The Edmonton Oilers have acquired winger Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks, the club announced Sunday.
In exchange, the Oilers will send back a 2025 fourth-round pick the club had previously acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the Xavier Bourgault trade.
“We would like to thank Vasily for his time here with the Canucks,” said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin in a statement. “Podz put in a lot of work both on and off the ice and we wish him all the best in Edmonton.”
Podkolzin, 23, was drafted by the Canucks 10th overall in the 2019 draft, but since a strong rookie season in 2021-22 in which he scored 14 goals and 26 points, he’s struggled to find a regular spot in the lineup. Instead, he’s split time between the NHL and the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks. He’s appeared in a total of 137 NHL games, scoring 18 goals and 35 points, having more success at the American League level, racking up 22 goals and 46 points in 72 games.
The 6’1, 190 lb. left-shot right-winger is coming off a year in which he played in 19 NHL games, scoring two assists, but in 44 AHL games, scoring 15 goals and 28 points in 44 games.
He signed a two-year deal with the Canucks last April, carrying a $1-million cap hit, and is set to be a restricted free agent when his deal expires after the 2025-26 season.
Podkolzin, who was once considered a steal, slid down the draft board to the Canucks, was described ahead of his draft year as “an absolute pit bull,” with “high-end offensive awareness, quick hands and a confrontational style.” He returned to Russia for two seasons to play, something CanucksArmy’s David Quadrelli opined “did more harm than good for his development.”
He “always seemed to be focused on making the safe play instead of taking chances so as not to fall out of the lineup completely,” Quadrelli added, leaving a dysfunctional situation there to come to North America, where he found much of the same.
It was a fine rookie season, but one where Podkolzin had to navigate all the drama that surrounded the 2021 Canucks all while dealing with fluctuating ice times and roles.
The season after, Podkolzin was getting to know his second NHL head coach in as many years when the Canucks fired Bruce Boudreau and replaced him with Rick Tocchet. Podkolzin spent time in both the AHL and NHL, putting up uninspiring numbers in both leagues.
And ahead of this season, despite being given an opportunity with JT Miller and Brock Boeser right from day one of training camp, Podkolzin was among the Canucks’ first cuts from camp. He had a clear directive to go be “the guy” in Abbotsford, and catch up on some clearly lost development time.
In Abbotsford and in the 19 NHL games he played last season, Podkolzin looked like a steady player who was sure to make sure he kept mistakes to a minimum. Unfortuantely, that also meant that he had a tendency to play a rather uninspiring game that has everyone wanting more. More offence, more in-your-face play. Just more.
Quadrelli added that Podkolzin’s “new ceiling” as an NHL player is someone who could contribute 40-50 points.
“Even if he doesn’t reach the ceiling of chipping in on offence from the middle six, there’s still a chance he emerges as that trusted bottom six winger as soon as this season,” he said. “Now it’s up to him to push as close as he can towards his ceiling and far away from his floor.”
The trade is an interesting move for the Oilers, who are currently navigating dueling offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. By picking up Podkolzin, the Oilers could be signalling they don’t intend to match the offer sheet for Holloway, given that Podkolzin fits a similar bill as a middle-six winger with defensive upside trying to find his way in the most competitive league in the world.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

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