Former Canucks Vasily Podkolzin, Jason Dickinson, Curtis Lazar, and the Edmonton Oilers were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6.
The Edmonton Oilers will not be returning to the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season.
In what may go down as one of the more surprising upsets of the first round, the Oilers dropped a must-win Game 6 by a score of 5–2, allowing the Anaheim Ducks to advance to the second round for the first time since 2017. This is Anaheim’s first time back in the post-season since 2018.
With Edmonton’s elimination, three former Vancouver Canucks have seen their post-season campaigns get cut short. Vasily Podkolzin, who had a strong stint in the playoffs, finished the series with two goals and three assists in five games played. The forward is coming off a career-best season that saw him score 19 goals and 18 assists in a full 82 games with the Oilers. In Game 6, he even spent some time skating on a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Another former Canuck whose post-season ended on Thursday night was Jason Dickinson. Acquired by the Oilers at the 2026 Trade Deadline, Dickinson played in a total of four games during this series, missing two due to injury concerns. This was not the only injury concern for Dickinson in recent play, however, as the forward missed the final three games of the regular season due to ailments. In his first playoff game with the Oilers, he scored two goals.
The final former Canuck to have his playoff stint cut short was Curtis Lazar. In-and-out of the lineup throughout the regular season due to various injuries, the forward made his Oilers playoff debut on April 22 and skated in five of Edmonton’s six post-season matches. He did not register a point in any of these games.
With Edmonton’s loss on Thursday night, Canada’s hopes of winning a Stanley Cup fall on the Montréal Canadiens — the final Canadian team still in the post-season. Last week, the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the post-season by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canucks, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and Toronto Maple Leafs all missed the post-season and will instead be eyeing the upcoming NHL Draft Lottery.
Apr 28, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin (92) and Anaheim Ducks defensemen Pavel Mintyukov (98) chases the puck during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs 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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