Jason Dickinson was a pricey addition for the Edmonton Oilers at the 2026 trade deadline, costing them a first-round pick. Fortunately, there were a couple of wrinkles to this trade that could make it worthwhile in the long run. They offloaded Andrew Mangiapane’s $3.6 million contract, giving them more flexibility this summer, and they also acquired Colton Dach as part of the deal.

Dach hasn’t proven much at the NHL level yet, but his youth and skill set make him an intriguing asset. He stands at an imposing 6-foot-4, 218 lbs., and uses every bit of that frame. He bullies his way to the middle of the ice for tips, deflections and rebounds, and throws his weight around on the forecheck. During his eight regular-season games with the Oilers, he led the team in hits per hour.

On-puck skills aren’t the most refined part of his game, but he can succeed either on a fourth line or as a support piece with skilled linemates who can do the heavy-lifting with the puck.

Dach’s offensive play driving this season wasn’t overly impressive — HockeyViz ranked him eight per cent below league average in five-on-five offensive impact. When he arrived in Edmonton after the trade, however, he showed encouraging progress.

After scoring just nine points in 53 games with the Blackhawks, Dach produced four in eight games with the Oilers. He also consistently controlled the flow of play, posting an incredible 75 per cent expected goal share in Edmonton.

Now, I must note that he dealt with injuries down the stretch and only played about 80 even-strength minutes for the Oilers. The sample size is far too small to make sweeping conclusions about Dach’s trajectory, especially after he didn’t carry over the same dominance to the playoffs.

Still, Dach proved that his brand of physicality and off-puck play can produce results. He showed flashes of strong play-driving and improved production. He will be firmly in the mix for the bottom six minutes next season.