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Edmonton Oilers may finally sign top Russian prospect this offseason

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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May 22 2026, 6:59 pm
Edmonton Oilers may finally sign top Russian prospect this offseason
bereza_72/Instagram

The Edmonton Oilers may be able to add some youth to their roster for the 2026-27 season.

After being a Stanley Cup contender for several years, the Oilers’ roster has gotten significantly older. Management has tried to change this by making moves for both Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard, both of whom they are hoping can develop into impactful NHLers.

Still, more youth is needed, and it could come from Maxim Berezkin as soon as next season.

According to X account Hockey News Hub, which reports on KHL news, there seems to be a growing possibility that Berezkin will soon sign his entry-level deal.

Berezkin is a prospect Oilers fans have been talking about for quite some time. The 2020 fifth-round pick has spent the past six seasons playing in the KHL. He and his Lokomotiv Yaroslavl teammates were just able to win their second straight Gagarin Cup Final.

Berezkin played a massive role in this year’s championship. In fact, he was the reason they were able to advance to the Final, scoring a series-clinching double overtime winner in the Conference Final versus Avangard Omsk.

That was one of five playoff goals for Berezkin, who notched eight points through 22 games. That came off the heels of a regular season in which he recorded seven goals and 32 points in 64 outings.

Berezkin’s offence did dip slightly in 2025-26, as he had a more impressive 15 goals and 42 points the season prior.

Though the 24-year-old shouldn’t be expected to put up massive numbers in the NHL, he is already well adapted to the professional game, meaning that he may not need any time in the AHL. He would also provide a ton of size up front with his 6-foot-4, 211-pound frame.

While there are no guarantees he can become a full-time NHL player, Berezkin’s experience in the KHL combined with his physical tools give him a legitimate chance to carve out a bottom-six role with the Oilers next season should the two sides indeed put pen to paper.

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