When Jason Dickinson didn’t make the NHL roster out of training camp he took a simple message away from Dallas Stars training camp.
It’s time to dominate at the AHL level.
After getting a taste of the NHL last season and being one of the final cuts this season, the 22-year-old center knows that he’s close to a full-time NHL opportunity. He also knows that he won’t get that opportunity without consistently proving he’s the best call-up option on a Texas Stars team loaded with veterans.
“Just be dominant every shift. Talking to the coaching staff and the other staff around, like (Rich) Peverley and Stan (Tugolukov) picking their brains, just be dominant every shift,” Dickinson said in a phone interview on Thursday. “That’s one of the big things for me at least and try to dominate every single shift and don’t just blend into the background.”
It’s one thing to say that, it’s another thing to deliver on that mandate. And through seven games Dickinson has been the Texas Stars best forward on a nightly basis and leads the team with five goals (as seen in video below).
His secret? Winning the mental battle before he steps onto the ice.
“Just trying to get the mental aspect of it and then the physical aspect,” Dickinson said. “Constantly thinking about doing it is huge. If you’re just going out there and not thinking about trying to score and trying to be the best out there every shift, it’s pretty easy to just fall into the motions and go through it. If you think about being the best out there it’s all out there on your mind and it’s easy to go out there and do it.”
And for Dickinson his game isn’t built entirely on scoring. While he’s a first-round talent and has shown his ability to finish around the net, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound center is at his best when he builds his game from the Stars defensive zone.
That’s why Texas Stars coach Derek Laxdal has trusted Dickinson as his top-line center, often playing between Travis Morin and Cole Ully.
“He’s taking his game to the next level,” Laxdal said earlier this season. “He’s taken a step where he can control the game in all three zones. He’s such a smart, skilled player, and we’ve been able to trust him. You need him to kill penalties and play against the other team’s best players, and he does it.”
He’s also scored while playing against the other team’s top players, and that’s a talking point that could lead to an NHL call-up sooner than later.
While Dickinson has had a sharp offensive start in the AHL, the NHL club has struggled with depth scoring during a 5-4 start. The fourth line has pitched in a goal here and there, but overall the rest of the forwards after Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have yet to consistently find the back of the net.
Remi Elie, who was the first call-up over Dickinson, has yet to produce a point, and when it comes to high-end skill Dickinson arguably has a higher offensive ceiling than half of the forwards on the NHL roster.
But Dickinson isn’t worried about that and wasn’t willing to speculate when he’ll be called up. On Thursday he was still planning for the Texas Stars weekend games against the San Diego Gulls and San Jose Barracuda, with extra emphasis on the minor details after the team struggled in a three-in-three weekend against the San Antonio Rampage.
“Just trying to keep going basically, try to stay consistent, try to keep doing all the little things I’ve been doing over the years and put that into every game and every shift,” Dickinson said. “That’s really all I’m thinking about in addition to having the right attitude.”
Dickinson’s play has come with added leadership responsibility this season. He’s amongst the group of Texas Stars wearing a letter in what has become a captain by committee, and he’s enjoyed the opportunity to be one of the more vocal voices in the locker room.
“It’s kind of something that’s always been in me, I’ve always had that leadership quality,” Dickinson said. “(Laxdal) he’s not just throwing me into the fire with it, he’s helping me build that. It’s still a learning process for me, I’m only in my third year of pro. So it’s nice to see that recognize and have him help grow it.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.