The Oilers, according to TSN's Ryan Rishaug, have reportedly begun contract extension talks with their veteran defenseman, Brett Kulak. It has been an <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/edmonton-oilers-sign-star-defenceman-to-3-year-contract-extension' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>eventful week for the Edmonton Oilers in terms of contract extensions</a>. Fresh from signing Connor McDavid, Jake Walman, and Mattias Ekholm to extensions, management seems keen on continuing the momentum, this time with defenseman Brett Kulak. The Oilers have initiated extension discussions with Kulak, according to TSN's Ryan Rishaug, <a href='https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2025/10/oilers-have-held-extension-talks-with-brett-kulak.html' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>but nothing is imminent at this point.</a> <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/prohockeyrumors/status/1977721402447868121'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/prohockeyrumors/status/1977539279904723385'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> The 31-year-old is heading into the last year of his four-year, $11 million deal and will be an unrestricted free agent next July if no deal is signed. Kulak, who they picked up from Montreal in 2022, adds an understated stability to Edmonton's blue line. While he started out being used in a third-pairing capacity, he's garnered more and more trust from head coach Kris Knoblauch as time has passed. His average ice time per game went from 15:23 to 20:32 last season, and 23:25 in the playoffs, second among Oilers defensemen. That added workload makes negotiations more complicated. Edmonton would like to sign him at a number-five defenseman price, in the neighborhood of $3.5 million per year. <h3>Brett Kulak is Demanding $1 Million More Per Year Than What the Oilers are Offering</h3> Kulak's side is probably aiming for something closer to $4.5 million, more top-four blueliner money. The Oilers have around $17.7 million of cap space projected for 2026-27, but a number of prominent roster positions, including their goaltending duo, are still open. With goaltending expenses expected to increase, there may not be space for Kulak. For the time being, both parties seem willing to wait. Edmonton would like to see what Kulak does with a bigger role, and the player's side would probably prefer his value to continue to rise. GM Stan Bowman has suggested he'd like to retain the veteran; it might just be a matter of time before the math works out.