Star Russian prospect explains why he turned down Edmonton Oilers contract offer
The Edmonton Oilers could have a Russian star talent on their hands.
23-year-old Maxim Beryozkin (sometimes spelled as Berezkin), has been a longtime favourite of many Edmonton prospect heads since the team drafted him in the fifth round back in 2020.
The Oilers have approached the prospect in the past, but he doesn’t appear willing to make the jump to North America just yet, as he’s slated to spend another year with the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl under newly hired former NHL coach Bob Hartley.
A 2025 KHL Gagarin Cup champion, he scored 15 goals and added 27 assists for 42 points in 66 regular season games, while adding nine goals and five assists in 21 playoff games en route to the title.
“He’s had a very good season,” Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said earlier this year. “We’ve been in touch with his representatives… we’ve paid close attention, been impressed with him. He’s a little bit older, good-sized kid, makes plays, comfortable with the puck. You can never have too many of those guys.”
Beryozkin spoke to Daria Tuboltseva of Russian outlet Vseprosport, as flagged by The Hockey News’ Caleb Kerney, about a wide range of topics.
It’s quite the in-depth interview, where Beryozkin explains his dreams of one day lining up for the Edmonton Oilers.
“My dream is to play in the NHL, against all these stars I have watched my whole life. I want to test myself at their level. Even if I am worse at first, I will not get upset and look for ways to improve my game,” he said, via Google Translate.
Beryozkin said he had no regrets about deciding to try to delay a move to North America until Fall 2026.
“I don’t regret it at all. I thought it was the right thing to do. I want to develop, and I hope to have a better season than last year. It’s not that I hope for it, I will have a better season than last year.”
Given that the Oilers were interested in offering him a deal, Beryozkin understood that the Oilers could’ve been a bit surprised he wasn’t willing to make the move across the pond.
“I don’t think they expected it. I was invited to join the team. We had conversations, some discussions, but I didn’t give them a clear answer. I decided to stay, and I’m sure that this is only a plus for my development,” Beryozkin said. “The main thing for me is to play in the NHL, and contract issues are secondary. I want to be the best version of myself every day.”
Beryozkin added that if he does end up landing an NHL deal, he’d unsurprisingly rather not spend much time with the team’s minor league affiliate in the Bakersfield Condors.
“I decided to stay another year so as not to play in the AHL,” he said. “[It’s] important for me to come to a full preseason and be ready.”
As for his English, Beryozkin said he’s working to become fluent.
“I’m going to study with a tutor this year to improve my level. I can understand simple words so far, but it’s hard to speak on my own,” he added.