If There’s A Bidding War On Kris Russell, Take A Step Back

Sportsnet’s Mark Spector had a chat on Tuesday with Brendan Ullrich on lunchtime program Oilers Now about Absolutely Not Controversial Defenceman Kris Russell Spec seems to think that Kris Russell has played his way into the hearts of a couple of other teams, and that there’s a bidding war a-brewin’.

If there’s a bidding war brewing, that’s utterly fantastic news for the Oilers. Let him walk and get paid, in, oh, I don’t know, Toronto. Yeah, that’s it.

I think he’s a $4 million defenceman now. I’d rather him three years than four

Go get that money, Kris Russell. I hope it’s out there for you in Calgary. Or Vancouver. Jim Benning’s great with this sort of thing. Make sure you get a NMC in that three year deal of yours.

I would take him. I don’t mind the money, but I would only want him for three years, if possible. But that’s going to be tough because a team like Calgary might offer him more, a team like Vancouver offer him some money. He’s a good player. Toronto is interested in him.

Source

Come on, Big Jim Benning. Throw that cash. We’ve got a big problem if anyone even in Edmonton thinks of getting close to Kris Russell with that kind of cash. Take a step back. Way back.

• Three, four years of Russell is going to push either Matthew Benning or Darnell Nurse off the roster. Ready to pull that trigger? You’re giving him Benoit Pouliot money!
• Giving three or four years to a defenceman with nearly zero ability to get a pass to McDavid is fruitless. We’ve been over this a hundred times. He blocks shots very well. I’m glad he can do that. Let him go do it in Calgary for sixteen million dollars.
• Think of what you could do with four million dollars! Now think about what you could do with four million dollars over the next three or four seasons! Think of how the club wouldn’t be paying Kris Russell what Adam Larsson is making. I mean really, then the deal is Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson and Milan Lucic and Kris Russell and Jonas Gusatvsson, amirite?
• Think about Kris Russell in Calgary or Vancouver trying to stifle the offence of Connor McDavid. I laughed.

Kris Russell ought to go to whichever team is going to pay him the most. If the Oilers are in a bidding war with three teams, let those three teams bid. Choosing Russell over Darnell Nurse or Matthew Benning today is bad business. Let him walk.