As one might expect of a club with back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool is not widely seen as overflowing with high-end talent. Entering the season, the team’s pipeline ranked No. 31 in the NHL according to Corey Pronman of The Athletic, and No. 30 according to Elite Prospects. In a system notably short on likely future NHL talent, one name that has stuck out is that of Russian winger Maxim Berezkin.
Berezkin, 24, made headlines when he scored five goals and 16 points in 20 playoff games for KHL side Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He followed that up with 15 goals and 42 points in 66 games in 2024-25, helping Lokomotiv win the KHL title. That raised some questions as to whether Berezkin might make the transition across the Atlantic and sign his entry-level deal with the Oilers.
He didn’t end up doing so, but today, The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell wrote that Berezkin “has expressed interest in signing with an NHL team,” which supports what The Nation Network’s Jason Gregor reported last summer, that Berezkin is interested in trying to come to the NHL for 2026-27.
While his numbers are down this season (he has 23 points in 53 games), his prior scoring success combined with his physical tools (he stands 6’4″ 211 pounds) will likely make him a valued prospect in Edmonton. Mitchell did indicate that there is a possibility “Edmonton’s lack of success with Russian players over the years may make him a trade option” this season, and the possibility Edmonton deals the player cannot be dismissed. In a prospect pool short on high-end or close-to-NHL-ready talent, Berezkin could be a useful trade chip.
But regardless of whether he signs his entry-level deal in Edmonton or is traded and needs to sign elsewhere, it appears the player will likely make an attempt to join the North American pro ranks next season. The Oilers have had some success with some older prospects they’ve added directly into their pro ranks over the last year, namely in Quinn Hutson, Josh Samanski, and Viljami Marjala. If Berezkin’s KHL production is any indication, the Oilers could extend that track record whenever he signs out of Russia.