Dineen, 20, started last season competing for North Bay, an average OHL team. He said he enjoyed playing there because he logged lots of ice time and played in all situations. Dineen wasn't looking to be traded to Sarnia, but when the deal happened he embraced it. Sarnia, which sent rookie defenseman Braden Henderson, five draft picks and two conditional draft picks to North Bay for Dineen finished the regular season with 97 points - second most in the OHL.
"I thought I had a good year in North Bay," Dineen said. "I started off pretty strong. Then I got to go over to Sarnia and play with their top-end guys, which was great. Those guys give you the puck and they get open so it's definitely much easier to get points. I was really happy about that."
Dineen had planned to attend Yale University a few years ago but opted for the OHL instead. His size (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) is a minor concern, but his intelligence is a major plus.
"He's a very cerebral player with good skills," Chayka said. "Transitioning to his first year pro and maintaining the strengths of his game will be the next step."