Vasily Podkolzin didn't hesitate. Connor McDavid took a hit from Johnathan Kovacevic, and before anyone could blink, Podkolzin was charging in, gloves flying off, ready to answer for it. It was immediate. It was decisive. And it was exactly what Oilers fans have been begging to see for years.
Sure, the Oilers lost 2-1 to the Devils. But watching Podkolzin drop the gloves without a second thought? That was pretty great.
Too often, Connor McDavid gets pushed and shoved around without any proper response from anyone on the Oilers roster. Opponents know they can take liberties because nobody's really going to make them pay for it. So when Podkolzin immediately stepped up, it sent a message that fans, the team, and probably McDavid himself can appreciate: you can't touch our superstar.
Seems simple, right? It's not a novel idea. Everyone knows that's one of the first rules in hockey, right under "you can't touch our goalie." Yet somehow, the Oilers have struggled with it for years.
"That's the kind of guy he (Podkolzin) is. He's a team-first guy. And no hesitation, jumped in to defend (McDavid) right away, and it's awesome to see," Ekholm said.
Curtis Lazar felt the same way.
"That's what we're all about in here. We stand up for each other and Pods, he didn't bat an eye, he went in there and got the job done. So we'll kill those penalties all the time. That's what we're all about. And really instigating (when the) gloves were off before (Podkolzin) could get there? I mean, I can't really comment on that," Lazar said.
Yeah, about those penalties. Podkolzin got hit with an instigator penalty on top of the fighting major. Some of it he deserved. Some of it he didn't. Kris Knoblauch tried to explain the referees' logic afterward.
"Gloves are up high on McDavid, and then Podkolzin responds; he goes in there for the fight. And I think they're assuming that Podkolzin was just going in there for the fight. He could have been forechecking," explained Knoblauch. "He's skating in that direction. And the other player was anticipating a fight. His gloves go off first. But with the referees, they assume there's a hit, there's a player that's leading in that direction, it's automatically going to be a fight.
"And whether that was Podkolzin's intent or not, he was going in that direction. That leads to the call."
Fair or not, Podkolzin took the penalties. And honestly? It was worth it. The message was sent. The team rallied around it. And for once, someone actually stood up for McDavid.
Here's the problem though: Podkolzin shouldn't be the guy fighting.
He's a 190-pound winger playing on the second line—first line now with Leon Draisaitl away on personal matters. He should be reading plays, getting open for McDavid's passes, and contributing offensively. That's his role. Fighting shouldn't be part of his job description.
But no one else is doing it.
That's been a problem with the Oilers for a while, and everyone knows it. They're a little soft. Players who came in and were supposed to change that—looking at you, Trent Frederic—haven't. So now it falls to Podkolzin, a skilled forward who's willing to step up because nobody else will.
Don't get me wrong—Podkolzin did a good job. He fought. He made a statement. He showed he's willing to protect his teammates. But he shouldn't be the Oilers' heavyweight. He is, unfortunately, the only one willing to be.
The Oilers need someone whose entire job is to make opponents think twice about taking runs at McDavid or Draisaitl. Someone who's ready to drop the gloves at a moment's notice and make opposing players pay physically for crossing the line. That's not Podkolzin's role. It shouldn't have to be.
But until someone else steps up—actually steps up, not just talks about it—this is what the Oilers have. A skilled winger who's willing to throw down because no one else will.
Ekholm and Lazar praised Podkolzin's willingness to stand up for his teammates. And they should. It's the right mentality. It's what winning teams do. But it's also a symptom of a larger problem: the Oilers don't have anyone else who consistently does this.
Opponents know it. They know they can make cheap shots on McDavid and Draisaitl because the response is inconsistent at best. Podkolzin fighting helps, but he can't be the only answer. He's too valuable doing other things.
The Oilers lost to New Jersey. They struggled to generate offence. They took penalties. But Podkolzin dropping the gloves for McDavid was one of the few bright spots. It showed heart. It showed he cares about his teammates.
Now the Oilers just need someone else to share that responsibility.
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