The best move the Edmonton Oilers made in the 2024 offseason was trading for Vasily Podkolzin.

The 10th overall pick in 2019, Podkolzin showed promise early in his career with a solid rookie season, scoring 14 goals and 26 points with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021-22. But his production dipped over the next two years, leading to a change of scenery. The Oilers picked him up for a fourth-rounder in the 2025 draft.

In Edmonton, Podkolzin found a home alongside Leon Draisaitl for most of the year, finishing with eight goals and 24 points over a full 82-game season. It wasn’t quite a step forward offensively, but he chipped in with three goals and 10 points in 22 playoff games, capping it off by scoring the final goal of the 2024-25 season.

While his numbers were that of a bottom-six player, his impact went beyond the scoresheet. Podkolzin brought physicality, won puck battles, and gave the Oilers a much-needed edge.

Despite his presence, he only dropped the gloves twice all year, once with A.J. Greer in a regular-season game against Florida, and once with Jérémy Lauzon of the Nashville Predators. It’s the latter that we’re breaking down here.

It started on the forecheck, with Podkolzin throwing a light hit on Lauzon. The Preds defender responded with one of his own, and after one more bump, the gloves came off. Lauzon came out firing, landing the first five punches while Podkolzin managed just one. But that was all a setup.

Podkolzin landed two, one to start, and the second flush to the temple. Lauzon buckled immediately. Podkolzin even held him up as he fell to prevent his head from hitting the ice, a rare mix of violence and sportsmanship.

You don’t see many fights that are decisive anymore, and it’s not like Lauzon was out of his weight class. He’s a legitimate tough customer now with Vegas. Still, 100% of the 92 voters on HockeyFights gave the win to Podkolzin. The fight earned a 7.87 rating, one of the highest of the entire NHL season.