If this was Sam Dickinson’s final sport in junior hockey, the San Jose Sharks prospect defenseman helped make certain he and his group went out on high.
Dickinson had three assists, together with two in a dominant second interval, to steer the London Knights to a 4-1 win over the Medication Hat Tigers within the remaining of the Memorial Cup – main junior hockey’s championship match – on Sunday evening in Rimouski, Quebec.
Dickinson, taken eleventh general by the Sharks within the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, had six assists in 5 Memorial Cup video games and was an all-tournament choice, as he and his teammates earned redemption after dropping within the remaining by one objective to the Saginaw Spirit a yr in the past.
Dickinson’s teammate and fellow Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen had two objectives and two assists in 5 video games on the Memorial Cup.
The Finnish-born Halttunen, chosen thirty sixth general by the Sharks in 2023, was named the Ontario Hockey League’s playoff MVP this yr as he had 21 factors, together with 15 objectives, in 17 postseason video games to assist London win the league title and advance to play in Rimouski. Halttunen had 9 objectives in 5 video games in London’s OHL championship collection win over the Oshawa Generals.
Halttunen, who turns 20 on June 7, will little question be in San Jose subsequent season, both with the Sharks or within the AHL with the Barracuda.
Dickinson, although, will play subsequent season with the Sharks or return to London for one more yr within the OHL, as he turns 19 on June 7. Canadian or American-born gamers coming from main junior hockey have to be at the very least 20 years previous by Dec. 31 in any given yr to be eligible to play within the AHL.
Dickinson, although, confirmed he is likely to be prepared to start his NHL profession.
Dickinson, listed at a sturdy 6-foot-3 and 210 kilos, performed on London’s high protection pair and was utilized in all conditions because the Knights tore by way of the OHL within the common season and playoffs.
Dickinson, the OHL’s Defenseman of the Yr, is an elite skater with great offensive expertise, having recorded 91 factors in 55 regular-season video games and 31 factors in 17 OHL playoff video games with a deep London group that featured 12 NHL draft picks, went 55-11-2 within the common season, and misplaced solely as soon as within the playoffs.
“I think (Dickinson is) the closest player I’ve seen in this tournament to the NHL,” stated former NHL goalie Marc Denis, an analyst for French-Canadian sports activities community RDS, on Sunday’s broadcast on TSN. “And often when a defenseman is on the assault, constantly like he’s, you suppose he’s a free spirit, proper? A lone wolf. He’s so mature in his sport, says the appropriate issues, does the appropriate issues, and that’s vital for a defenseman.
“He’s got a flashing green light. I’ve said it all along the tournament, but he’s (been) really smart.”
The Sharks have six defensemen signed to one-way contracts for subsequent season, together with Shakir Mukhamadullin, who was inked to a one-year, $1 million deal final week.
Others signed embody Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Mario Ferraro, Henry Thrun, Timothy Liljegren, and Vincent Desharnais. Different defensemen like Luca Cagnoni, Jack Thompson, and Lucas Carlsson additionally noticed a while with the Sharks this season.
Nonetheless, nobody among the many Sharks’ cadre of blueliners has the identical mixture of measurement and offensive talent as Dickinson, who in all probability wants to indicate he generally is a succesful defender to assist stick on the NHL roster. The Sharks will doubtless begin the season with seven or eight defensemen.
Though Dickinson has one other yr of eligibility left in junior hockey, TSN analyst Frankie Corrado, who had a seven-year skilled profession, stated throughout the broadcast, “I’m not sure he’s going to need it. He’s going to look pretty good and teal and white next year in San Jose.”
Initially Printed: June 1, 2025 at 8:31 PM PDT
