Confirmed Trade: [EDM/VAN] Vasily Podkolzin for OTT '25 4th

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

He’s been awesome, really seems to have found a home playing with Draisaitl.

Works hard, competes every shift, he’s good defensively, and now he’s finding some confidence offensively. Easy guy to root for, he works super hard all the time. Last guy off the ice every practice type work ethic.

Kind of reminds me of a young Hyman in some ways with that same relentless work rate and is just starting to figure things out offensively now. Draisaitl loves playing with him based on reports and his comments.

More like Hornqvist, my opinion.

 

[Coffee]

Right now he looks like Alex Burrows playing with Draisatl. Great trade for Edmonton

 

[soothsayer]

I can't believe this guy can throw bombs. I almost fell out of my seat when he clocked the hell out of Lauzon. Did not know he had that in his game at all.

 

[snipes]

More like Hornqvist, my opinion.

Didn’t even think of him but that’s a great example as well and probably closer.

I’m still surprised the Canucks moved him, seems like he’s a Tocchet type of player with how hard he plays and how much he gives every shift.

 

[Warh1ppy]

I want nothing more than to see this kid go on to be a heavy player 25-25 per season and be a monster in the playoffs. Would look good on vancouver for giving up on yet another young kids before they even gave them a chance to play.

Like they've essentially done every single decade since they entered the league. Drafting players with serious promise. Refusing to develop them properly, declaring they're just not working in the system and trading them away for nothing after blocking their ability to play by only feeding them 4th line minutes and signing aging plugs to ensure there is no ice time for them

 

[Ol' Jase]

A pleasant surprise is his IQ is much higher than I figured. He is generally making smart plays with or without the puck.

 

[Reality Czech]

Kapanen-Draisaitl is more of thing than Podkolzin-Drai. Both should remain on Draisaitls wing even with all healthy.

If Draisaitl can have a career year playing with two castoffs like Podkolzin and Kapanen then he deserves the Hart. Not to mention the fact that he seems to be scoring a lot more at even strength. He's playing like a man possessed right now.

 

[Section337]

You often see a guy in his situation, decently high draft choice who timed out with his draft team, needing to develop a new set of skills to stick with his second / third chance teams. Often things around work ethic, defensive responsibility, penalty killing, physicality...

Seems like Podkolzin has come pre-equipped with those skills to the Oilers.

Honestly, stuff like perception, fit and expectations (from both sides) have derailed way too many careers.

 

[Da McBomb]

Surprised no other team beat this offer, he showed enough over his Vancouver career that should have made at least a few GMs take a flyer on him as a potential poor man's Nichushkin. Much better fundamentals for the NHL than Hoglander

With their multiple trades between each other and Conroy's seemingly love of Russian players... I'm actually surprised that Vancouver didn't trade Podz to the Flames instead of to the Oilers.