Jason Dickinson and Nick Foligno’s stories about how Foligno ended up with Dickinson’s old No. 17 — and how Dickinson switched to No. 16 — don’t exactly match up.
Dickinson’s version goes that he knew a call would come from the Blackhawks about switching after he saw Foligno signed, knowing No. 17 carries special meaning for Foligno as his father Mike’s old number. When the call came, Dickinson told Foligno he was happy to concede it. He then switched to No. 16, a number he previously wore with the Stars.
Foligno’s version, however, claims he heard Dickinson had already told Hawks trainers he wanted to switch to No. 16 — which Jujhar Khaira wore last season — before Foligno signed at all, leaving No. 17 open for the taking.
Regardless of the truth, Foligno is planning a “secret surprise” gift for Dickinson to repay him for the number, as NHL tradition requires.
And on the Hawks’ ultra-experienced fourth forward line alongside fellow veteran Corey Perry, Dickinson and Foligno have already established solid chemistry.
“I love how responsible he is,” Foligno said Wednesday. “I can rely on him being in the right spot at the right time, always. That’s such a credit to a centerman. It speaks volumes about his IQ as a player, too, understanding that he can play a skilled game or he can play a grinding-style game.”
That last sentence references something Dickinson has focused on during this training camp: readjusting to filling a bottom-six grinder role after previously adjusting last season to playing higher in the lineup.
Out of necessity, the Hawks used Dickinson in the top six quite a bit down the stretch, even deploying him as Patrick Kane’s center — with some surprising success — a few times. Over his first 39 games, Dickinson produced 11 points and averaged 15:20 of ice time per game; over his final 39 games, he produced 19 points and averaged 16:33 of ice time per game.
Coach Luke Richardson said Wednesday that Dickinson’s versatility during that time impressed him, putting another “tool in his belt for us, as coaches, to use.”
Nonetheless, with the Hawks’ overall forward talent now closer to NHL standards, Dickinson’s usage this season will probably look more similar to his first 39 games last season, and that’s perfectly fine with him.
“I take such pride in the ‘D’-zone that [playing in the bottom six] comes a lot more naturally,” Dickinson said.
“When you’re put in a position to play with top guys, they want to produce. I had to consciously tell myself, ‘OK, I would make reads here that I would want to play more defensively. But with these guys, I know I’ve got to take a little bit more of a jump here. I might have to cheat. I might have to look for the offensive side of it.’
“Whereas when I’m playing in that grittier role, my reads are instinctual and I know exactly what I want to do in a split second.”
The data backs up that assessment. In Kane and Dickinson’s five-on-five time together last season, the Hawks generated 3.81 goals per 60 minutes — but allowed an astronomical 5.45 goals per 60. Alongside Foligno and Perry, both of those numbers should be much lower.
They still would like to contribute some offense, though, like they did in Tuesday’s preseason win. On their very first shift, Dickinson kept the puck in the Hawks’ offensive zone by stripping it from Red Wings defenseman Jared McIsaac, then Foligno turned a shot on net, Dickinson drove the crease to create havoc and Perry banged in the rebound.
And if Richardson feels compelled to split up that trio at some point — as is probably inevitable — it’ll make his life easier knowing Dickinson can slot into any other type of role, too.
