Oilers sign Anton Slepyshev to entry-level contract

Don't look now, but the Edmonton Oilers have signed a mid-round draft pick.

And he could make the team ... eventually!

The Oilers, who have woefully failed with selections made outside (and often within) the first round over the last decade, have agreed to terms on an entry-level deal with exciting KHL prospect and former 88th-overall selection Anton Slepyshev.

The first-overall selection in the 2011 KHL Draft, Slepyshev scored 15 goals and 25 points last season under the crumbling banner. Though his numbers don't scream off the page, he's considered one of the top young prospects in Russia and owns a strong defensive acumen.

Ufa Salavat had been working to retain Slepyshev for one more season, but with the most recent developments in Russia – Slava Fetisov's vision to keep Russian prospects in-country until age 28 – he may be feeling the pressure to move on immediately.