During the 2023–24 season, the Chicago Blackhawks experienced some difficulties, particularly in terms of winning games. Throughout the entire season, Jason Dickinson was one of the best and most reliable players—instead of being one of those problems.
With a star like Connor Bedard at the center of it all, a guy like Dickinson provides the intelligence and abilities to help a Bedard get through that challenging season. Dickinson participated in all 82 games and had a career year in 2022–23 and 2024–25.
The Chicago Blackhawks were viewed as sellers early in the season, and Jason Dickinson was considered a possible trade bait. But they reasoned that he was worth sticking around because of his leadership and output. They made the mid-season decision to extend his contract by two years.
Dickinson will now work with the group to support their growth over the ensuing few years. Throughout his NHL career, he has demonstrated his ability to play in a bottom-six role and, if necessary, to partner with someone like Bedard.
Dickinson is skilled at providing a little bit of on-ice protection and support for the younger players. An added advantage is that he scored 22 goals with them this season.
Will Dickinson be a member of a successful Blackhawks squad? That might materialize if Kyle Davidson continues to assemble a squad of young players who are developing alongside the appropriate veterans.
The Jason Dickinson Bottom Line
The Blackhawks need Jason Dickinson to produce at a comparable level over the next two seasons. Though he doesn’t have to be a great player, his effective two-way performance might get the youthful Blackhawks closer to the postseason.
The team will need to provide Bedard with assistance as he develops and becomes a superstar in the NHL. That’s what guys like Dickinson can do. What adds so much value to the team is his steady leadership and ability to shut out the noise, especially when the team is losing a lot.
Dickinson didn’t even flinch when he was questioned about playing in the year that was left on his contract during the locker clean out. He explained his behavior by “just coming in and playing,” and boy, did he get paid for it.
Dickinson remarked, “I loved that they valued what I was doing and that they wanted me to stay on.” The most important thing was that. It was an easy choice for me to stay on for a few more years in order to attempt to make things right and move this thing in the correct direction because I want to perform for people who want me to be there and I appreciate that they support and stand by me.
That’s precisely what one hopes from seasoned leadership on a team making a change. Never mind that if the team performed better, his stats would get him Selke nomination, if not a victory. As a legitimate two-way center, Dickinson excelled when facing the greatest opponents. The Blackhawks struck gold when they acquired a second-round selection simply to acquire him from Vancouver.
For this team, Jason Dickinson is shown himself to be a valuable asset. He is going to get better as the squad gets bigger and, if that trajectory keeps going up, he might even land a Selke.
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