Colton Dach didn’t get a ton of playing time in Edmonton after the trade. But now he’s got a contract and a clear picture of what his new head coach expects.
The 23-year-old forward signed a two-year extension with the Oilers that runs through the 2027-28 season. He was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2025-26 trade deadline and only appeared in eight regular-season games with Edmonton, scoring two goals and two assists in limited minutes. He averaged just over 10 minutes of ice time per game during the regular season and saw that drop to 8:26 in five playoff appearances.
Dach spoke to NHL.com about working under Mike Babcock, who took over as Edmonton’s head coach. Babcock has been to the Stanley Cup Final three times as a head coach and won it all with the 2008 Detroit Red Wings.
Dach on Babcock’s style and earning trust
“Obviously, I was pretty young when (Babcock) was a coach with Detroit and Toronto, but I think his coaching style will fit my game pretty well,” Dach said. “I’m a guy that goes out there and gives it my all and works hard and shows my work ethic. It’s going to be hard, heavy minutes and it’s something I’m going to be excited for.”
The Oilers went to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025 but got bounced in the first round this past season. Babcock’s mandate is clear: get back to the Final and win it. Dach knows there’s no easing into a system when a team is built to contend now.
“I think for myself personally, it’s trying to gain that trust with the coaching staff and up my minutes a bit and prove to them that I can be a good 200-foot player,” he said. “Obviously, it’s always nice to contribute offensively and hopefully those numbers can go up from last year and I’m trying to work on my game this summer to help do that.”
Chasing a Cup in a win-now environment
Dach sounded genuinely excited about joining a team with championship expectations. Not every young player gets dropped into a situation where the organization is willing to pay a premium for veteran leadership and immediate results.
“It’s always nice to come into a team that is trying to win right now and wants to win so badly,” he said. “It’s fun to come to the rink when you’re winning. That’s what makes this game so awesome, you get to come in, and you get to be with your friends and your brothers and battle with them and compete and at the end of the day, it’s awesome to have that.”
The Oilers open their preseason on September 19 against the Winnipeg Jets. The full regular-season schedule drops this week.
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