Defenceman Kris Russell signed with the Oilers at the beginning of the season and ended up having a successful campaign.
"I loved playing here," said the Caroline, AB, product in his exit interview on Friday. "It's a first-class organization. They treat you very well. The group inside is a great team. I think this team has a bright future."
Russell got comfortable playing alongside Andrej Sekera throughout the season and thought he improved his own play.
"I really enjoyed playing with Reggie," said Russell. "I thought we communicated well, I thought we read off each other very well. It was a pleasure playing with a guy like that because he makes you better."
The 30-year-old said he loves being an Oiler but knows there are decisions to be made by him personally and the organization, leaving his future up in the air for the time being.
"They showed faith in me by going out and signing me there so obviously, I'd like to come back but there's a business side to this and you never know what's going to happen," he said. "They have to make decisions too, the brass here. I'm an Oiler and I'm not going to look past that until I'm told otherwise or come July 1st maybe but I want to be here."
Russell will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2017.
BLOG: Russell wants to stay with Oilers
Knows that the business side of hockey could change that
