Sam Dickinson believes he can play in the NHL at 18 this fall

The next NHL draft will be quite strong in terms of defensemen. There’s a lot of talk about Artyom Levshunov, who could be selected second overall by the Blackhawks, but guys like Anton Silayev, Zeev Buium, Zayne Parekh and Carter Yakemchuk are also popular names.

In Montreal, Cole Hutson’s name is also popular, mainly because of his brother Lane.

But there’s another name that’s been gaining in popularity for a while: Sam Dickinson. The Knights defenseman, of whom Simon Boisvert is a great fan, is one of the best defensemen of the year, but also one of the best prospects in the eyes of some.

McKeen’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide: Top 32 Final Rankings

Our scouting team has finalized the top 32 ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft! Macklin Celebrini remains our top pick, with Ivan Demidov, Sam Dickinson, Cayden Lindstrom, and Tij Iginla rounding out the top 5.

Explore the full… pic.twitter.com/v7M4O79jMD

– McKeen’s Hockey (@mckeenshockey) June 1, 2024

And yesterday, Dickinson chatted with Anthony Martineau, who is at the Combine for TVA Sports. What came out of the interview was that the Knights defenseman could see himself playing with another former Knights in Montreal, Logan Mailloux.

But above all, it’s the fact that he thinks he’ll be able to play in the NHL as early as next fall.

Sam Dickinson:

Thinks he can be NHL-ready next year after a good summer of training.

-Will meet the Canadiens soon.

-Would pair well with Logan Mailloux if selected by MTL.

-Compares his game to Miro Heiskanen’s.

– Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) June 6, 2024

The young man, who is celebrating his 18th birthday today, doesn’t seem to lack confidence. That said, it’s becoming increasingly rare to see kids make the jump to the NHL at the age of 18.

Usually, the first pick of the auction does, and a handful of other prospects start the year in the Bettman circuit, but they’re becoming increasingly rare.

It’s not impossible that the defenseman, who just amassed 70 points in 68 junior games last season, really is ready to make the leap. That said, for his development, playing big minutes might be a better avenue… and I can’t see any NHL team making him play big minutes at 18.

In an ideal world, he’d probably spend next season in the AHL… but the agreement between the NHL and the CHL makes that impossible.

We’ll have to see if the team that drafts Dickinson is prepared to give him a chance in the NHL next season, but let’s just say I find it hard to believe.

And if it’s the Habs who select him, I’ll fall off my chair if the left-handed defenseman makes the roster at the start of the season.

In gusto

– Read on.

See @JiCLajoie ‘s season posthttps://t.co/o2PtkMG7j7

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) June 6, 2024

– What do you think?

When is it time for the #Habs to be VERY bold?

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