The San Jose Sharks made two selections in the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, but one of them arrived in San Jose in a far more roundabout manner than the other. Choosing Macklin Celebrini first overall was easy, but the Sharks’ second pick was far less defined. Ultimately, they filled in the blank by trading up from 14th overall to 11th, then using their new slot to take London Knights defenseman Sam Dickinson. All three of these moves combined make for a very strong first round for the Sharks. But while the top choice was a no-brainer, the trade-up and selection of Dickinson weren’t as easy to execute — but they were good, well-timed transactions that can set up the Sharks for future success.
Sharks Picked the Perfect Time to Trade Up
When the Sharks acquired a second-round pick on June 25 as part of a trade that landed them defenseman Jake Walman, they added even more draft capital to a substantial stockpile of selections. After the deal was finalized, they held five of the draft’s top 53 picks, including three second-rounders. They had the perfect collection of choices to move up in the first round by trading the 14th pick and one of their second-rounders — though not the one from Detroit — to the Buffalo Sabres for the 11th pick.
Given that the Sharks are looking to improve their prospect pool’s quality, but not necessarily the size, they could afford to sacrifice one pick for an opportunity to take a stronger first-round talent. And with the number of quality defensemen in the top 12 of this year’s draft and the Sharks’ need to add a blueliner, it made a lot of sense to put themselves in a position to grab a player like Dickinson.
The Sharks are dealing with something of a prospect logjam, holding a lot of draft picks, and need to improve their defense, particularly to round out their youth after drafting Celebrini. They found the perfect circumstances for which to trade up for a defenseman, and they took full advantage.
Dickinson Adds to Sharks’ Blue Line
Once the Sharks finished their trade-up, they moved on to the more difficult decision of who to take. In a huge draft for the direction of the franchise, they made a great choice.
Related: Sharks Drafting Macklin Celebrini Won’t Solve All Their Problems
Dickinson contains many of the exact qualities the Sharks seek in their defense prospects. They want size, and Dickinson is 6-feet-3 inches tall. He provides physicality and IQ as a defense-first, shutdown blueliner. His offense is still developing, but he still managed 70 points in 68 games with London this past season. He is a decent puck-mover and capable of playing at the point on power plays, something the Sharks were lacking in their defensemen for much of last year.
The Sharks led the league in goals allowed in 2023-24, highlighting an obvious need for defensive improvements. Once the 11th pick arrived, they had multiple good options, including the smooth-skating, offensively polished Zeev Buium. But they chose a physical, defensive-minded player instead, giving a good signal for the direction in which they want to take their team and their blue line.
Sharks Can Bring In Dickinson Soon
Considering the current state of the Sharks’ current NHL defense group, Dickinson could be playing in San Jose very soon. The Sharks can certainly afford to be patient with him, but he is one of this draft’s most pro-ready prospects, and he may already be among the six best San Jose blueliners. Whether he starts the season with the Sharks, the San Jose Barracuda, or returns to the Knights for another year, all possibilities should be on the table with the Sharks’ long-term plan still in its early stages.
Soon enough, Dickinson will have a chance to prove himself in San Jose, where he could play alongside other exciting defense prospects like Shakir Mukhamadullin and Luca Cagnoni or established players like Mario Ferraro if he remains with the team. The Sharks are getting younger and more dynamic as a franchise and saw this year’s draft as an opportunity to cash in some of the picks they’ve built up in recent seasons. Dickinson symbolizes both of these trends, and the Sharks were very smart to capitalize on him being available with the 11th pick.
