Edmonton Oilers' Colton Dach skates against the Carolina Hurricanes during second-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Friday March 6, 2026. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)As the Edmonton Oilers forward Colton Dach is embracing a fresh start following a contract extension, the player is eager to prove himself under the new head coach Mike Babcock heading into the 2026-27 NHL season. The 23-year-old recently agreed to a two-year, $2.4 million contract with the Oilers, carrying an average annual value of $1.2 million. After securing his future in Edmonton, Dach revealed he is looking forward to working with Babcock and believes the veteran coach's system suits his style of play. Let's find out what Colton Dach has to say about his head coach, Mike Babcock, and what it is like to play under him.Colton Dach is eager to play under head coach Mike Babcock after his two-year contract extensionAs Colton Dach was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Edmonton Oilers, the young forward is looking forward to playing under the new coach, Mike Babcock. Recently, Dach and the Oilers just agreed to a two-year deal that will keep the 23-year-old with the team through 2027-28. Colton Dach is signed to a $2.4 million contract with a cap hit of $1,200,000 per season, playing for the Edmonton Oilers. His contract expires at the end of the 2027-28 season. Now that he has a new contract with the team, the player is aiming to impress the coach and trying to make a place for himself.While speaking to the media, Dach admitted that he is eager to prove himself under the leadership of coach Babcock and that it aligns with his style of play. He added, “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.”He further added, “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. 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.”As per reports, Dach has played in eight games for the Oilers in the regular season, scoring two goals and adding two assists. Still, he averaged just 10:08 of ice time per game. He also played in five playoff games, registering an assist, but also saw his playing time decrease to just 8:26 per game.In 2025-26, Dach recorded 13 points, 5 goals and 8 assists in 61 games, including four points in eight regular-season games after arriving in Edmonton. Despite missing time due to injury, he finished the year with 219 hits, ranking among the NHL's top 15 in the category. As the Oilers aim to rebound from last season's first-round playoff exit, Dach believes joining a club with a winning attitude is definitely going to help him. "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,” he added.According to reports, the Oilers will begin preparing for the 2026-27 season by playing a preseason game against the Winnipeg Jets on September 19. However, the official fixture will be announced as and when the NHL releases the full league schedule.