After looking at three priorities the Ottawa Senators needed to address with their first-round picks, I targeted one player who should be available at seventh overall – Zayne Parekh, a highly-skilled, right-shot offensive defenceman who would address a hole on Ottawa’s depth chart. But the Senators need a right-shot defenceman now, and Parekh won’t be ready to contribute for at least a couple of seasons, so it might benefit them to focus on another player.
The 2024 NHL Draft will feature plenty of high-end defencemen, and most of the attention has been given to right-handed shots, like Parekh, Artyom Levshunov, and Carter Yakemchuk. But there are blueliners available who are just as good, if not better than them, who happen to be left-handed shots. One of those defenders is Sam Dickinson, who has proven to be one of the best defencemen available yet might fall to seventh overall due to his handedness. This might be a golden opportunity for Ottawa to bolster their waning prospect pool.
Sam Dickinson Scouting Report
Dickinson has been one of the top defensemen in the 2024 Draft class all season long, a testament to his consistency. He may not have the dynamic offensive abilities that Parekh does, but he finished with 18 goals and 70 points in 68 games, putting him third among all defencemen in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In the playoffs, he outscored Parekh, scoring four goals and 13 points in 18 games, compared to the Saginaw Spirit defenders’ two goals and 11 points in 13 games. When it came to the Memorial Cup, Dickinson took on a more defensive role, playing upwards of 30 minutes alongside Oliver Bonk. Although the Knights lost to the Spirit in the Memorial Cup Final, he was a big reason they were in the Final in the first place.
What makes Dickinson such a valuable two-way defenceman is his blend of size, skating, and intelligence. He has incredible vision and can read the play perfectly, adjusting to make sure his team isn’t caught off guard. His speed and movement allow him to cover the back end before jumping into the rush, and, while he isn’t the most physical player, he’s not afraid to use his 6-foot-3 frame to throw hits and separate players from the puck along the boards. But his best attribute is his calmness under pressure. He’s rarely surprised and always looks in control when he’s on the ice.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Here’s what The Hockey Writers‘ Peter Baracchini wrote about his overall ability and potential NHL impact:
“There isn’t any doubt that Dickinson can be a very impactful top-pairing defenseman. He’s a player who can be relied on in any situation and eat minutes, be it on the power play or when you need to protect a lead. He’s going to be a player that will get the job done. His strong defensive game is going to make it tough for opposing players to go up against him and if his offense translates to the pro-level, he could be even more dangerous. His play is very reminiscent of Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad as he’s been a big impact player for them.”
Why Dickinson Makes Sense
The Senators may have a strong left side now, but teams don’t draft players for next season; they draft players that will hopefully make their team better in five to ten years. By then, Ottawa’s defence could look drastically different. While Jakob Chychrun is almost guaranteed not to stick around after his deal expires next season, Thomas Chabot only has four years left on his $8 million contract. If he also leaves, the Senators won’t have anyone in their prospect pool who can confidently line up alongside Jake Sanderson. Jorian Donovan, Tomas Hamara, and Tyler Kleven look like solid prospects, but none of them project to be top-pairing defenders in the NHL. Solidifying the defence, regardless of handedness, should be a priority for the Senators.
However, a lot of that is speculative. There’s no telling what will happen in four years, and trying to create a contingency plan for hypotheticals is a losing battle. That’s why general manager Steve Staios has stated his desire to target the best player available and focused on restructuring his scouting department before the 2023-24 season ended.
“We look for specific things to start our evaluation on. We value character and hockey sense. We have an incredible group of amateur scouts that have really been grinding it out. I’m looking forward to getting down to the final lists, we have our meetings here in a couple of weeks. As far as philosophy, there might be a time in the draft where you look positional, but certainly at the top of the board, we’re looking at best player.”
Steve Staios (from ‘Ottawa Senators hoping to get the bounces in NHL draft lottery Tuesday,’ The Ottawa Citizen – 06/05/2024)
If Dickinson falls to the seventh overall, there’s a very good argument that he’ll be the best player available. He’s a well-rounded defenceman who can quarterback a team and could reasonably be in the NHL much sooner than his fellow 2024 defenders. Given the state of the Senators’ prospect pool, they need all the talent they can get. According to The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, “That has to be the play for them. Just add the asset that you think has premium value and is potentially the biggest impact player. I don’t think they need to focus too much on position” (from ‘Zayne Parekh or Sam Dickinson? Top questions facing the Senators at the 2024 NHL Draft,’ The Athletic – 16/05/2024).
Why Dickinson Might Not Be the Right Choice
There are not a lot of downsides to adding a player like Dickinson, especially if he’s the best player on the board when the Senators step up to the podium. However, whereas Parekh could form a dangerous pairing with Sanderson, Dickinson doesn’t offer a whole lot more than what the Senators already have in their top defender. That could create a problem similar to what Ottawa faced this season with Chabot and Chychrun.
There’s also the argument that Dickinson won’t be the best player available; according to Bob McKenzie, there’s very little separating the players projected to go between picks two and 10, so why wouldn’t Ottawa target a player who could jump in and address a more pressing issue while still adding a potential top-of-the-lineup player? They have the opportunity to get two birds with one stone, which could be a perfect situation for the team, given their current state.
That’s what makes the 2024 Draft so intriguing for the Senators. Not only will they add two players who will immediately become the team’s top prospects, but they can also address some major issues without sacrificing talent. That will hopefully give Ottawa a little more security as they attempt to build a team worthy of competing for the Stanley Cup.
