Buffalo Sabers 2024 Draft Target: Sam Dickinson – The Hockey Writers – Buffalo Sabers

The 2024 NHL Draft is fast approaching. Speculation is rife, especially regarding the Buffalo Sabers and the 11^th overall choice. While much of the talk around the pick involves a potential trade, there is a very real possibility that the Sabers retain the pick.

Several quality prospects should be available with the 11^th overall choice this year. Sam Dickinson is an intriguing prospect as one of the highest scoring defenders. Let’s take a closer look at Dickinson and how he could fit with the Sabres.

Evaluating Dickinson’s Strengths

Dickinson is a strong candidate in every sense of the word. He excels in his own zone and shows strong IQ when he doesn’t have the puck. He is very good against the rush, keeping puck carriers at the edge where he uses his speed and size to prevent them from getting inside.

Related: Buffalo Sabers 2024 NHL Draft Target: Cole Eiserman

At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Dickinson has good size that he uses to box out in front of the net. His gap control is perhaps the best part of his game, and he makes good use of his size to gain the inside advantage to split plays along the boards.

Offensively, Dickinson gets down in the offensive zone but manages to get back effortlessly. His quick reaction time and awareness allow him to get back into position without compromising anything.

Dickinson may not stand out offensively compared to other high-end defenders, but he does a lot of little things well. He picks his positions, uses his long stride to carry the puck and knows when to take a pinch at the right time. Dickinson is as solid a defensive prospect as there was in this year’s draft.

What can Dickinson work on?

It’s not so much what Dickinson can work on as his ceiling. His “problem” is that he is not as dynamic as other prospects like Zeev Buium or Zayne Parekh. In this day and age where flashy offensive defensemen are all the rage, Dickinson doesn’t come off the screen.

There’s some question as to whether his production can translate to the NHL level, but it’s hard to hate what he’s done with the London Knights so far. If anything, he can be a little too patient with the puck, missing the window to create plays.

Dickinson is a low risk, high reward player. He doesn’t have the elite offensive potential of others in this draft, but he’s much more likely to be at least a top-four option. The vault may not be sexy, but there may not be an upper floor in the project.

Where does Dickinson fit in?

The Sabers already have a plethora of left-handed defensemen in the system with Rasmus Dahlin, Bowan Byram, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson and Ryan Johnson. They are simply more abundant and there is a bit of overvaluation when it comes to right-handed defenders.

That said, Dickinson is the kind of solid defenseman the Sabers would love. He is well placed, mobile and strong in his own field. Offensively, he might get crowded out in Buffalo simply because of the presence of Dahlin and Byram, but it’s a good problem to have.

If he fulfills his potential, Dickinson could be a potential top option alongside Dahlin. At worst, he should become a reliable option on the second pairing, someone who can kill penalties and even see time on the power play.

Projecting Dickinson’s career in Buffalo

The Sabers have the luxury of being patient with whoever they take with the 11^th overall choice. While it’s always nice to find a player who makes a difference early on, there are a litany of prospects ready to reach the NHL level and not everyone can get there at the same time.

A trade would be ideal to bring in a difference-making player to this year’s roster while freeing up cap space for prospects like Dickinson. Given his senior level and potential ceiling, it wouldn’t be a shock if he usurps a spot from Samuelsson or Johnson over the next three years.

From there, Dickinson can potentially be a solid anchor for the Sabres’ defense. Every good defensive core needs one of these guys and Dickinson has the potential to become a staple of Buffalo’s defense for years to come.