The Oilers will likely be without Jason Dickinson to start the season after the veteran center re-aggravated a foot injury, Mike Babcock said Friday.
The injury goes back to last season's playoffs, and there's no firm timetable for his return.
Heavy noted that Babcock's comments suggested the issue could be more short-term than long-term.
Dickinson signed a five-year, $20 million deal with Edmonton in June, and he carries a $4,000,000 cap hit.
He split last season between Chicago and Edmonton, putting up 17 points in 64 games.
He scored twice in four playoff games for the Oilers last spring, the same run where the foot injury first happened.
So who takes those minutes now?
Oilers may need emergency replacement after latest setback to Jason Dickinson
Trent Frederic has already moved into the third-line center role during Dickinson's absence. He logged 10:21 in Saturday's 4-1 win over Calgary.
Colton Dach has also taken reps down the middle, and he played 12:41 in that same game.
Owen Michaels has drawn particular attention from Babcock during camp. He saw 10:56 against the Flames.
The waiver wire could also come into play as teams finalize their rosters before Monday's deadline.
Stan Bowman should put in a claim on Alex Steeves while he's still out there. A center who scored 36 AHL goals two seasons ago is exactly the kind of cheap stopgap this calls for.
He carries a $1,625,000 cap hit, well under what Dickinson costs.
Losing your third-line center in late September is like losing your house keys the morning you move. You'll get in eventually, but everything takes longer than it should.
Dickinson's best NHL season came in 2023-24, when he scored 22 goals for the Blackhawks.
The Stars drafted him 29th overall in 2013, and he has 172 points in 566 NHL games.
The top of the lineup looked fine without him Saturday. Connor McDavid scored the winner, and Devon Levi made 23 saves on 24 shots.
The Oilers finished the preseason 4-0-0 and open Tuesday at home against the Canucks.
Edmonton can absorb a couple of weeks. Should this drag into November, that five-year deal from June starts looking like a very expensive question mark.
Should the Oilers claim a center off waivers to cover for Jason Dickinson?
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