Edmonton Oilers
Brett Kulak to Test Free Agency, Could Still Sign With Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers made one more pitch to keep defenseman Brett Kulak, but he’s going to test the free agency market.
News that defenseman Brett Kulak is going to test the NHL free-agent market on Wednesday doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not coming back to the Edmonton Oilers. There’s a chance another team offers him the deal he’s looking for, but his desire to see is really just that, a desire to find out what’s available to him. According to sources, Kulak could still circle back to Edmonton, but the team will be looking for a second-pair left-side defenseman and Kulak will try to get the best deal for himself possible.
The Oilers were likely going to be looking for a left-pairing 18-20 minute guy anyway. Whether Kular returned or not, it wasn’t clear he could be that guy, except for in spurts where he played well for the Oilers after coming over at the NHL trade deadline from the Montreal Canadiens. The Oilers really like him and would like him to stay, but speculation is he’s looking for close to $3 million per season and four years on a new deal.
The Oilers seem hesitant to go there if he’s pegged to be their third-pairing left-side defenseman. They might if they see him more as a No 5. with frequent placement in the top-four based on injuries and the like. Perhaps Kulak sees himself as more than that and wants to know if another team does as well. He’s mentioned in the past being open to going back to Montreal, but it’s not clear how interested they are in his return, especially considering that organization is expected to take some big swings in free agency.
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The reality is, Kulak knows there aren’t a lot of options out there for teams who need a defenseman this summer. It’s a business decision to up the demand for his services and potentially force the Oilers to compete against other offers. It’s not a personal thing, it’s his right to do so as a free agent. He’s virtually assured he’ll get a deal from someone, so there’s really no risk is testing the market. The question will be how long do the Oilers wait? And, how much is a team willing to jump in quickly and submit an offer to Kulak that he can’t refuse or the Oilers aren’t willing to match?
Things Still On Good Terms With Oilers
The conversations between the Oilers and Kulak certainly aren’t over. They met Tuesday to talk one final time before free agency opens on Wednesday. They could meet again.
But, the Oilers have a job to do. Ryan Rishaug writes, “There is a chance for a deal to be worked out tomorrow but with Kulak testing market, Oilers will be on the lookout for a 2LD as well. Also in need of a top 6F, likely to play with 97, either wing works. Campbell remains main target in net.
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