San Jose Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson will get to share his NHL debut with his family and close friend Beckett Sennecke.
Dickinson and Sennecke both grew up in the Greater Toronto Area.
“We started playing together when we were 11 or 12. Played on the same team for five or six years, and went from there growing up,” Dickinson said.
“It’s definitely pretty cool. I’ve basically grown up with him and played with him for forever. [He’s a] really good friend of mine. It’ll definitely be pretty cool and pretty funny that my first game happens to be against him. I’m sure we’ll have some words for each other out there.”
Sennecke will be playing his second career NHL game for the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. Dickinson wasn’t surprised that the forward was able to score his first goal in his first game.
“Yeah, I guess,” Dickinson joked about being happy for Sennecke. “No, I was happy for him. I figured he would [score] in his first game. It just makes sense for him to do something like that; it’s kind of funny.”
But what does Sennecke remember about the San Jose Sharks defenseman as a kid?
“Him being really, really fast, that’s what I remember,” Sennecke said with a big smile. “He was always the biggest, strongest, fastest one or two.”
Dickinson will have most of his family in attendance to watch his Sharks debut
Dickinson’s parents are in town to watch their son achieve his dream of playing in the best hockey league in the world. The San Jose Sharks defenseman says his parents are his biggest fans, and he wouldn’t be here without them.
“My dad, he’s been my No. 1 fan since I started playing hockey. He’d sacrifice going on vacations. My family [would] stick back with me and stay in freezing cold Toronto for a tournament, or be up at 6 a.m.to take me to a practice,” Dickinson said on Friday. “I don’t know if I’ve ever told him, but there’s no way I’ll ever be able to repay him.
“Same thing with my mom. She’s probably my No. 1 supporter in terms of, I don’t think she’s ever told me about a bad game. She’s always there to pick me up if I’m feeling down. It’ll definitely mean a lot to them, and a lot more to me, knowing that they’re here.”
Unfortunately for Dickinson, his brother won’t be in attendance. The 19-year-old told reporters that his brother is setting up a watch party at his parents’ house in their basement. He is unsure of the size or if his parents know.
Dickinson will be paired with Dmitry Orlov for his first game. Shakir Mukhamadullin will be out of the lineup as a healthy scratch.
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