The Edmonton Oilers are working to sign 2020 fifth-round pick Maxim Beryozkin to an entry-level contract, general manager Stan Bowman said.
The 23-year-old right-shot winger has some good size to him, standing at 6’3, 211 lbs., and has spent all of his time since being drafted playing in Russia for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. This season, he’s drawn in for 66 games, scoring career highs in goals, assists and points, putting up 15, 27 and 42, respectively. He added 143 shots on goal, averaging 15:55 in ice-time per game.
Beryozkin’s contract in the KHL expires after this season, and his club is in the second round of the playoffs after sweeping Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. In their first-round series, he scored a goal and four points, taking 11 shots on goal while playing 15:51 per game
He came in as Oilersnation’s eighth-ranked prospect heading into this season.
“We’ve been in touch with his representatives, and when his season finished, we’re going to buckle down on that,” said Bowman on Friday’s edition of Oilers NOW. “We’ve paid close attention, been impressed with him.
“He’s a little bit older, good sized kid, skilled, makes plays, comfortable with the puck and you can never have too many of those guys.”
In Bruce Curlock’s prospect countdown last September, he described Beryozkin as “an intriguing prospect who certainly could fill a role with the Oilers soon,” and someone who “could be a valuable part of this organization.”
A mid-season update from Curlock reinforced that when he said Beryozkin’s current role “has a more direct path to the NHL.”
Beryozkin steadily took steps forward during his time in Russia. In his first two seasons post-draft, he split time between the KHL and MHL, Russia’s second league, scoring 26 goals and 63 points in 47 MHL games, but just one goal and four points in 61 KHL games.
Since the 2022-23 season, however, he’s spent all of his time in the KHL, racking up 30 goals and 98 points in 180 games. That progression in scoring is impressive in the best non-North American hockey league, even more so considering his age.
The Oilers would indefinitely hold onto Beryozkin’s rights with there being no transfer agreement between the KHL and NHL, but the team clearly feels there’s a player here who could impact their roster sooner rather than later. Edmonton’s prospect is somewhat barren when it comes to players who could impact their NHL roster in the coming years, but Beryozkin could certainly be one.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.
