The contract negotiations between the Edmonton Oilers and their restricted free agent defenseman Justin Schultz, didn't need arbitration, even though it was already scheduled, as the two sides came together for a new 1-year deal, worth $3.9 million on Wednesday.Schultz was the last major restricted free agent on the books for the Oilers in this off-season, but they still do have a couple more, which have next to no pool value in the coming year.
In each of Schultz's first three seasons in the NHL, he has been a pool-worthy player, this past season ranking 49th among all defensemen with 6 goals and 31 points in 81 games. His 2015 numbers were a bit of a step back from his 2014 campaign, where he picked up 33 points in 74 games.
The Oilers have definitely been busy in this off-season and the upcoming McDavid Effect will certainly play a role on all the gains and losses for every player on the team.Schultz, being the offensive defenseman that he is, should see an increase in some scoring totals this season, but the McDavid Effect may have some people awfully jumpy, when it comes to Oilers players. The addition of Andrej Sekera may even out the tally between the two offensive blueliners, but Schultz's career potential was saying that he would be a high-powered offensive player, so adjust your numbers accordingly.
The value of defensemen in the pool is quite high in recent years, so it will be interesting to see just how high he goes this year.
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