Staying born in Alberta, children may po sibly select: Oilers or Flames.For Kris Versteeg, he was never offered the choice. That decision was manufactured for him just before he could hold his head up on his po se s. When he was born, a Calgary Flames sport was to the medical center tv. Versteeg’s mother explained to the staff members to turn it off.”She stated the main hockey game she preferred me to view was an Oilers recreation.”And which was that. His father’s admiration ofWayne Gretzky, and his mother’s enthusiasm to the orange and blue rubbed off around the younger Versteeg. There are many childhood shots of him in Oilers equipment. His outfits had the Oilers logo stitched on them.”And my socks to be a kid I’d only use Oilers.”The Lethbridge, AB native isn’t any extended a wide-eyed, Oilers-loving baby. He’s an NHL veteran with far more than 500 online games of experience. But he has a chance now to make his childhood staff.The Oilers signed Versteeg to a PTO Friday. The moment of stability was welcomed via the two-time Stanley Cup champ, who has experienced a “whirlwind” number of times. As a result of an i sue together with the insurance coverage protection provided while in the Ryan Smyth Jersey Swi s League, Versteeg, who prepared to perform for Bern this period, selected to come back again to North America.”It’s nothing undesirable or something, but for myself it had been (about) staying fully protected if some thing occurred,” Versteeg claimed.And so coming back to North The us intended fielding PTO features from quite a few golf equipment, and weighing his options. In arrives Edmonton, a group enthusiastic about adding Versteeg’s veteran presence to its mix of younger forwards and prepared to give him a chance to make their roster in camp.”The youth, the way they are heading and with any luck , I am able to seriously do the job my way in there and get paid a contract and be part of that,” he claimed.Versteeg sat down with his agent and went by way of every single interested team’s roster. The Oilers presented the ideal chance for your winger hunting to enjoy while using the appropriate supporting cast.”I examine it as down the middle is really a significant section,” Versteeg explained. “If I could crack this staff and generate a deal, I feel should you check out their top rated fellas you may pick your poison with which centreman you obtain to participate in Andrew Ference Jerseywith. (Leon) Draisaitil, (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins or (Connor) McDavid really are a very particular group of forwards down the center. It will make wingers excited due to the fact every thing truly goes through there. That was a large detail after i seemed at it. Another portion was the attract of remaining a part of whatever they choose to do there and becoming a part of the solution.”Versteeg is close pals with fellow Lethbridge indigenous and Oilers defencemanBrandon Davidson , and newly-signed forwardMilan Lucic . The 2 of these previously in Edmonton also furnished Versteeg having an incentive to indicator.To the Oilers, Versteeg presents some healthy, veteran competitors down their lineup. Versteeg has played 550 frequent period NHL video games considering that getting selected during the fifth round of your 2004 Draft by Boston. He also has 89 video games well worth of Stanley Cup playoff working experience, and two Stanley Cup championships together with the Chicago Blackhawks.During the Oilers locker place, that might be much-needed and appreciated veteran encounter, but don’t expect Versteeg to Cam Talbot Jerseycome back in firing with a sistance and critique.”I’m not a man that is heading to go out there and explain to fellas what to do,” he stated. “I’m a lot more of a male who will joke about and try to maintain factors free instead of in an overbearing way – I hope – both.”Versteeg is admittedly a stirrer with the pot, a jokester, a prankster as well as a team-first male. He isn’t one for locker room speeches.”For myself, it is really basically just be who I am. Clearly, I will be there to talk to fellas whenever they ever need to have me. I have usually been anyone like that who tries to obtain the very best away from anyone that way as well as in flip I do think it gets the ideal outside of myself. There is loads of youthful fellas there but I’m not going to at any time go inform a guy how to proceed. McDavid and these men know what to complete by themselves. It really is nearly actively playing the sport the way I do know I can and being there as additional an ear to listen or po sibly a shoulder to lean on than anyone to go explain to them what to do.”Although he isn’t quite po sibly the most vocal of figures in an NHL locker room, Versteeg does acknowledge what it requires to acquire and that is usually pricele s. That, along with his manufacturing in the League, make him an intriguing increase for the combine.Signing a PTO with Edmonton is usually a opportunity for Versteeg to continue an currently recognized NHL career. His mother chose the Oilers for him when he was a baby, and now he’s hoping the crew chooses him back.