Russian Edmonton Oilers prospect putting on a show in KHL playoffs
Could the Edmonton Oilers be getting some help from one of their Russian prospects next season?
It’s expected to be a summer of change for the Oilers. A head coaching swap seems imminent, multiple players are hitting free agency, and there are bound to be a few offseason trades. Edmonton’s roster is bound to look a lot different at the start of the 2026-27 season, and one of the new additions could be Maxim Berezkin.
The 24-year-old Russian winger is a former fifth-round pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, and recent reports say he is finally considering inking his entry-level contract with the Oilers. If he does, Berezkin could make his NHL debut with Edmonton as soon as this October.
He’s been a standout player in Russia’s KHL over the past few seasons, and he’s been lighting it up again this year’s Gagarin Cup Playoffs with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
In fact, he’s been all over the highlight reels lately, as he scored a beauty double-OT winner to help send his team to the finals last week.
2OT hero in Game 7! Maxim Beryozkin sends Lokomotiv to the Finals! #GagarinCup pic.twitter.com/WshMWrbWa7
— KHL (@khl_eng) May 6, 2026
There is no guarantee that Berezkin will make the Oilers even if he does sign with the team this summer. The NHL is a very different game from the KHL, but he does have some things working in his favour.
For one, he is not the kind of player who Edmonton will have to sit on and wait to develop. Berezkin has been playing professional hockey for six seasons and is used to playing against men. There will be no waiting period for the Russian winger.
Another point in his favour is that he appears to be a highly skilled player. The OT winner showed off a deadly shot, and he also made a sublime pass in Game 1 of the Gagarin Cup Final over the weekend that led to a goal.
His skating, which has been scrutinized in the past, also appears to be getting better.
Haven't followed this year, but looking back at this rush chance for #Oilers Maxim Berezkin, his skating may even be improved now.
Berezkin powerfully took off on a breakaway and flashed a Draisaitl-esque pass to his teammate for the 2OT GWG in Game 1 of the Gagarin Cup Final. https://t.co/YDLVEDBfBQ pic.twitter.com/gXoNmzSnfo
— Mark 📸 (@TheLineBlender) May 13, 2026
Berezkin’s counting stats were not as impressive this year as compared to previous years. The 24-year-old notched seven goals and 32 points in 64 KHL games this season, and currently has four goals and seven points in 17 playoff games.
Last season, he managed 15 goals and 42 points in 66 games, while adding an additional nine goals and 14 points in the playoffs en route to a championship victory. Those totals may seem low, but the KHL is much more low-scoring, as the league’s top scorer, Sam Anas, had just 89 points this past season.
The Oilers won’t have much cap space to make major additions to their forward group, and having a guy like Berezkin surprise would do a world of good for the team.