The Chicago Blackhawks traded Jason Dickinson to the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline, and he's already paying off for them.
The Chicago Blackhawks made a handful of trades ahead of the trade deadline. Most of the players shipped out were veterans who are on expiring deals. Instead of losing them for nothing, Kyle Davidson gained assets for them.
Three of the four big names moved by the Blackhawks were sent to the Edmonton Oilers in two different trades. Those three are Colton Dach, Connor Murphy, and Jason Dickinson.
All three of them played in Edmonton’s first playoff game on Monday, which turned out to be a heroic come-from-behind victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Murphy and Dach did their jobs without contributing any offense, but Dickinson’s two-goal performance earned him the First Star of the Game honors.
Dickinson’s two goals counted for half of Edmonton’s offensive output. This was the first time this season that the Oilers won a game in which Connor McDavid didn’t have a point. They picked a great time to get that done, as they now have a 1-0 series lead.
Most of Dickinson's Oilers tenure has been with Leon Draisaitl on the shelf. They declared him out for the regular season in mid-March, but he was back in time for game one. Dickinson himself missed a handful of games going into the playoffs, so he had to be ready as well.
"I had to get my strength back and work towards being able to play," Dickinson said of his return. "Being able to make sure that I was strong enough to battle. The results are because of my process, and just keeping it simple and going to the net. Good things happen; that's really all it was. I just move my legs and let the game come to me."
With Dickinson sliding into the third-line center role behind McDavid and Draisaitl, he fits in much better. On Monday night, his line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic was impactful in all three zones. They played their checking role well while also contributing to the offense needed to win the game.
"It was amazing," Dickinson said of his first playoff game in Edmonton. "I had to take a couple of deep breaths during the anthem to center myself and come back down to earth. The adrenaline was pumping. You're just feeling every bit of energy."
If the Oilers have three scoring lines that they trust defensively in all situations, it will be hard to beat them four times out of seven. Jason Dickinson showed those two-way skills, and ultimately why Stan Bowman wanted him, in this win.
Jason Dickinson talked about playing in the playoffs and what it means to him after his big performance. He mentioned that years had gone by since his last playoff game. Despite his injury going into the playoffs, he said that there was no way that he was missing this first playoff game.
"I was told early on that you have to savor it because you'll never know if you'll be back [to the Stanley Cup Playoffs]," Dickinson said. "I kind of chuckled at it early on, and then five years went by, and I hadn't seen playoffs. You want to play in these games because it makes everything worth it. All the bumps, bruises, training, and hours spent away from the family. It's all about going out there and competing."
Next up for Dickinson and the Oilers is Game 2, which will take place on Wednesday night in Edmonton. The Ducks failed to win a game in which they contained Connor McDavid, and they can't expect him to be quiet for multiple games in a row.
If Dickinson keeps competing as he did on Monday, when Edmonton's stars truly get going, they will be as entertaining to watch as any playoff team.
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