Dickson victim of bad timing
Roughnecks’ star has enjoyed career year, but Smith was record-breaker
Curtis Dickson simply picked the wrong season.
Normally, a 57-goal campaign (and counting) would put you in the thick of the National Lacrosse League MVP race and create a fascinating debate with the playoffs on the horizon.
Dhane Smith, who’s dazzled all season as a 23-year-old in Buffalo Bandits colours, ruined all that in fantastic fashion. Record-breaking fashion. More-goals-in-a-season-thananyone-in-league-history fashion.
Unfortunately for Dickson, there’s very little debate as to who’s walking away with the MVP trophy when it’s handed out later this year.
With 68 goals and a new NLL record of 131 points heading into the final weekend of the regular season, it’s Smith in a landslide, followed by Dickson and former Roughnecks- turned- New- England-Black-Wolves star Shawn Evans, a two-time MVP who’s second in the NLL scoring race with 117 points.
“With the seasons some of the other guys are having, it would be pretty tough,” said Dickson, who has surpassed the 100-point mark for the first time in his six-year career. “Dhane Smith is blowing records out of the water and has a chance to set the goal record that no one ever thought anyone would come close to, so it’s going to be tough. You look at Shawnie (Evans) going and turning that New England franchise around, so he’s another strong contender, obviously. I think this year’s probably as tough as ever to win that.”
That sentiment is shared throughout the league.
If Dickson was closing in on 60 goals last season, he’d be leading the league and likely considered the MVP front-runner the way Smith is this season. Bad timing. “You probably hit the nail on the head,” Roughnecks head coach Curt Malawsky said. “It’s a tough year for Dickson, but he understands his value to our group and our organization and his teammates on the floor and off the floor. He’s had a phenomenal year and it hasn’t gone unnoticed on our side.
“Dicks has definitely been our MVP. He’s a big-time player, he gets big goals for us, and he’s been the engine of our offence this year. I think his game has really, really evolved. It’s unfortunate he’s going up against a young guy that’s put up phenomenal numbers and Evy’s done a heck of a job with his New England Black Wolves and has those guys up near the top of the eastern standings.”
Smith needs three goals Saturday against Evans and the Black Wolves to equal Athan Iannucci’s singleseason record of 71, which he set as a member of the now-defunct Philadelphia Wings back in 2008.
Dickson, meanwhile, needs three goals to join Smith, Iannucci and former NLL great Gary Gait — Iannucci and Gait both did it in a 16-game season, as opposed to the current 18-game slate — as the only members of the NLL’s 60-goal club.
Like most players in the tightknit lacrosse world, Smith and Dickson, 27, have crossed paths many times, including forming a scary combination at last year’s World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in Upstate New York, where Team Canada marched its way to a gold medal.
“He’s a great a guy and I couldn’t be happier for him,” Dickson said. “I think he’s 23 or 24 years old right now, so it’s pretty remarkable to see what he’s doing at his age.
“Any other year, I’d probably be leading the goal-scoring race by quite a few. It’s pretty remarkable what he’s doing, averaging four goals a game and over eight points a game. It’s pretty fun to watch.”
While Dickson is focused on helping his team clinch the final playoff spot in the West Division on Saturday in the Roughnecks’ regular-season finale against the Toronto Rock (5-12) at the Saddledome (7 p.m., Fox Sports Go), he didn’t hide the fact the number 60 would be pretty cool to have on a resume that is already overflowing with accomplishments.
Considering Dickson has scored three-plus goals in 11-of-17 games this season, the odds are in his favour.
But no matter what the final numbers or the leaguewide awards say, there’s no diminishing No. 17’s importance to the Roughnecks.
“He’s the best one-on-one player in the NLL and he might be the best goal scorer in the NLL,” Malawsky said. “That’s arguable, but we like to think that he is. If you take him out of our lineup, it’d be tough. Teams try to take him out of games and you can’t do it. You’re really exposing yourself to try to get three or four guys on him and he still breaks your back.
“I don’t think you can quantify his importance to our team. He’s invaluable. No question.”
It’s a tough year for Dickson, but he understands his value to our group and our organization.