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Oilers’ Vasily Podkolzin has emerged as a true top-six forward this season
Edmonton Oilers Vasily Podkolzin
Photo credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Dec 12, 2025, 08:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 12, 2025, 11:21 EST
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Through 31 games in the 2025-26 season, it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows for the Edmonton Oilers.
They occupy the top Wild Card spot with a 14-11-6 record and 34 points. It’s as if they turned a corner, but then they had a rough game on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres, needing a third-period comeback and last second goal to salvage a point.
In that game, Vasily Podkolzin scored his sixth goal of the season to bring the Oilers to within one, and was sandwiched between a pair of goals by captain Connor McDavid. There have been a few bright spots this season, but what stands out the brightest is that Podkolzin has emerged as a true top-six forward.
The potential was always there for the 24-year-old winger. Back in 2019, the Russian was drafted 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks, and had a strong final season in the Kontinental Hockey League when he was allowed to play. That included six goals and 11 points in 16 playoff games.
Podkolzin began his National Hockey League career in 2021-22 and started slow under the guidance of head coach Travis Green, but once Bruce Boudreau replaced Green, Podkolzin took off. He scored 14 goals and 26 points in 79 games with the Canucks that year — five goals and six points in 23 games under Green, and under Boudreau, he scored nine goals and 20 points in 56 games.
Boudreau joined Oilersnation Everyday earlier this week, talking about how he thinks Podkolzin can score 25 goals.
His production dipped in his second season as he split his time between the NHL and the American Hockey League, scoring just four goals and seven points in 39 NHL games. Podkolzin’s scoring fell off a cliff in 2023-24, as he failed to score a goal in 19 games, finishing the year with two assists.
Two days before the Oilers declined to match the offer sheets for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, the Oilers traded the 2025 fourth-round pick for the Russian. That pick was acquired in the Xavier Bourgault trade earlier that summer, and was reacquired by the Oilers when they sent Evander Kane to the Canucks after the 2024-25 season.
Anyway, Podkolzin immediately slotted into the top-six, playing alongside Leon Draisaitl. In 82 games, Podkolzin scored eight goals and added 16 assists, giving him 24 points on the year. He fell two points shy of matching his career-best, but potted three goals and had 10 points in 22 playoff games, including scoring the final goal of the Oilers’ season.
He’s reached a whole new level in 2025-26. Through 31 games, the 24-year-old has six goals and 13 points — he could’ve had another goal but missed the empty-net — and is on pace for 16 goals and 34 points over 82 games. With him on the ice, the Oilers have owned 60.47 percentage of the five-on-five goal share, second-best on the team. His expected goal share is also solid, as when he’s on the ice during five-on-five play, the Oilers have 50.8 percent of the expected goal share, all of this is according to Natural Stat Trick.
One difference this season is that Podkolzin has shown a lot more confidence in carrying the puck and shooting it. The thing is, there’s probably another gear or two he can hit. Even his linemate, Leon Draisaitl, believes that’s the case. In September, Draisaitl was asked about Podkolzin and said great things about him. Although he may not produce like a top-six player (yet), Draisaitl essentially said that what Podkolzin does may not be noticed by fans, but he’s incredibly valuable beside the German.
Draisaitl has played 231 five-on-five minutes away from Podkolzin this season, and while his 55.2 percent expected goal share is solid, the Oilers have been outscored 13-10 in those minutes. In 282 five-on-five minutes when they’re on the ice together, the Oilers are outscoring opponents 20-7 for 74 percent goal share while their expected goal share sits at 53.3 percent.
Podkolzin and Draisaitl played together often last season as well, producing even expected goal share numbers, but they had a revolving door of right wingers, with their most common linemate being Viktor Arvidsson (who wasn’t nearly as bad as what was to be believed). It was much of the same case this season, but the pair seem to have found their linemate.
Matthew Savoie has played the past four games with Podkolzin and Draisaitl, and the trio have outscored opponents three to one during five-on-five action, while owning 57.3 percent of the expected goal share. They’ve also outshot the opposition 32-22, and have had more high-danger scoring chances than they’ve given up (13-11).
Savoie has also emerged as a player who’s capable of playing in the top six, and that’s been reflected with elevated playing time. In the first 15 games, Savoie averaged about 11:06 of five-on-five ice-time per game that’s increased to 12:49 in his most recent 16 games.
It seems like this should be the Oilers’ second line moving forward, and a big reason why it’s able to work is because of the emergence of Podkolzin as a genuine top-six player.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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