On Kris Russell, the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames …
Bob Stauffer: Would be very surprised if the Oilers signed free agent defenseman Kris Russell. They already have left handed defensemen in Oscar Klefbom, Andrej Sekera, Darnell Nurse, Brandon Davidson and Griffin Reinhart.
Jim Matheson: The Vancouver Canucks are a team that could use Russell. They could use another top-four defenseman after Dan Hamhuis left. Russell played for Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins in Medicine Hat (WHL).
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Bob McKenzie on TSN 1260 on Dustin Nielson’s tweet that the Oilers and Kris Russell are talking numbers and term.
“I think he probably would be a decent fit for the Oilers, especially on a short-term deal. And that’s obviously the key,” said McKenzie. “I think it’s not absolute given, but I won’t be surprised if when Kris Russell signs he signs a one-year contract. I’m just guessing here – and it is a guess – I’ve got to figure that it’s probably going to be worth somewhere between $4-5 million dollars a year.
“Now, he was a guy that was in July probably looking for at least a five-year deal at $5 million or more. That’s certainly, I think, what he was looking for from the Calgary Flames to re-up last year before they traded him to Dallas.”
The Russell situation has been compared to what Cody Franson went through last year. McKenzie later added that:
“Teams are now looking at a one-year deal. Russell is saying to himself it probably makes sense to maybe do a one-year deal and then go back to the free agent trough next summer. With expansion Vegas coming in, there’ll be teams that lose defensemen in the expansion draft. Suddenly the market will heat up again for him.”
McKenzie also said that the Calgary Flames are also interested in bringing Russell back. The Flames could use another top-four defenseman, just like the Oilers.