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Edmonton Oilers closing in on signing one of their most intriguing prospects: report

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Apr 7 2026, 3:46 pm
Edmonton Oilers closing in on signing one of their most intriguing prospects: report
bereza_72/Instagram

Edmonton Oilers management is doing what it can to bring some younger talent into the organization.

The Oilers recently signed college free agent Owen Michaels to a one-year deal and are still a frontrunner to land T.J. Hughes from the University of Michigan.

It’s not just college free agents Oilers management is zeroing in on, either. Based on a report from RG, it appears as though they will be signing prospect Maxim Berezkin to a one-year, entry-level contract for the 2026-27 season.

This wouldn’t be just any prospect signing an entry-level deal. As many Oilers fans know, there has been a ton of intrigue surrounding Berezkin for several years, and it appears we may finally get to see if the hype was valid.

Berezkin, who is 24 years old, was selected in the fifth round of the 2020 draft by the Oilers. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound winger has spent the vast majority of the past six seasons playing in the KHL.

The young Russian forward turned plenty of heads in 2024-25 after registering 15 goals and 42 points in 66 outings. He also chipped in with nine goals and 14 points in 21 playoff games, which helped lead Yaroslavl Lokomotiv to a Gagarin Cup.

Adding these types of young, skilled players is going to be key for the Oilers moving forward. We’ve already seen some, such as Joshua Samanski, step in and make a positive impact.

Should Berezkin agree to an entry-level deal, there’s plenty of reason for excitement. His size and professional experience alone should be enough to give him an opportunity with the Oilers from the get-go, and it will be up to him to make the most of it.

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