<p>The Edmonton Oilers continue to have an eventful summer, announcing on Sunday <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-acquire-forward-vasily-podkolzin-from-canucks">that they’ve acquired forward Vasily Podkolzin</a> from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick.</p>
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<p>The former 10th overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft had a solid rookie season in 2021-22, scoring 14 goals and 26 points. However, he has struggled to become an NHL regular since then and is coming off a season in which he played in 19 NHL games, recording two assists, while also scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 44 AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks.</p>
<p>Before being drafted by the Canucks, Podkolzin was seen as a player with significant potential. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he was once compared to a pitbull due to his tenacity on the puck, having high-end offensive awareness, and possessing a strong wrist shot—hinting there could still be untapped potential waiting to be unlocked. Moreover, he also carries a $1-million cap hit, and according to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/random-canucks-thought-what-vasily-podkolzin-nhl-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canucksarmy&#8217;s David Quadrelli</a>, his ceiling could be as a 40–50-point player.</p>
<p>This makes him an intriguing project, in the low-risk, high-reward category for the Oilers, considering they acquired him for just a fourth-round draft pick, which they had previously obtained from the Ottawa Senators in the trade for<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/does-the-oilers-acquiring-vasily-podkolzin-signal-they-wont-match-dylan-holloways-offer-sheet"> Xavier Bourgault</a>. With that in mind, let&#8217;s get acquainted with the new Oiler, Podkolzin, through some fun facts about him below.</p>
<h2>Podkolzin Is Following in His Uncle&#8217;s Footsteps by Playing Professional Hockey</h2>
<p>Like many NHLers, Podkolzin started playing hockey as a little kid and mentioned that his dad loved hockey and played as a youngster as well. The now 23-year-old, from Moscow, Russia, lived a ten-minute walk to a hockey rink and <a href="https://en.khl.ru/news/2020/12/24/479101.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a>, “My mom and he must have decided to bring me there. I can still remember my first practice. I always wanted to play with the puck. I always wanted to be faster than everyone else.”</p>
<p>That said, professional hockey runs deep in the Podkolzin family. His uncle, <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/484704/valeri-rakov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valeri Rakov</a>, played several years of pro hockey in Russia, competing in top leagues as a D-man. Moreover, in the late 1970s, he joined Khimik Voskresensk, a club in a high level of the Soviet League. There, he played alongside Hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov, who was just 19 years old at the time. Ironically, Larionov later became Podkolzin’s coach at the 2020 World Juniors.</p>
<p>Additionally, Podkolzin described his uncle’s qualities and the lessons he took away, mentioning,“He always had his head up and made crisp passes. That’s what they put the focus on. It’s one of the things I picked up from him. It’s something that really stood out about him.”</p>
<h2>Podkolzin Led the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament in Points</h2>
<p>Podkolzin <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-canucks-should-vasily-podkolzin-past-playoff-pro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was named captain of Team Russia</a> for the Ivan Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2018, where he led the tournament in goals and points with 11 (eight goals and three assists). Although he tied with Alexis Lafrenière in total points, Podkolzin was considered the leader due to his higher goal count.</p>
<p>Team Russia finished third in the tournament, but the captain rose to the occasion in the bronze medal game against the Americans. He scored a hat trick, with his third goal <a href="https://www.bardown.com/top-2019-draft-prospect-vasili-podkolzin-dangled-the-entire-u-s-defense-for-sweet-hat-trick-goal-1.1156572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being one for the highlight reel</a>—going end-to-end and deking out the American D-corps before scoring.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨GOAL🚨 INCREDIBLE goal scored by Vasili Podkolzin 🔥, 4-2 🇷🇺<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HlinkaGretzkyCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/tslDLVwpJy">pic.twitter.com/tslDLVwpJy</a></p>
<p>&mdash; David Nestico  (@davidnestico200) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidnestico200/status/1028420224914272256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2018</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Thanks to his impressive play in that tournament, he turned heads and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsORePo83po" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TSN’s Craig Button compared Podkolzin</a> to a former teammate of his from the KHL, Pavel Datsyuk, and said, “You can’t get the puck from him, plays a skill game, a power game.” He added, “You see complete centers. He’s a complete winger.”</p>
<h2>Podkolzin Has a Wealth of Leadership Experience From His Time as Captain</h2>
<p>As mentioned, the forward captained Team Russia at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, yet Podkolzin was also named team captain at the U18 World Championships, where he tallied four points in seven games and helped his country win a silver medal.</p>
<p>In addition, Podkolzin served as an assistant captain for Team Russia at the 2020 World Junior Championships as an 18-year-old and was <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-top-prospect-vasili-podkolzin-named-captain-russias-u20-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named team captain the following year</a> at the 2021 WJC.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Captain Podkolzin <a href="https://t.co/QmPYuv1RSh">pic.twitter.com/QmPYuv1RSh</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Gillian Kemmerer (@gilliankemmerer) <a href="https://twitter.com/gilliankemmerer/status/1346249243053481985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>At the 2021 WJC, he scored two goals and two assists in seven games, and his Russian squad finished in fourth place. However, his leadership qualities really stood out in the semifinals against Team Canada. During a stoppage in play, the captain gestured to the scoreboard and gave his teammates a passionate speech on the bench in an attempt to fire them up.</p>
<h2>Podkolzin Was the First Player Born in the 21st Century to Play in the KHL</h2>
<p>Podkolzin played for SKA-1946 in the Russian Junior Hockey League before making his KHL debut with SKA Saint Petersburg in November 2018. At 17 years old and born in June 2001, he became the first player born in the 21st century to play in the KHL, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-top-prospect-vasili-podkolzin-khl-coach-during-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making his debut on a line</a> with former NHL superstar, Pavel Datsyuk.</p>
<p>From 2019 to 2021, the Russian forward split his time between the KHL and the VHL (Russia’s equivalent to the AHL), playing a total of 68 regular season games for SKA Saint Petersburg and tallying 19 regular season points. However, there was some tension over Podkolzin’s refusal to sign a longer KHL contract, which resulted in him <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/canucks-vasily-podkolzins-time-khl-over-racking-points" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being reduced to fourth-line minutes</a> over his time with SKA.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vasily Podkolzin ends it in 3OT! </p>
<p>5 points in his last 2 games. 11 in 15 playoffs games. SKA stays alive again <a href="https://t.co/3qWiLluUfy">pic.twitter.com/3qWiLluUfy</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1380951678183034882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Yet, he made the most of his limited deployment, especially during the 2021 playoffs. He tied a U20 scoring record with 11 points (<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/getting-to-know-vasily-podkolzin-the-winger-the-oilers-acquired-from-the-canucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six goals and five assists</a>) in 16 playoff games, which included scoring a triple-overtime winner. That said, SKA lost in the conference finals and Podkolzin headed to Vancouver the following season. Also, here’s another fun detail—SKA CEO and vice-president Roman Rotenberg <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-vasili-podkolzin-benched-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once compared Podkolzin to Connor McDavid</a>; however, the new Oiler responded humbly, saying ‘I am very far from being even close to his level.’&#8221;</p>
<p>With his size, skill, and leadership, Podkolzin, at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, still has a lot of upside he hasn’t tapped into yet. With that being said, what are your expectations for him with the Oilers in the upcoming season?</p>
<h2><strong>ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365</strong></h2>
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The Edmonton Oilers continue to have an eventful summer, announcing on Sunday <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-acquire-forward-vasily-podkolzin-from-canucks">that they’ve acquired forward Vasily Podkolzin</a> from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick.
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The former 10th overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft had a solid rookie season in 2021-22, scoring 14 goals and 26 points. However, he has struggled to become an NHL regular since then and is coming off a season in which he played in 19 NHL games, recording two assists, while also scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 44 AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks.

Before being drafted by the Canucks, Podkolzin was seen as a player with significant potential. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he was once compared to a pitbull due to his tenacity on the puck, having high-end offensive awareness, and possessing a strong wrist shot—hinting there could still be untapped potential waiting to be unlocked. Moreover, he also carries a $1-million cap hit, and according to <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/random-canucks-thought-what-vasily-podkolzin-nhl-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canucksarmy's David Quadrelli</a>, his ceiling could be as a 40–50-point player.

This makes him an intriguing project, in the low-risk, high-reward category for the Oilers, considering they acquired him for just a fourth-round draft pick, which they had previously obtained from the Ottawa Senators in the trade for<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/does-the-oilers-acquiring-vasily-podkolzin-signal-they-wont-match-dylan-holloways-offer-sheet"> Xavier Bourgault</a>. With that in mind, let's get acquainted with the new Oiler, Podkolzin, through some fun facts about him below.
<h2>Podkolzin Is Following in His Uncle's Footsteps by Playing Professional Hockey</h2>
Like many NHLers, Podkolzin started playing hockey as a little kid and mentioned that his dad loved hockey and played as a youngster as well. The now 23-year-old, from Moscow, Russia, lived a ten-minute walk to a hockey rink and <a href="https://en.khl.ru/news/2020/12/24/479101.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a>, “My mom and he must have decided to bring me there. I can still remember my first practice. I always wanted to play with the puck. I always wanted to be faster than everyone else.”

That said, professional hockey runs deep in the Podkolzin family. His uncle, <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/484704/valeri-rakov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valeri Rakov</a>, played several years of pro hockey in Russia, competing in top leagues as a D-man. Moreover, in the late 1970s, he joined Khimik Voskresensk, a club in a high level of the Soviet League. There, he played alongside Hockey Hall of Famer Igor Larionov, who was just 19 years old at the time. Ironically, Larionov later became Podkolzin’s coach at the 2020 World Juniors.

Additionally, Podkolzin described his uncle’s qualities and the lessons he took away, mentioning,“He always had his head up and made crisp passes. That’s what they put the focus on. It’s one of the things I picked up from him. It’s something that really stood out about him.”
<h2>Podkolzin Led the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament in Points</h2>
Podkolzin <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-canucks-should-vasily-podkolzin-past-playoff-pro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was named captain of Team Russia</a> for the Ivan Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2018, where he led the tournament in goals and points with 11 (eight goals and three assists). Although he tied with Alexis Lafrenière in total points, Podkolzin was considered the leader due to his higher goal count.

Team Russia finished third in the tournament, but the captain rose to the occasion in the bronze medal game against the Americans. He scored a hat trick, with his third goal <a href="https://www.bardown.com/top-2019-draft-prospect-vasili-podkolzin-dangled-the-entire-u-s-defense-for-sweet-hat-trick-goal-1.1156572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being one for the highlight reel</a>—going end-to-end and deking out the American D-corps before scoring.

https://twitter.com/davidnestico200/status/1028420224914272256

Thanks to his impressive play in that tournament, he turned heads and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsORePo83po" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TSN’s Craig Button compared Podkolzin</a> to a former teammate of his from the KHL, Pavel Datsyuk, and said, “You can’t get the puck from him, plays a skill game, a power game.” He added, “You see complete centers. He’s a complete winger.”
<h2>Podkolzin Has a Wealth of Leadership Experience From His Time as Captain</h2>
As mentioned, the forward captained Team Russia at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, yet Podkolzin was also named team captain at the U18 World Championships, where he tallied four points in seven games and helped his country win a silver medal.

In addition, Podkolzin served as an assistant captain for Team Russia at the 2020 World Junior Championships as an 18-year-old and was <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-top-prospect-vasili-podkolzin-named-captain-russias-u20-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named team captain the following year</a> at the 2021 WJC.

https://twitter.com/gilliankemmerer/status/1346249243053481985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1346249243053481985%7Ctwgr%5E33245ea610defc70fbe88f276fbbd47a9f64f9ad%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheprovince.com%2Fsports%2Fhockey%2Fnhl%2Fvancouver-canucks%2Ffive-things-to-know-about-vasily-podkolzin-the-newest-vancouver-canuck

At the 2021 WJC, he scored two goals and two assists in seven games, and his Russian squad finished in fourth place. However, his leadership qualities really stood out in the semifinals against Team Canada. During a stoppage in play, the captain gestured to the scoreboard and gave his teammates a passionate speech on the bench in an attempt to fire them up.
<h2>Podkolzin Was the First Player Born in the 21st Century to Play in the KHL</h2>
Podkolzin played for SKA-1946 in the Russian Junior Hockey League before making his KHL debut with SKA Saint Petersburg in November 2018. At 17 years old and born in June 2001, he became the first player born in the 21st century to play in the KHL, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-top-prospect-vasili-podkolzin-khl-coach-during-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making his debut on a line</a> with former NHL superstar, Pavel Datsyuk.

From 2019 to 2021, the Russian forward split his time between the KHL and the VHL (Russia’s equivalent to the AHL), playing a total of 68 regular season games for SKA Saint Petersburg and tallying 19 regular season points. However, there was some tension over Podkolzin’s refusal to sign a longer KHL contract, which resulted in him <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/canucks-vasily-podkolzins-time-khl-over-racking-points" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being reduced to fourth-line minutes</a> over his time with SKA.

https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1380951678183034882

Yet, he made the most of his limited deployment, especially during the 2021 playoffs. He tied a U20 scoring record with 11 points (<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/getting-to-know-vasily-podkolzin-the-winger-the-oilers-acquired-from-the-canucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six goals and five assists</a>) in 16 playoff games, which included scoring a triple-overtime winner. That said, SKA lost in the conference finals and Podkolzin headed to Vancouver the following season. Also, here’s another fun detail—SKA CEO and vice-president Roman Rotenberg <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-vasili-podkolzin-benched-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once compared Podkolzin to Connor McDavid</a>; however, the new Oiler responded humbly, saying ‘I am very far from being even close to his level.’"

With his size, skill, and leadership, Podkolzin, at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, still has a lot of upside he hasn’t tapped into yet. With that being said, what are your expectations for him with the Oilers in the upcoming season?
<h2><strong>ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365</strong></h2>
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