Oilers Can Boost Center Depth by Trading for Jason Dickinson

Dickinson was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in July 2021 for a third-round draft pick and he, along with a second-round draft pick was dealt a year later to the Blackhawks in exchange for defenceman Riley Stillman. The centerman recorded a career-high 30 points last season in Chicago and he’s continuing his offensive upswing as he’s on pace to surpass 40 points this season.  

Also, he’s set a career-high with 14 goals already in the 2023-24 campaign, and notably, an impressive 13 of the tallies were scored at even strength. Another noteworthy stat is his leading plus/minus rating of plus-8 among Blackhawks players, which is significant considering the team has a minus-59 goal differential, which is the second lowest in the league. Additionally, he leads the forward group with almost 95 minutes played on the penalty kill.

Why Would Dickinson Be Good for the Oilers?

As mentioned, the Oilers will likely need someone to play 3C heading into the postseason and Dickinson could be a low-cost addition to fill that role. He can kill penalties and his size is appealing down the middle. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he’s not afraid to use his body, as he was third on the Blackhawks with 112 hits last season.

The Oilers have a history of third-line centers with limited offensive skill and a prior knock on Dickinson was that he couldn’t produce points, but this season tells a different story. At 28 years old, he seems to be hitting his stride, on pace for a nearly 28-goal season. Moreover, the Oilers got a glimpse of the centerman’s finishing ability firsthand on Jan. 9 as he scored a highlight reel goal when he made a silky toe drag move on Oilers’ defenceman Darnell Nurse and shot a rocket high glove past Stuart Skinner.

To add to that, Dickinson played 11:25 at 5-on-5 against Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid and the shots were 5-2 in favour of the Blackhawk. That said, he held his own against arguably the NHL’s best and he shouldn’t come with a hefty price tag should the Oilers pursue a trade for him.

What Would It Take for the Oilers to Acquire Him?

Dickinson is in the final year of a three-year and $7.95 million contract with a $2.65 million annual average value (AAV). Last season, Edmonton made a trade with the Arizona Coyotes for centerman Nick Bjugstad, in exchange for Michael Kesselring (who, much to the Oilers’ dismay, has turned into a serviceable player) and a third-round draft pick. Dickinson could likely be acquired for the same as he’d be a rental, likely in the ballpark of a third-round draft pick and a lower-tiered prospect.

Also, according to PuckPedia, the Oilers are on track to fit a cap hit of $2.79 million by the trade deadline without making any trades, but if Chicago retained 50% of his contract (which might bump up the ask to a second-round draft pick), his price tag would come in at a lower $1.325 million AAV, leaving some money to spare for Edmonton to use elsewhere.

Dickinson checks many boxes for the Oilers — he has the size and skill to fill in as their third-line center and can score at even strength and kill penalties. As Brown stated, “That is the kind of player the Oilers need in their lineup and [he’d] make them that much better.”