Former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin has already surpassed his previous career-highs this season.
The Vancouver Canucks have made their fair share of interesting trades throughout the past few seasons. One could argue that the J.T. Miller trade flopped for both sides, while fans have soured on the trade that sent a 2025 first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A trade that has stood out as of late is Vancouver’s decision to move on from former first-round pick Vasily Podkolzin, who they sent to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft — the very pick that was sent back to Edmonton in exchange for Evander Kane a little less than a year later.
Podkolzin was drafted 10th overall by Vancouver in 2019 but spent three seasons playing for the Canucks. During this span of time, he scored 18 goals and 17 assists in 137 games. With Vancouver, he never quite got back to his previous career-high of 14 goals and 12 assists in 79 games during his rookie NHL season.
Since joining the Oilers, Podkolzin has put up back-to-back 20-point seasons and has already surpassed his previous career-high this year. Through 65 games in 2025–26, he’s scored 15 goals and 14 assists. This ties him with Vancouver’s current goal-scoring leader, Drew O’Connor. Were he still on the Canucks now, he’d be tied for the fourth-most points on the team. Podkolzin has also scored the Oilers’ lead in game-winning goals with five.
Looking past his offensive capabilities this season, the forward has developed into a more well-rounded player for Edmonton, as he’s been killing penalties for the Oilers while also skating on lines with high-end players like Leon Draisaitl. As it stands, he currently has a +/- rating of +14 (third-highest on the Oilers) and has averaged 15:09 minutes played per game.
Mar 6, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal scored by forward Vasily Podkolzin (92) during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn ImagesMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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