"Disgruntled veteran defenceman Sheldon Souray is staying in Edmonton — at least for now.

While the Chicago Blackhawks dumped defenceman Brian Campbell's $7-million US salary-cap hit on their former general manager Dale Tallon, now GM of the Florida Panthers, on Friday because the Panthers are way below the cap floor and have to take on contracts, the Oilers didn't convince Tallon to take Souray.

"I've had discussions with most teams but haven't been able to do anything with Sheldon at this time," said Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini, who would like to have moved Souray's $4.5 million salary for a pick at the NHL entry draft this week, but couldn't get anything done, even with the Panthers.

Tambellini could buy him out before July 1, at two-thirds his salary and cap hit of $5.4 million, spread out over two years.

He had offers for the 31st overall pick, the first in Round 2, in which the Oilers selected David Musil. Maybe they could have moved back in the draft and got an extra pick, but Tambellini wasn't interested.

"I stress quality, not quantity. David was sitting there and we know what he's all about. He's a big man (six-foot-three, 196 pounds). We know what he'll look like at 22 or 23 years old and we weren't going past that pick," said Tambellini.

The Oilers wanted to restock the cupboards on the blue-line and in goal at the draft.

"I'm excited we really built on our depth of defencemen. We picked people who could play against speed and play against heavy players."

The Oilers selected Swede Oscar Klefbom in Round 1, Musil in Round 2 and Dillon Simpson in Round 4."