Just Who Is Patrick Russell?

In early May, the Edmonton Oilers signed a few players from various parts – Jere Sallinen, Nick Ellis, Drake Caggiula and Patrick Russell.

Patrick Russell, the good ol’ Canadian sounding name…..from Denmark. Our very own Alex Thomas covered the signing on May 9th over here.

A quick glance at Russell reveals an NCAA signing that has a low risk and a potential reward. The reward itself will not be known for a few years, but the signing of Russell added organizational depth.

So…Who is Patrick Russell?

Patrick Russell completed his sophomore season with St. Cloud State of the NCAA. In 41 games, the 23 year old posted a very impressive stat line of 20 goals and 41 points. That’s a nice stat line for a second year player, although one has to think age is a factor here.

Russell is not like Drake Caggiula, who was one of the prize NCAA free agent signings. It’s immediately apparent when you look at Russell’s size – 6’1 and 205 pounds. This screams “prototypical power forward” one that can play the cycle to his advantage thanks to his big frame.

Hockey’s Future had the following to say about what Russell brings as a player:

Russell is an offensively-inclined forward with a big shot and high-end stick handling and passing skills. He is not overly combative in tight spaces but has the size to ward off defenders. His positional awareness and responsibility in all three zones is still developing.

High end stick handling, passing skills and a heavy shot? Sign me up! Best yet, Patrick Russell is a right handed shot, like Caggiula, which is a much needed attribute on the wing. Positional awareness and responsibility in all three zones is still developing and it’s not hard to imagine that it will continue to develop. Russell is likely a bit closer to being an NHL player, at least compared to Caggiula.

What Can We Expect From Him?

Hockey’s Future continues with his potential career outlook

Russell was a consistent scorer for St. Cloud State as a sophomore in 2015-16. After signing an entry-level contract with the Oilers in May 2016, he will attend his first NHL training camp looking to earn a roster spot. He is likely to start the 2016-17 season in the AHL. Long-term he projects as a second or third line scorer.

I think he’s a long shot to make the team this upcoming season as a rookie. There’s just a bit too much ahead of him in the NHL to really get his feet wet at the highest level.

I expect him to play some good minutes in the AHL. On the right side, he will have to contend with players such as Tyler Pitlick (who is dangerously close to having his ties to the organization cut), and fellow NCAA signee Drake Caggiula. Some players already in the system, such as Greg Chase or Anton Slepyshev, can play right wing when needed.

If I had an AHL Depth Chart I’d imagine the top two lines to look like this right now:

Hamilton-Khaira-Caggiula

Slepyshev-XXXX-Pitlick

I’m not sure who will be playing second line centre for the Bakersfield Condors come this fall – maybe a Kyle Platzer, who can use the development. I would not be shocked if sooner or later Russell over takes Pitlick for the 2RW spot, be it from performance or injuries.

Will He Be A Long Term Oiler?

I think he is a few years away from the NHL. It’s difficult to project when or if he makes it to the big league. That said, I do like Russell as a prospect because he fills an organizational need of having actual skilled players as prospects.

He’s under contract with the organization for the next two years. Yet, in those next two years, I think it’s not very likely he cracks the Oilers lineup.