Game-Changer: Russian Star Player Confirms He Wants to Join Edmonton Oilers in 2026-27

It is a massive breakthrough for the Oilers, who have watched the 24-year-old right winger become one of the stars of the KHL.

Oilers GM Stan Bowman previously spoke with Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now this spring about Berezkin. At the time, he didn't believe the Russian forward was quite NHL-ready. Today, that is no longer the case.

'He's had a very good season,' Bowman said in early April. 'We've been in touch with his representatives and when his season finishes we're going to buckle down on that. 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.'

The Oilers Drafted Berezkin in 2020 and he has Been Improving Every Year

Drafted 138th overall by Edmonton in 2020, Berezkin has gotten better each year. He's 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, so he's got size and skill, which was showcased last season when he ass isted Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in winning their first Gagarin Cup.

They were coached by Bob Hartley, who's well known for taking the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in the Joe Sakic-Peter Forsberg era.

Berezkin referred to the reaction to Lokomotiv's title as overwhelming and suggested that he has spent the summer working to speed up his game.

'Many people came up to me in the center of Yaroslavl. It was clear that the city lives for hockey, that everyone is happy with our result. But we need to forget about this, move on, start the journey from scratch and go for the Cup again.'

'Explosive work and speed are not my strong points, and in the summer I specifically focused on this to become stronger.'

He credited Bob Hartley's physical coaching style, along with some advice from assistant coach Igor Nikitin, as reasons he stayed in Russia until he is ready to face the NHL.

For Edmonton, Berezkin's commitment is a significant injection into their potential. If his development stays on its current trajectory, he can be an elite-level impact forward when he joins North America.