a defenseman, and every mistake is amplified. With Yaroslav Askarov expected to be a full-time NHLer next season, does General Manager Mike Grier want to put a 19-year-old defenseman in front of him? While Dickinson's skating will help him escape trouble, we won't know how his decision-making has improved until he is on the ice against better opponents.

Suppose Dickinson continues to play the way he has for the London Knights as they look to capture their second straight J. Ross Robertson Cup and potentially a Memorial Cup. As the reigning OHL Defenseman of the Year, Dickinson might have nothing to prove at the Junior level.