Jan 13, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon (4) celebrates a goal against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena. The Sharks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The San Jose Sharks and Brenden Dillon are nearing an extension that should be in the range of three-to-six years. With that in mind, let’s take a look back at what kind of season Dillon had with San Jose and how he figures into the Sharks’ plans moving forward.
Dillon began his season with the Dallas Stars where he appeared in 20 games before being traded west in exchange for Jason Demers on November 21. It was a trade that benefitted both teams as the Sharks were looking for a left-handed defenseman to slot in behind Marc-Edouard Vlasic, while the Stars were looking for a right-handed defenseman.
Dillon would go on to play in 60 games with San Jose, but it wasn’t the best hockey of his career. Dillon scored two goals and added seven assists while being a minus-11 in 19:13 of ice time. Those weren’t the kind of numbers general manager Doug Wilson envisioned when he brought in Dillon, especially after he was coming off a career season in Dallas.
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During the 2013-14 season, Dillon appeared in 80 games and posted six goals and 11 assists while being a plus-nine and averaging 21 minutes and six seconds of ice time in helping the Stars reach the playoffs.
While it’s tough to pinpoint what went wrong in San Jose with Dillon, he wasn’t the only defenseman that struggled. The entire blue line was a mess last season, ranking 24th in goals against. Dillon was on the ice for just 41 percent of San Jose’s goals at five-on-five, but his Corsi For percentage of 51.6 was middle of the pack amongst the Sharks d-men.
Moving forward, there is still a lot to like about Dillon’s game. For one, Dillon is young, just 24-years-old, and has great size at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. He’s a smooth skater who can move the puck quickly up the ice, which is what the Sharks will be looking to do better under new coach Peter DeBoer.
Also, Dillon isn’t afraid to mix it up as he recorded 54 penalty minutes in San Jose and has registered 228 penalty minutes in 209 career NHL games. That edge will be needed as the Sharks need to be better in their own end and in front of their net next year.
With Dillon appearing close to a multi-year extension with the Sharks, he should continue to refine his game with the help of Larry Robinson. Now that Dillon has settled in with San Jose, expect his numbers to be much better next year. A return to form from Justin Braun would benefit Dillon, but it’s up to him to regain his form.
Dillon is a big part of the organization’s future and will be counted upon for big minutes. San Jose is counting on a bounce back season from Dillon and will need him to leave last season behind, like many of the Sharks players, in order for San Jose to be in a position to reach the postseason once again.