Edmonton Oilers Wise to Re-Sign Kris Russell, Here’s Why

The Edmonton Oilers officially re-signed Kris Russell Friday. The contract is a four-year deal worth $16 million.

The Oilers opened up an extra $3.5 million cap space Thursday after trading Jordan Eberle to the Islanders in exchange for Ryan Strome. With that space, Edmonton took the opportunity to extend Russell to ensure depth on defence. Though some are hesitant in regards to his term and salary, as well as his true worth to the organization, re-signing him was a solid move for the Oilers.

Edmonton Oilers

First, Edmonton needs to build depth on defence this offseason. With Andrej Sekera out 6-9 months, the Oilers need a solid, top-four defender to fill his void. Russell not only fits that criteria but is a familiar face and played a lot of minutes with Sekera. Therefore, he knows Sekera’s style, and how he can adapt and fill the void in his role.

If you look at Russell’s actual play, as opposed to his stats (which tell a worse story), he is a pretty solid blueliner. Russell is the top shot-blocker in the lead, but also takes good care of the puck and makes smart decisions on the fly. He is able to keep the puck away from the opposition and break up plays.

With his stay-at-home style and outstanding defensive awareness, the 30-year-old is good at keeping track of the puck and reading the play. That is exactly the kind of defenceman Edmonton needs in their top four.

Lastly, Russell has great potential and certainly gives his full effort. Though the term is concerning, given his age, he plays with full effort each night. In the end, the Russell signing is a win. The Oilers are certainly not in salary cap trouble, and can still extend their big name players this offseason.