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 Russia placed fourth.
Finally, his NHL debut also came at Rogers Place, on Oct. 13, 2021, when he played 7:34 in the Canucks’ 3-2 shootout loss to the host Oilers.
He Was Drafted by Medicine Hat
There’s yet another Alberta connection for Podkolzin: in the 2018 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft, he was selected 92nd overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Podkolzin never played for Medicine Hat, instead staying in his native Russia for his final season prior to being NHL draft-eligible in 2019. He split 2018-19 with three clubs: SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), SKA- Neva of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), and SKA-1946 of the Junior Hockey League (MHL).
He Likes Country Music
Based on his musical tastes, Podkolzin should fit in just fine in Alberta. He’s spoken multiple times of his love for country music, which he discovered during his rookie NHL season in 2021-22.
“I never heard country music in the KHL and it’s good music, I like it, I don’t care (if it’s not common in Russia),” Podkolzin said in an article published by The Athletic (from ‘Harman Dayal: Inside Vasily Podkolzin’s Canucks journey: Country music, movie nights and lessons from the Sedins’, The Athletic, 3/15/23).
He Has a Young Daughter
In early July 2023, Podkolzin and wife Sasha welcomed daughter Alisa into the world. While her parents are both Russian, Alisa was born in Canada.
Alisa attended her first NHL game on March 9, 2024, a 5-0 victory for the Canucks over the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena. Podkolzin didn’t record any points in the game but registered three shots on goal.
On a recent Russian-language podcast, Podkolzin talked about taking photos of Alisa with NHL players, so she can have them to look at when she grows up. So far she’s appeared in pictures with some of hockey’s biggest stars, including the Canucks’ Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller, and Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.
Soon, Alisa will have a chance to pose for pictures with the best player on the planet, Oilers captain Connor McDavid. With training camp just around the corner next month, it won’t be long before Podkolzin is in Edmonton.
