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Oilers Sign Jason Dickinson to New 5-Year Extension
David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers have signed forward Jason Dickinson to a new five-year contract extension. The team announced the deal on Sunday, following news this weekend that the two sides had made significant progress on terms and things were close.

This will keep Dickinson from entering free agency, where he might have earned a little more on the open market. The new deal is a slight discount from his previous $4.25 million cap hit he had when his recent contract expired. While the term might be a bit more than is totally comfortable, it’s a pretty team-friendly AAV for a guy they clearly value as a key piece of their depth down the middle.

The key concern for the Oilers will be term, as the 30-year-old’s limited offensive track record could make a long deal risky. Still, his value as a faceoff specialist and penalty killer makes him a useful third-line center. Finding a player to fill this role has been a challenge for the Oilers for several seasons. It will free up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to play top-six minutes, while also relieving the pressure on Josh Samanski not to play too high in the lineup.

Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now posted, “Acquired at the NHL deadline Dickinson commits to a 5-year extension in Oil Country. The @EdmontonOilers get a prototypical 3rd line checking center who can PK. Gamer! Willed himself to overcome a significant LBI to play the final 3 games of the Anaheim series.”

More to come…

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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