Oilers' Justin Schultz on contract talks: 'We should have something done pretty soon'

With the opening of NHL training camps less than three weeks away, Edmonton Oilers defenseman and restricted free agent Justin Schultz remains unsigned.

A supremely talented and productive offensive defenseman, Schultz has been, arguably, one of the worst regular NHL blue-liners in his own end during his first two NHL seasons. That sharp divide between Schultz's talent level and his two-way performance likely explains why the two sides have taken all summer to agree to the terms of a new deal.

Schultz, who hails from West Kelowna, B.C., is currently skating with other players at the Kelowna Rockets facility in preparation for training camp. In a conversation with Rockets play-by-play broadcaster Regan Bartel on Thursday, Schultz suggested that he's very close to agreeing to a new deal with the team he selected as an unrestricted free agent two years ago:

Though a deal is apparently imminent, Schultz emphasized that he wouldn't be willing to attend training camp without a new contract in place. "It isn't something anyone wants to do," Schultz told Bartel. "I don't see me going to camp without a deal."

It's notable that the Oilers, an organization that was quick to lock up Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins before the expiry of their respective entry-level deals, have been so reluctant to commit to Schultz. It's particularly interesting when one considers that Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish sang Schultz's praises at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, describing his performance as "outstanding," and opining that "his upside is limitless."

"I have a lot of confidence, and would have the confidence to extend Justin on a long-term deal," MacTavish said at the time.

So far this summer, the club's inaction hasn't matched that talk.