Oilers Very High on Newly Acquired Forward

The Edmonton Oilers' general manager was very excited about acquiring forward Vasily Podkolzin.

Mar 25, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson (33) battles with Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin (92) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers took a blow to their organization when they lost not one, but two restricted free agents to offer sheets submitted by the St. Louis Blues. The team lost two valuable young players in Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, leaving holes in their lineup and in their future core.

With gaps in the roster to fill, Oilers' General Manager Stan Bowman swung a deal to acquire former top-10 draft pick Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks. Sending a fourth-round draft pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft, the Oilers bring in a 23 year-old winger to take Holloway's place in the middle-six.

Podkolzin joins the Oilers excited for a fresh start. After a promising rookie season in Vancouver, it's been a few seasons full of struggles for the Russian forward. He posted 14 goals in 2021-2022, but is coming off of a season where he scored zero goals at the NHL level. Over 117 NHL games, he has 18 goals and 35 total points.

Despite the dip over the last two years, the Oilers believe they can revive Podkolzin's offensive game and maximize his skillset. Signed for the next two seasons with a $1 million salary, he's a low-risk option that could pay off. Speaking to the media at a recent press conference, Bowman discussed what made Podkolzin a target for the organization.

"He's a north-south-type player, straight-lines guy that has a physical side to his game, which is something I watched and I really liked," Bowman said. "He's very strong and he's powerful. You can play that possession type game in the offensive zone, and when he doesn't have the puck, he can run guys over and he's not afraid to do that. So I think that combination was pretty impressive and certainly there's a bet that we can get him back on track from where he was at one point, not only his draft year, but his first year pro."

It's clear from Bowman's comments that he believes in his recently acquired winger and that could go a long way. Now in the Oilers' organization, the coaching staff has their work cut out for them to get Podkolzin back on track. One thing the team can help with immediately is confidence. There's no denying his confidence has taken an even bigger dip than his production over the last two seasons. What better way to solve that than by playing with world-class superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl? It's the same way Holloway established that he was ready for a larger role.

The Oilers have two seasons to see if they can find a spot for Podkolzin in their middle-six. The past few years haven't been kind to him, but with a fresh start and an organization believing and investing in him, he could be in a great position to return to a quality NHL player.

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