On Sunday (Aug. 18), the Edmonton Oilers traded for forward Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks. In exchange for Podkolzin, Vancouver received the Ottawa Senators’ fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, which Edmonton had acquired as part of a trade on July 15.
Podkolzin was selected 10th overall by the Canucks in the 2019 NHL Draft, two picks after the Oilers drafted Philip Broberg at No. 8. The 23-year-old native of Moscow has recorded 18 goals and 17 assists in 137 career regular season games with the Canucks.
He is under contract through 2025-26, having signed a two-year extension in April worth $1 million per season. The Russian was set to become a restricted free agent (RFA) when his three-year entry-level deal expired at the end of 2023-24.
Podkolzin wears No. 92 (which is not taken on the Oilers), stands 6-foot-1, weighs 190 pounds, shoots left and plays right wing. Here are five other things to know about the newest Oilers forward.
He’s Had a Decorated International Career
Before his NHL career began, Podkolzin competed in many major international events. He suited up for Russia at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (2017), World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (2017), Hlinka Gretzky Cup (2018), World Junior A Challenge (2018), IIHF U18 World Championship (2018, 2019) and the IIHF World Junior Championship (2019, 2020, 2021).
The winger won gold in ice hockey at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, captained Russia to a silver medal at the 2019 U18 World Championship, and medaled twice at the World Juniors, taking home bronze in 2019 and silver in 2020.
Podkolzin was named MVP of the 2018 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alberta. In 2018, he led all players with eight goals at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which took place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
He’s Had Many Highlights in Edmonton
Some of the biggest moments of Podkolzin’s career have happened at Rogers Place, starting in 2018 when he had a hat trick and an assist to lead Russia past the United States 5-4 in the bronze medal game of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Related: Canucks’ Podkolzin & Costmar Had Strong Performances at 2021 WJC
He returned to Edmonton two and a half years later, for the 2021 World Juniors at Rogers Place, where he served as captain of Team Russia. Podkolzin had two goals and two assists in seven games as…
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