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Dickinson re-signing is proof Oilers have ‘unfinished business’

Photo credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

By Michael Menzies

Aug 1, 2026, 17:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 1, 2026, 16:45 EDT

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What’s the best quote of the summer from an Edmonton Oiler?

My money is on this one from Jason Dickinson during the media conference back in late June following his five-year contract extension.

“As soon as I came in, it felt like a place I wanted to be for a long time,” said Dickinson. “We connected with the guys really easily, and it’s a great place for our families to live and grow. Then you get the itch as soon as you start playing serious hockey.

“Although we lost in the first round and it sucked, I have that itch to keep going with this group. It’s not just an itch to be in the playoffs — it feels like unfinished business almost, that we have a good group that can push this forward. I want to be a part of that.”

Dickinson’s arrival with Connor Murphy showcased their no-nonsense, honest brand of hockey to the Oilers, which in turn was embraced by the fan base.

Both spoke about their goals to remain in the city, liking Edmonton for their families’ sake, and for the ultimate goal of winning a Stanley Cup.

They backed that up by agreeing to almost identical contracts on consecutive days, signing for five years, with Murphy earning a shade more at $4.1 million than Dickinson’s flat $4 million.

For Dickinson, the post-season was a frustrating exercise, as an ill-timed ankle injury at the tail end of the regular season hurt his ability to make a full impact.

Despite missing two games in the series, he scored a pair of goals in Game 1 against the Anaheim Ducks. What could have been? Murphy wondered.

“I think just moving forward, having a lot of time to sit on it and feel that pain of being out so early as a group brings back that motivation and health for everyone,” said Murphy. “Just making sure that the team puts our best foot forward and realizes what hasn’t worked in the past and what’s going to work going forward.”

When they spoke, Mike Babcock wasn’t officially hired yet, but Dickinson didn’t have an issue with it whatsoever. In fact, he said it was an exciting possibility.

Dickinson is comfortable in his own skin. He knows his role.

“If you start getting guys playing a different style of game, all of a sudden now – if you’re talking about Connor and Leon and the top six in particular – they’re not putting up 100 points, and you guys will start questioning why they’re not doing that,” said Dickinson.

“There’s a fine line of being focused on it (defensive play), but also allowing guys like myself and Murph to take on those responsibilities. You bring in these defensive-minded players that can manage those hard objectives to allow them to play a little bit freer against maybe a second or third line, instead of going up against top players all the time. They get a little bit of time to play easier matchups, and I get the job to make sure that they don’t score on us.”

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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