Oilers try to sell Schultz on opportunity

edmonton

It’s almost always “Show me the money” when a player hits the marketplace as an unrestricted free agent (UFA), but the Edmonton Oilers will try to sell Justin Schultz on how much he’s going to play, not how much they’ll pay.

The University of Wisconsin defenceman, who turns 22 on July 6, is the most-talked about item on the Oilers’ shopping list ahead of the July 1 free-agent date.

Schultz’s agent, Wade Arnott (Jason’s brother), will begin hearing pitches from suitors on Wednesday morning at his Newport Sports offices outside Toronto. Schultz will be in attendance.

The defenceman was drafted in the second round by the Anaheim Ducks in 2008, but didn’t want to play there. He used a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) loophole to become an UFA — college players can hit the open market after four years.

Schultz played one season of junior A in the British Columbia Hockey League prior to going to college for three years. For some reason that he’s keeping to himself, the puck-moving D-man doesn’t want to play for the team that drafted him.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Oilers+sell+Schultz+opportunity/6838921/story.html