The Edmonton Oilers made a late offseason signing before the 2016-17 season kicked off, inking defenceman Kris Russell.
While the move was originally meant to provide more depth on the backend, Russell has provided much more than that. In fact, in times of need for Edmonton, he has shown up for them as a top-four defender.
Edmonton Oilers
At Oilers’ locker room cleanout Friday, Russell told the media that he would like to stay with Edmonton. And, if that is what he wants, the Oilers should get in touch with his agent and sign him to that extension.
First off, there is no harm in re-signing Russell. He has provided a lot of depth on the blue line and packs tremendous ability as well. The 30-year-old blueliner led the NHL with 213 shot blocks during the regular season and 54 blocks during the playoffs. He has been a great asset to the team, and not only adds shot-blocking ability but physicality and awareness as well.
Of course, the biggest problem for Oilers fans comes with his analytics. His possession stats tell a different story of his defensive worth. He posted a -4.4 relative Corsi, and also had 60 giveaways through 68 NHL games this season. However, to truly evaluate Russell’s worth, one must look past the numbers.
On the ice, he’s a physical defenceman who does what it takes to backcheck effectively ad keep the puck out of the net. Russell also provides versatility in the sense that he can play either the right or left side. By the same token, he’s an effective skater and can also move the puck, as shown by his 12 assists and plus-5 rating this past year.
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While Russell could also be bigger, as his 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame isn’t completely efficient against the tough Western Conference, he has definitely shown his worth to the team. He comes cheap, provides extra insurance and knows his role moving forward, so the Oilers should ink him if they can.