The Edmonton Oilers got a familiar face back on Wednesday, activating centerman Jason Dickinson from injured reserve before their matchup with the Calgary Flames.
Dickinson had been out for the past six games after suffering a groin injury during practice on October 14. He was back in regular practice on Tuesday, and the Oilers are expected to work him back in gradually during their home game before the team heads out on a three-game road trip.
It’s been a stop-and-start beginning to the year for the 31-year-old. A nagging ankle issue slowed him out of the gate, and the recent groin injury has left him with just three appearances this season.
In those games, he has recorded one assist, three shot blocks, and three hits. With Dickinson back in the mix, rookie Owen Michaels is expected to slide into the fourth-line center spot, while Colton Dach likely heads to the press box.
For Edmonton, the timing matters. The club enters a demanding stretch with more depth and momentum, riding a 7-2-1 record over its last 10 games while trying to keep giving Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl enough support.
Elsewhere around the league, the Columbus Blue Jackets activated and assigned defenseman Caleb MacDonald. The 23-year-old had been dealing with a lower-body injury suffered in training camp and spent the start of the season on Columbus’ non-roster injured reserve.
MacDonald is coming off his first pro season with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, where he posted 12 points, 74 penalty minutes, and a minus-six in 58 games. Before turning pro, he spent two college seasons, one at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and one at the University of North Dakota.
Across those 66 collegiate games, he piled up 80 penalty minutes. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, he is expected to bring his usual physical edge back to Cleveland’s lineup.
Boston Bruins owner and governor Jeremy Jacobs also made a notable organizational move, announcing that his son, Charlie Jacobs, will take over his role as the Bruins’ governor effective immediately.
Charlie Jacobs has long been the public face of Bruins ownership and has served as alternate governor. He also founded and chairs the Boston Bruins Foundation, which has raised more than $80MM for children, families, first responders, and military personnel since 2003. Beyond that, he has played a major part in the development of the New England Sports Network (NESN).
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Blue Jackets Blue Line Suddenly Looks Less Settled Than Expected
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Blue Jackets Made Philadelphias Early-Season Spiral Even Worse
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The start has been so rough that the playoff picture is already looking shaky, with nine straight losses hanging over a club that expected much more stability. There have been a few encouraging flashes along the way, including some positive moments from Tyson Foerster, but Columbus added another reminder that good individual play is not enough when the bigger collapse keeps swallowing everything around it. [Read more 🡒]