Edmonton Oilers blueliner Kris Russell finished first on an NHL leaderboard. He blocked the most shots in the league, finishing the year with 213 blocks.
Edmonton Oilers
Taking that into account, as well as his ability to move the puck and play as a top-four defenceman, Russell has shown how important he is to the Oilers lineup. He helps give the blue line depth and brings plenty of experience and prowess to his game.
Russell defies the analytics and stats that attempt to define him and thrives in the lineup. In 68 games this season, the 29-year-old put up a goal and 13 points and was a plus-5. Russell has proven himself as an effective skater who displays great speed and puck-moving acumen. He can play with confidence and look after the puck, and also eats big minutes. Additionally, Russell is versatile in the fact that he can play the right or left side.
Handling the Sharks
When it comes to the Oilers facing San Jose in the first round, the team will rely heavily on Russell to bring his skill to the ice. They need to have a stable steady defender to protect the puck and work his shot-blocking skills against a Sharks team that carries an arsenal of scoring forwards.
The only area that Russell needs to thrive is proving to put in more physicality. His 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame isn’t too ideal, and at times, he has struggled with injury. If he wants to be at the top of his game, he’ll have to throw his weight around more and to lay hits on the Sharks.
San Jose has Joe Thornton, Brent Burns and many other big bodies that are not only tough but dangerous. The Oilers have the size and aggression to stop them in their tracks. However, if all of their defencemen were able to match up with these types of players, Russell included, the team will have no problem putting up a fight in the first round.