While Colorado Avalanche signee Josh Dickinson is unlikely to make an impact on the NHL team, he’s a good depth signing for the organization.
The Colorado Avalanche made a low-key NCAA signing while we were all distracted with their playoff push. On April 5, 2018, they signed center Josh Dickinson to a three-year entry-level contract.
Besides the timing of the deal, this was a completely under-the-radar signing. Dickinson went undrafted. He had just completed his rookie year at Clarkson University, which is in Potsdam, New York. Let’s just say Clarkson is more known for its private research facilities than its hockey team, though the Golden Knights (yep, they’ve got that name, too) went 23-11-6 last season. (They play in the same conference as Harvard, Princeton and Yale.)
Anyway, let’s look at what Josh Dickinson brings to the organization.
Josh Dickinson Statistics
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Age: 20
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 190 lbs.
At 20 years old, Josh Dickinson is the youngest free agency signing the Colorado Avalanche have made in recent years. The reason he was eligible to be signed without getting drafted is because he just became too old for the Entry Draft.
That said, Dickinson completed only one season of college hockey with the Clarkson Golden Knights. He had a pretty impressive freshman campaign, recording an excellent 15 goals and a total 26 points. Those 15 goals were good for second overall on the whole team. His 26 points had him finishing seventh on the team.
So, obviously, the Avalanche scouts were doing their due diligence. What’s more, Dickinson had a good run with his OJHL team, the Georgetown Raiders, with whom he played three seasons. All three years Josh played there, the Raiders made the playoffs. His final season there, they win the Dudley Hewitt Cup.
Josh Dickinson and the Colorado Avalanche
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Josh Dickinson’s entry-level contract is worth a total of $3.41 million at the NHL level. However, he get’s paid $70,000 to play at the AHL level.
I don’t see Josh Dickinson being an impact player in the NHL, and I fully expect he’ll be mostly making that AHL salary. He reported immediately to the San Antonio Rampage upon signing his professional contract. In five games, he earned two points. Not too shabby.
Dickinson attended the Colorado Avalanche’s prospect development camp. I imagine he’ll participate in the Rookie Faceoff in Vegas and also report to rookie training camp come September. He’ll likely play in the Burgundy and White Game as well as a couple preseason games.
Then I expect Dickinson to head north to Loveland to get his career started with the Colorado Eagles. At most, I think he’ll be somewhere in the call-up list for the Avs.
Nonetheless, Josh Dickinson could well prove to be an impact player in the AHL. And that’s ultimately good for the organization as a whole.