The Vancouver Canucks were eager to rid themselves of Jason Dickinson’s contract so much that they included a second-round pick just to move him off their books. Now, they may be regretting that decision.
That second-round pick became a key asset for the Chicago Blackhawks, helping them trade up in the 2024 NHL Draft and secure two first-round picks. With these, the Hawks selected Sacha Boisvert at No. 18 and Marek Vanacker at No. 27.
While turning one second-round pick into two first-round selections is significant, it’s not what makes the Blackhawks the real winners of the Dickinson trade. The true victory lies in Dickinson’s strong play with Chicago. Meanwhile, the Canucks’ other piece in the trade, defenseman Riley Stillman, was waived by the Carolina Hurricanes after underperforming with both Vancouver and the Buffalo Sabres.
Dickinson, on the other hand, had an impressive first season with the Blackhawks, recording 21 assists and a career-high 22 goals last year. While his goal-scoring has slowed this season, he’s been making a strong case for the Selke Trophy with his exceptional defensive play.
The Canucks’ main motivation for trading Dickinson was to free up cap space, as his $2.65 million average annual value (AAV) was too burdensome, especially considering his underwhelming 2021-22 performance, where he posted just 11 points. However, the Canucks never saw the version of Dickinson that the Blackhawks are benefiting from.
