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Oilers injury update: Jason Dickinson suffers setback ahead of opener

Photo credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

By Michael Menzies

Sep 25, 2026, 18:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 25, 2026, 17:32 EDT

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The Edmonton Oilers may be without Jason Dickinson when the regular season begins in four days.

The veteran centre did not skate on Friday morning and has not been on the ice for team practices much in the past week. More information has emerged that Dickinson tweaked the same lower-body injury that kept him out of important games down the stretch last season.

“He’s had a setback,” said coach Mike Babcock after Friday’s practice. “I think it’s the same thing. I’m not the medical guy, so I don’t really know. But it looks like we were really advancing. He tweaked it. Thought we were coming good, and then yesterday was a tough day… I’m not a doctor.”

Dickinson won’t play tomorrow, and it appears unlikely he’ll be ready to face the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

Jason Gregor

@JasonGregor

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Babcock confirms Dickinson has had a set back and won’t play tomorrow and unlikely to start the season. No timeline on how long he could be out. Sounds more short term than long term. #Oilers

5:49 PM · Sep 25, 2026

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The Oilers cut their training camp roster significantly on Friday, with most of the lineup that played in Vancouver the night before sent down to Bakersfield or released back to their junior teams.

Trent Frederic appeared in the third-line centre spot, while Colton Dach lined up as the fourth-line centre. Josh Samanski, a natural centre, was part of the extra forwards.

Bob Stauffer

@Bob_Stauffer

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The @EdmontonOilers practice: Podkolzin-McDavid-Draisaitl Howard-RNH-Hyman Jones-Frederic-Kapanen Formenton-Dach-Joseph Samanski-Michaels Ekholm-Bouchard Walman-Murphy Shea-Mukhamadullin Stastney-Emberson Jarry Levi Tomkins Not on the ice: Dickinson

5:12 PM · Sep 25, 2026

245

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Dickinson’s status likely plays into NCAA signing Owen Michaels remaining up with the Oilers for an extra couple of days, as Babcock has liked what he’s seen so far from the 24-year-old.

“Michaels is beyond smart,” said Babcock during the media scrum. “Skates elite. He’s in all the good clips every night. I mean, it’s not what we thought coming in. I can tell you that. But what are you going to do? They decide, not me.”

Nevertheless, it’s a frustrating start to the season for Dickinson, who should play a key defensive role with the Oilers, and was re-signed to a five-year, $20-million contract in June.

“The physical part’s one thing. The mental part’s another,” said Babcock.

“When you keep having these setbacks, you know, she’s hard. I don’t know if you noticed, they’re flying out there, and so if you can’t fly, it’s hard to play. So someone else gets an opportunity, and let’s see who it is.”

We’ll see how close these practice lines are to the eventual lineup that plays the Calgary Flames in the final preseason game on Saturday night.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.

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