Now and then, a player comes along that you can’t help but root for, and Edmonton Oilers’ Vasily Podkolzin is one of them. While the 24 points he put up last season weren’t a ton, he was often seen throughout the season putting in extra work before and after practices to work on his game.

Podkolzin’s first season in Oil Country wasn’t defined just by points, but by the intangibles he also brought to the lineup — he was gritty, mucked it up in the corners, led the team in hits, and was one of the few Oilers who elevated their game in the Stanley Cup Final. With many eager to see what the Moscow, Russia native can do in his second season in Edmonton, below we outline what a successful 2025-26 campaign looks like for him.

I’ll cut to the chase and say a successful season for Podkolzin, who makes $1 million a season, would be a 37-point campaign (16G, 21A) — a 13-point improvement from last season and a notable jump in points.

But I’ll dive into what many fans might be thinking — could he surpass the 37-point plateau and even reach 45 points or more? It’s entirely possible. The folks over at CanucksArmy have noted that when Podkolzin was playing with the Vancouver Canucks, he could be particularly sensitive when it comes to confidence. When it’s low, his game tends to take a dip.

That said, the rugged forward’s confidence should be fairly high heading into the 2025-26 campaign. Despite registering just 24 points in 82 games last regular season (0.29 PPG), his production climbed in the playoffs with 10 points in 22 games (0.45 PPG). On top of that, he was one of the best Oilers against the powerhouse Florida Panthers. Podkolzin finished third among Oilers forwards in points during the Florida series with four, trailing only Leon Draisaitl’s eight and Connor McDavid’s seven.

Additionally, the Instagram account of Ned Lukacevic (@nedlukacevichockey), whose bio indicates he’s a professional skills development coach, posted a couple of videos this past summer of him training with Podkolzin. On Sept. 1, he also posted a picture with the Oilers’ forward with the caption, ‘Best of luck this season, brother,’ showing that Podkolzin put in work in the offseason to improve his skills.

Now, let’s run the checklist — Podkolzin’s heading into the new season with confidence? Check. Worked with a skills coach in the offseason? Check. Likely starting on Draisaitl’s wing? Check. A 45+ point season? Not out of the question. If he reaches that point total, the Oilers will be kicking themselves for not locking him up long-term sooner.

Ideally, I’d love to be proved wrong by Podkolzin on my initial 37-point projection, and I absolutely hope he surpasses the 45-point plateau. Yet, even if he doesn’t put up big points, that’s alright — points aren’t the whole story for him, and Draisaitl’s recent comments about his teammate speak volumes, having said:

For $1 million a season, the Russian winger allows one of the best players in the world, Draisaitl, to play his game, doing the greasy work to get the puck into his centerman’s hands.

Draisaitl — who played the most even-strength minutes with the 24-year-old last season (504:22) — tallied 72 of his 106 points at even strength. So even if Podkolzin’s own points aren’t there, and he doesn’t get credit on the scoresheet on some plays, some of the action starts with his hard work and puck retrieval.

On that note, last season, among all players who played a minimum of 300 minutes at 5v5, Podkolzin ranked as follows in the NHL in the following advanced analytics categories:

• 11th in the NHL in shots-for percentage
• 14th in the NHL in high-danger chances-for percentage
• 19th in the NHL in expected goals-for percentage

While it’s fair to question analytics if a player isn’t producing points, metrics can still measure things like his ability to drive play forward and, ultimately, how he tilts the ice in his team’s favour. Even if Podkolzin doesn’t light up the score sheet, there’s still value in the underlying metrics, and I’d like to see him climb those advanced categories again this upcoming season.

Podkolzin seems like a player who’s hungry for more responsibility, and a bigger role on the Oilers’ penalty kill is likely in store for the 24-year-old. With Connor Brown’s departure to New Jersey, leaving a void in the unit, and Podkolzin having played the fifth-most shorthanded minutes among Oilers forwards last season, an increase in minutes is likely.

I feel he’ll excel in an elevated role on the PK because, as Draisaitl alluded to, he has an underrated hockey sense. But not only that, he showed last season that he’s willing to put his body on the line to get in front of pucks, finishing second on the team in blocked shots (53).

And call me old school, but I like PK units with not only players who have the hockey smarts to read and anticipate plays, but also with players willing to sacrifice their bodies and get in front of point shots. Some players fake it like they’re going to block a shot, while Podkolzin actually tries to.

When the muscle from Moscow throws hits, it’s usually with real intent to deliver punishment, not just to register a stat on the scoresheet. He led the Oilers in hits last season, with his 210 ranking 24th in the league overall.

Podkolzin will once again be counted on to provide physicality up front, and now that we know what he’s capable of, he’ll likely be leaned on even more — especially with the departure of a physical presence like Evander Kane.

Additionally, Podkolzin got into a couple of fights last season, but none bigger than the one he had last Halloween night against the Nashville Predators. The Oilers’ forward took on the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Jeremy Lauzon, and the heavy Russian landed a big right hook — likely one of the Oilers’ best T.K.O. punches since former Oilers’ enforcer Steve MacIntyre T.K.O.’d Raitis Ivanans with a heavy right back in 2010.

Moreover, I think that T.K.O. carried a lot of weight beyond just the punch itself — it ran through the highlight reels and almost put the NHL on notice, sending a message of, ‘hey, this Russian kid shouldn’t be taken lightly.’ Podkolzin might not be a massive deterrent, but he can make opponents think twice about taking liberties, knowing he packs a heavy right hand. And if a rookie like Isaac Howard or Matt Savoie cracks the second line, you can bet the rugged Russian will step in if anyone tries to push them around.

On another note, this past offseason, Podkolzin shared who he looks up to on the Oilers, saying, ‘If I think about what I want to be in the next five years, talk about my ambitions, ideally, I want to be like him,’ referring to Zach Hyman. Not everyone can be a Connor McDavid, with what seems like God-given natural ability, but striving to be like Hyman — a player with a relentless motor, who gives 110% every shift — speaks volumes about his mindset and ambitions.

Podkolzin has an amazing work ethic, he has a role model in Hyman, and if he gets another opportunity to play alongside Draisaitl, this could be the season when the former first-round pick really puts it all together.

Alberta spends the least per student on public education in Canada, leaving schools underfunded and in crisis. Overcrowded classrooms, unmet student needs, and dwindling supports are driving record numbers of teachers to leave the profession. As Albertans, we cannot ignore this neglect. Our children deserve better. It’s time to act—advocate for increased funding and demand answers from your MLA. Why does Alberta invest the least in its students? The excuses must stop. Stand up for our schools, support our educators, and help ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed. The future of education in Alberta depends on it. Visit www.stoptheexcuses.ca