The Vancouver Canucks made headlines when they decided to trade winger Vasily Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2025 fourth-round pick. While the move was shocking, both in terms of destination and price, Podkolzin being traded was predictable, considering his use since Rick Tocchet took over as coach. In the end, a move may have been the best option for both sides as Podkolzin gets a fresh start while Vancouver gets an asset back rather than potentially losing the player on the waiver wire.
Related: BREAKING: Canucks Trade Vasily Podkolzin To Rival Oilers
The timing of this trade is also a little confusing from a Canucks perspective. The Oilers are currently in a difficult cap situation due to the St. Louis Blues offer sheeting Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, not to mention that Vancouver gave Podkolzin a two-year extension four months ago. That being said, sometimes, opportunities to complete deals occur quickly, which may have been the case in this situation.
Podkolzin’s time with the Canucks can be described as frustrating. While he did have a solid first season, posting 26 points in 79 games, he was never able to live up to the hype of being the tenth overall hype and developing into a top-six winger. There was also additional frustration from the fan base, as players drafted just after him, like Matthew Boldy, Cole Caufield, Alex Newhook, and Cam York, have all developed into bonafide NHLers.
Related: Canucks Sign Vasily Podkolzin To An Extension
As mentioned, while the trade itself was shocking, to say the least, the fact that Podkolzin was traded is not. Vancouver went out this offseason and brought in four additional forwards who all would have slotted in ahead of the Russian winger next season. This means to get Podkozlin consistent playing time, the Canucks would have had to try and sneak him through waivers, running the risk of losing him for free.
While nothing is set in stone during the offseason, it is hard to picture Podkolzin as an everyday player in Vancouver’s lineup next season. In his 19 games last season, he averaged 10:49 of ice time, and while he and Rick Tocchet would often work together before practice, the trust just wasn’t there from the head coach. This is evident as even though Podkolzin got into the lineup during the playoffs, he averaged 8:32 of ice time, with the majority of his shifts in the second game coming when the game was already out of reach.
Related: Höglander, Podkolzin And Åman Finish As The Canucks’ 3 Stars Of Game 6
Even though Podkolzin had a frustrating 2023-24 NHL season, it wasn’t all bad. He displayed a willingness to play a physical game, recording 70 hits during his 19 appearances and was a pest to play against when he got into the lineup. The problem, though, was a lack of consistency and offensive production, which eventually led him back to the press box when Elias Lindholm returned from injury late in the season.
Ultimately, fans will be upset about this move, especially if Podkolzin has a strong 2024-25 season. At 23 years old, he is just entering his prime and may be able to round into form in a new organization. The same situation could also happen in Edmonton, as the Oilers also have a significant logjam within their forward group. That being said, it was clear that his time in Vancouver was coming to an end and that it was a positive that the Canucks were able to get a draft pick back for him.
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