Tank Talk: Sam Dickinson

Tank Talk: Sam Dickinson

Sam, congratulations on winning the Memorial Cup. Pretty much winning everything you possibly could this season. If this was the end of your junior hockey career, I can’t imagine you writing a better script on how it just completed. Yeah, I think you know, everybody going out of the league especially looks for that, you know, one final trophy that we were lucky enough to win this year as they’re kind of uh going out gift, I guess, to to remember the league. And, you know, we had a lot of guys obviously this year who that was the case for, which is so awesome to have. And uh you know, if I’m if I’m lucky enough to be one of those guys, then again, like you said, kind of a a perfect way to cap all this off. I know you lost your captain at one point, you also lost an early playoff game that maybe set a tone for the rest of of the playoff run, but I I couldn’t see much adversity in your group this season. Again, I’m following from afar, so I’m watching highlights and games and stats and as much as I can. Did I miss something? Did you guys have a hard time at all or was this just a really good team that steamrololled its way all the way? Yeah, I I think it is a little bit of both. We obviously were we’re were quite the team, you know, when you think of top bottom, the players that we had, the depth and everything like that, the goalending, the defense, the offense, kind of everything kind of seemed like it came together perfectly. So, I think it is a part of that where it’s we were just, you know, that good and and obviously had such a successful regular season and then postseason and Memorial Cup as well. But, you know, absolutely every team goes through little adversities. Uh, every team’s got to face things that, you know, bring you together, bring you tighter. Um, you know, maybe there wasn’t a massive one for our team, but I think, you know, when you just look through the year, everybody goes through their own things. The team goes through things. You know, you go through a bit of a lull in the season. Um, but yeah, I think, you know, it really is just a little bit of a combination of both on that. I know you’re a great personality. I also know you’re a humble guy, so I know this is going to be a difficult question for me to ask it like this, but Sam Dickinson’s season, 77 games, 38 goals, 90 assists. I do the math, that’s 128 points. you were only a plus 91 91 this season. I can’t even say that without laughing. But is there a certain part of either those stats that makes you the most proud or what your team did that makes you most proud? Like what do you take away from the body of work? Yeah, I think I think absolutely the first thing to come away from all of that is is the team success that you look at this year. Obviously, we had so many guys have, you know, fantastic individual seasons and I was fortunate enough to be one of those guys. But, you know, none of that stuff happens without the the 55 win regular season, the 16-1 postseason, the Memorial Cup win. You know, if none of that stuff happens, nobody’s even got near the the individual accolades that we were lucky enough to to have our team kind of run through this year. Um, so yeah, like I for me, it was always absolutely has always been, you know, my first focus is on the teams. How many games are we going to win? Focusing every night on on just winning that one game. Um, so I think that that’s always been the big thing for me. And you know over three years now I’ve been lucky enough to play on three teams that almost reached 50 wins. And you know I don’t know many other players who can say that you know in their three years in the league they’ve been lucky enough to to be a part of teams like I have. So you know through through my three seasons it’s always been the the win total I guess is what I’d say is uh my favorite uh statistical number from the season. You know, I’ll build on that and say that maybe for all the stats, they’re impressive, but I think what you just said, I’ll reiterate this, is is learning how to win and learning how to be on winning teams, that might be the biggest thing you can carry to San Jose and whatever comes next, right? Absolutely. Uh, you know, winning is a difficult thing wherever you are. You know, it’s it’s the hardest thing to do in hockey. And, you know, I’ve been fortunate enough for three years now to I’d like to say get pretty good at winning. And, you know, I’ve been fortunate enough to do it a lot. So learning how to do that, learning what it takes, the little things, the sacrifices on and off the ice that come with that, I think is absolutely something that, you know, will always be be with me now that I’ve learned learned it here in such a fantastic organization that, you know, builds a culture of winning and and success and everything. I’m going to ask you to take off your hockey player hat, put on your hockey pundit hat. So like, pretend you’re on TSN or Sports Night or whatever. And uh give me give me the talk up on Casper Halton. I mean, again, we know him, we watch him, but but you’ve seen him like nobody else has seen him on the inside. What are what are what are the Sharks and what’s the organization getting when they eventually get more of him? Yeah. I mean, everybody knows the the first thing that pops out at his game is is the shot that he has. And, you know, I don’t even really have to say much about it. It’s, you know, it’s it’s once you get your eyes on it in person and in practice and and all that stuff, you really appreciate it a lot more cuz you’re like, I don’t think I I’ll ever be able to shoot like that. So, I’m I’m lucky that he’s doing that and on my team and I don’t have to worry about blocking that. But, I mean, when when you get to the personality of him, you know, he’s such a fun guy. I’ve been so lucky to, you know, be with him now for two years and ever since obviously we both ended up with the Sharks, you know, we’ve become a lot closer and, you know, really has become one of one of my closer friends on the team. Um, so I mean, just a guy who loves loves having fun. He’s always looking uh, you know, to have fun, always looking for a guy to play golf with, a guy to hang out with. So, I mean, when when you get that kind of guy along with the hockey player that he is, it’s just a win-win on and off the ice for a guy. Here’s another unfair question of me to point your direction. Maybe it’s more of a comment, and I’ll ask you to react to it, but when I see you and I watch your game, I get a taste of your personality. Uh, I got to cover Brent Burns for a lot of years. You kind of remind me in a lot of ways, very early of Brent Burns. Is that a good comp from what you know about Bernie? from from what I’ve heard about him that is absolutely I feel a great compliment to myself just you know obviously the player that he is on the ice but I think uh something that jumps out about him is is the kind of guy that he is off the ice such a light-hearted fun guy so you know I’ I’d love to be able to bring that kind of energy into into San Jose if I’m lucky enough you don’t own any snakes or reptiles though do you that is one thing I’m I’m not great with reptiles so we we’ll stay away from those that you also don’t carry a big backpack of mystery that we never actually knew knew it was in that thing. Never mind. I’m getting too deep here on Bernzie. But no, to your point, I I think it’s a great compliment. I hope you have the longevity in playing that he’s had. Um he’s a guy that can I feel like can do it forever. Back to focusing on your own hockey. Um what’s the biggest step maybe that you think you took this season as a player? I think it was it was just the the completeness of my game and the consistency that I brought in night in and night out. You know, I think there were times where over the last two years, you know, sometimes the my my games would be really good and then, you know, the next game’s a little a little dry and then it’s it’s not as consistent. And one thing I I really wanted to focus on this year was making sure that for for 68 games and then and then the playoffs and the Memorial Cup was that every night I was coming in and and having that complete full game every single night with the consistency, you know, to be able to do it as much as uh as much as possible. So, I think that was a huge one for me was, you know, learning how to be consistent in my game night in and night out. You know, people out here are very excited to get you around the Sharks as soon as possible. I know you want that, too. Um, what are you most excited about in terms of eventually getting to being around San Jose and and what have you seen in the last year or so that that kind of gets you motivated? Yeah, I I think the first thing that I always say when when speaking about San Jose and, you know, if I’m fortunate enough to play there, whenever it may be, is always, you know, the the future and the young core that’s been built there with the younger players already in place and and the excitement that’s kind of living around San Jose right now and and Sharks hockey is is so exciting. So, you know, to to potentially be able to be a part of that is uh that’s the really exciting part, understanding that uh the pieces, you know, really are there for, you know, a very successful organization and and the team to have a lot of success in the future with not only the players, but you know, the front office, the coaches, everything is, you know, uh top tier in the NHL. So, it’s that what I’d say is the the most exciting part of all of it. Sam, I met you right after the draft last year or when you got drafted by the Sharks. kind of instantly knew right then this guy is going to be something special. Like you could you could already start to see where it was going. Personality, player, everything, the total package. So, I’ll leave it with this. Can’t wait to see you at Dev Camp. Can’t wait to hopefully see you a lot in San Jose sooner than later. Thank you very much. I’m I’m definitely looking forward to what’s

Brodie Brazil sits down with Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson who is fresh off a Memorial Cup championship run with with OHL’s London Knights.