Oilers 2025-26 Report Cards: Jason Dickinson

As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card graded Mattias Ekholm, and now we turn our attention to one of the newest Oilers, Jason Dickinson.

The Oilers acquired Dickinson before the 2026 Trade Deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks, and he filled a glaring hole in the lineup. He was brought in to be the third-line centre, and he fit the bill. The Oilers needed a defensively responsible, shutdown centre, and they found it. Let’s take a deeper look at Dickinson’s time in Edmonton and how he impacted the bottom six.

2025-26 Performance

Dickinson recorded one goal and four points, averaging 15:03 per game in 17 games since the trade. He was acquired because of his defensive prowess. “My favourite thing about what I do is seeing the frustration and the will to win come out of guys on the other side,” Dickinson told the media before his Oilers’ debut on March 7. That’s a guy who knows his role and takes his job seriously.

He was an important penalty killer with Chicago, and that translated to Edmonton. In 31:37 of shorthanded ice time, Dickinson was on the ice for three goals against. That’s roughly one goal every three and a half power plays if he were on the ice for the entire two minutes. Before the trade deadline, the Oilers ranked 26th on the penalty kill at 76.7 percent. Since then, the Oilers ranked 10th at 81.6 percent. That’s a big improvement, and the newest acquisitions of Dickinson and Connor Murphy are major reasons why.

Unfortunately, Dickinson was injured in the playoffs and only played four games. He played through his ailment and still made a positive impact. He was a warrior, and his toughness was on full display. The 30-year-old recorded two goals and three points with a plus-3 rating during his limited postseason run. He opened the playoffs with a bang, scoring both his goals in their Game 1 win.

Oilers Should Re-Sign Dickinson

Dickinson is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1, and he should be a top priority to bring back. If the Oilers don’t re-sign him, that will create another hole in the lineup. They will need to fill that void by signing someone else in free agency, so it’s best to keep him. The Oilers have familiarity with him, and they know what he brings to the table.

“I loved playing here. The crowd is amazing, the organization treats you fantastic, and the city feels like home. Everything feels so natural. It would be something I’m willing to talk to them about and get something moving”, Dickinson stated about his contract situation and his future in Edmonton during his season-end media availability. The organization needs players who want to be here.

The free agent class is extremely thin, so there aren’t many better options available. Since there are limited options, those players will be in high demand, raising their value. The Oilers can’t afford to overpay for players in free agency. They should try to keep their free agents rather than look elsewhere.

Overall Grade

Dickinson improved the Oilers’ overall depth. He’s not a flashy player, but every team needs players like him. His advanced statistics weren’t great, but he’s not the type of player to generate a lot of offensive chances.

The veteran forward had 20 offensive zone starts, 48 neutral zone starts, and 51 defensive zone starts. He only started 28.17 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. He’s on the ice in defensive situations a lot, so it makes sense that he would be on the ice for more scoring chances against than for. He’s trusted in the defensive zone, and he thrives at frustrating the opposition.

He wasn’t fantastic, but he did his job. Therefore, he deserves a C+ for his adequate season. He was acquired to suppress the opponents and keep games low-event while helping the struggling penalty kill. He did that for the most part, and hopefully the Oilers can bring him back next season.

Keep following The Hockey Writers as we continue the Oilers’ player report cards throughout the offseason.

Advanced stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick