EDMONTON – Colton Dach grew up a self-proclaimed diehard Oilers fan.
Now the 23-year-old forward from the Edmonton suburb of St. Albert, Alta., is preparing to play for his hometown team after the Oilers picked him up ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
“I think my mom and dad were probably the two most excited people on the planet when they found out,” Dach said after skating with his new teammates Friday morning.
His mom, dad and sister will all be at Rogers Place on Friday night when he makes his Oilers debut.
“Pretty crazy,” Dach said. “We’ve been coming to games since I don’t even know how old I was. It’s a pretty surreal moment.”
The Oilers were quiet in the hours before Friday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, having done their business earlier in the week.
Related Videos
Edmonton acquired Dach and bruising centre Jason Dickinson from the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday in exchange for winger Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 draft.
The Blackhawks retained 50 per cent of Dickinson’s US$4.25-million salary cap hit on a contract set to expire at the end of this season.
The deal came two days after Chicago sent veteran blue liner Connor Murphy to Edmonton for a second-round pick in the 2028 draft. The Blackhawks are also retaining half of Murphy’s salary.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
Dach and Dickinson travelled north together on Thursday. Dach was grateful to have a veteran teammate as a companion.
“I was calling him probably every 15 minutes about what to pack, what to do,” he said with a grin.
The six-foot-four Dach comes to Edmonton with three goals and nine points over 53 games this season, while the six-foot-two Dickinson had six goals and 13 points over 47 appearances.
“I think it’s a great opportunity. Super excited to be here,” Dach said. “I think I’m just going to try bring some physicality, some energy, use my size to my advantage. Knowing my game, just using my assets to my advantage.”
The chance to play with Connor McDavid instead of against him is also something both new additions relish.
Dickinson, who hails from Georgetown, Ont., said he’s had many battles against the superstar centre over the years.
“I’ve definitely had my struggles with him. I’ve loved doing it. But it’ll be a lot nicer to watch him do his thing,” he said.
The 30-year-old centre also brings a hunger for post-season success to the Oilers.
Edmonton has reached the Stanley Cup final in back-to-back seasons, and Dickinson said he wants to help the team return this year, albeit with a different result.
“The opportunity to play in the playoffs is something to cherish because it’s been six years since I’ve had my last crack at the playoffs,” he said. “As a young guy, you don’t always appreciate the opportunity in front of you sometimes and the fact that it is fleeting.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
