On Jan. 9, 2024, I went to the United Center to watch the Chicago Blackhawks play the Edmonton Oilers. Going into the season, expectations weren’t high for the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard missed the game with an injury, and all eyes were on another 97 Connor. I jokingly said to my friend, “Watch out for Jason Dickinson!” The joke isn’t that Dickinson wasn’t worth watching, but that he was leading a depleted Blackhawks team against the league’s most offensive juggernaut.
Look again, Dickinson won the puck battle, rushed up the ice, and pulled up a nice toe for the score less than six minutes into the first half. Talk about making me look stupid (which isn’t hard to do). Dickinson notched his 14th goal of the season en route to what would have been a career-high 22.
Dickinson’s scoring was a pleasant surprise—he had never hit more than nine. It was more than that, however, that convinced general manager Kyle Davidson to sign him to a two-year, $8.5 million contract. Dickinson’s complete game, which we will examine in detail below, established him as a key piece in the rebuild.
What can we expect from a man who gets a bigger salary, more responsibility, and more attention after his best season?
Defense Responsibility Is Needed This Season
Dickinson plays hockey the right way. He doesn’t cheat to create scoring chances, and is responsible in all three areas. That’s why he received 18 votes in the Selke Trophy last season. Even more impressive, the Blackhawks were plus-9 with Dickinson on the ice and minus-94 without him. He was one of three Blackhawks to finish the season as a “combination” player, and he did it while playing in all 82 games.
The additions in the offseason should allow Dickinson to multiply his defensive strength. Defensemen like Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie should help the team improve as a whole, and Dickinson will only benefit from that. In addition, projected teammates Ilya Mikheyev and captain Nick Foligno will form a tough team to play against with only three bolstering Dickinson’s defensive numbers.
Foligno said of his line with Dickinson and Mikheyev, “I think we know the role we’re going to play. It will probably protect a little…[we] we had the idea of being this line of our team that can steal the momentum, it was a difficult line to play with and to do that ownership. “
Expect Dickinson’s defensive numbers to show last season. He’ll post a similar plus/minus ratio and number of takeaways—he’s had 54 over the past two seasons and shows no signs of slowing down. Additionally, his finesse on the penalty kill (an often overlooked skill) will keep him a staple in the Blackhawks’ penalty kill. Last season, he averaged just over two minutes of short ice time. He’s already logged solid minutes this preseason so all signs point to him working his way back into that all-important role.
The last two interesting numbers to watch will be Dickinson’s starting percentages in the offensive and defensive areas. He took the ice in the Blackhawks’ zone 68.1% of the time, the most defensive zone starts of his career. That number could increase slightly if head coach Luke Richardson leans more heavily on the aforementioned blocking line.
All of this to say, Blackhawks fans should be excited for Dickinson’s return this season. Barring any major disruptions to his game, he will remain a solid defensive player who will teach a young core. An $8.5 million price tag isn’t much for a multi-role player.
Don’t Ignore His Touch Points
Dickinson’s defensive prowess is evident. That’s why his 22 goals last season was shocking. He shot a career-high 17.5 percent after averaging about 10 percent in his career. So rate reversals will happen a lot. But don’t be surprised if he continues to score for two reasons.
First, Dickinson’s shot volume has increased since arriving in Chicago (114 in 2022-23 and 126 in 2023-24). Trend indicates he will put up at least 100 shots this season. Look for him to post at least 10-12 percent, and we can expect at least 10-12 goals from Dickinson if he takes 100 shots. I’m going to be brave though and pencil him in at 15, which goes well with my second point.
Dickinson has a subtle offensive talent. When he scores in the NHL, he scores good goals and sweet goals. With more confidence from last season, Dickinson now understands that he can score at the NHL level. He even admitted:
Maybe it has a little to do with success and confidence. I didn’t need to. . . think a lot about certain aspects, so I was able to focus on small details and small areas that were sometimes overlooked because I was too worried. [in the past] about the big details I was missing.
– From “Blackhawks’ Jason Dickinson hopes to take next step in offensive midfield growth” – Chicago Sun Times, 9/24/2024
Dickinson found a team where he was trusted, earned ice time, held leadership roles, and even mentors. Those parts do wonders for a player’s confidence and, in turn, performance on the ice. You will expect a lot from him this season and you know he can deliver. It should come as no surprise to see Dickinson score 15 goals and 20 assists.
The Player You Want On Your Team
The Blackhawks can count on Dickinson, and, at the end of the day, that’s why he’ll be here for the next two seasons. He will come back as a top player but you will be surprised by his attack. With everything he brings and off the ice, he has shown that he is the type of player you need during a rebuild.
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