Sam Dickinson is poised to continue his progression in the NHL, as the San Jose Sharks have opted to keep the 19-year-old defenseman with the team rather than sending him to the Canadian National Junior Team for the World Junior Championship.
Dickinson, who was selected 11th overall by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft, had been eligible to represent Canada in the prestigious tournament but will instead remain with the Sharks. The 19-year-old has appeared in 27 of San Jose’s 36 games so far this season, recording one goal and two assists. He is averaging nearly 15 minutes of ice time per game, including a notable 17:33 in the Sharks’ 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
Initially, general manager Mike Grier and Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky had been discussing whether it would be beneficial for Dickinson’s development to loan him to the Canadian team. Warsofsky, however, expressed some reservations about sending him back to junior hockey, citing the importance of establishing strong habits at the NHL level.
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Dickinson had previously competed in the World Junior Championship in 2023 while still with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, a team that went on to win the Memorial Cup under coach Dale Hunter, who now also serves as the coach of Team Canada.
The Sharks currently have eight healthy defensemen on their roster, with a ninth, Vincent Desharnais, recovering from an upper-body injury.
The World Junior Championship will take place from December 26 to January 5 in Minnesota, and several Sharks prospects will be representing their countries in the tournament.
Among them are center Michael Misa (Canada), defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Sweden), and goalie Christian Kirsch (Switzerland). Misa, selected second overall by the Sharks in June, along with Wallenius and Kirsch, both 2024 draft picks, will play for their respective teams.
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Additionally, goalie Josh Ravensbergen, a first-round pick this year, is currently training with Team Canada. The final 25-man roster for Canada has yet to be announced. Center Cole McKinney, a second-round pick, remains on the preliminary roster for Team USA.
The Sharks will hit the ice Tuesday to face the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Coverage begins at 9 p.m. local time.
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