Prior to his season with Edmonton, many were sceptical of Russell. While he has great potential and seemed to slot in with the Oilers, some were concerned with his poor analytics. Because of this, an expensive, one-year deal for a seemingly struggling blueliner didn’t add up.
However, Russell has proven his critics wrong. In 44 games with the Oilers this season, the 5-foot-10 defender has five assists, and averages over 20 minutes of ice time per game. He is a top-four blueliner who is incredibly versatile and can play either side of the puck.