Sam Dickinson will play his 10th career game for the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, meaning he’ll stay in the NHL for the 2025-26 season.
Questions surrounded the 19-year-old throughout the summer about whether he is ready to become a full-time NHLer or be returned to the London Knights in the OHL.
The Sharks can still technically send Dickinson back to the OHL; the only difference is that the first year of his entry-level contract will be burned. Dickinson can also be loaned to Team Canada for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, if the Sharks choose.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky told reporters that Dickinson would play against the Detroit Red Wings in his pregame media availability.
“This is pro sports, and it’s the National Hockey League, so he’s got to continue to show improvement and show that he belongs here,” Warsofsky said. “Early on this season, he’s taking some big steps of getting more and more comfortable as he plays, correcting mistakes.
“We’re seeing some growth in his game. We’ve seen speed bumps in his game, but ultimately, we’ve seen him take some steps in the right direction, where we think he can help our hockey team.”
Dickinson told reporters his father called him immediately following the conversation with Sharks GM Mike Grier. The conversation to inform Dickinson that he would stay took place during warm-up on Saturday.
“At the forefront [of my mind], it’s still the same. It’s the same goal, same expectations for me,” Dickinson said. “There’s probably a little bit of back-of-the-mind pressure relieved.”
William Eklund will not play on Sunday due to a lower-body injury. Warsofsky said the San Jose Sharks forward has been dealing with the issue for roughly a week.
Michael Misa will also be a scratch in the San Jose Sharks lineup. Ethan Cardwell will make his season debut as part of the 11-forward, seven-defenseman formation.
What do the Sharks do with Misa?
The decision to keep the 2025 No. 2 overall pick in the NHL will be coming up as well. Like Dickinson, Misa’s age, 18, restricts him from playing in the AHL. If Misa doesn’t stay with the Sharks, he will be loaned back to the Saginaw Spirit.
Misa’s entry-level contract will slide one more year, meaning, despite playing some NHL games, he won’t have burned a year off a standard 3-year ELC.
If Misa joins Dickinson in the NHL past the nine-game mark, the Sharks will be forced to move a contract from their roster. Teams are only allowed 50 contracts. By playing in his 10th game, his ELC will become the 50th active Sharks contract.
“I leave those contract decisions up to Mike [Grier],” Warsofsky said.
It wouldn’t make sense for the Sharks to send Dickinson back to the OHL and burn a year of his contract, but things can always change. Only time will tell about the future of where Misa and Dickinson will play the 2025-26 season.
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