Dickinson struggled to find a good fit in our lineup as a rookie 17 y/o, but still put up a very respectable 40 points in 64 games. Like many rookies, he lacked strength and defensive zone awareness, and struggled in the faceoff dot. However, these are typical of rookies in this league, and quite often these issues disappear in a sophomore season. Dickinson may explode this season into the first line winger point machine that we are missing on a contender. He plays the game at a faster speed than anyone else on the ice, and he showed promising signs that his hands and brain can keep up with his feet.
However, if he is still a year away from really breaking out, he doesn't fit as well into our one year window and we may look to move him. This in no way diminishes the value that he represents on the trade market. The Soo Brass are very high on him, so he may even turn out to be untouchable when it comes to potential trades.
146 CHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s Final 2020 Draft Rankings – CHL
What is his value when compared to Phillips? With an extra year of eligibility, and ranked far higher in the upcoming draft, I suggest it is unequivocally higher.