Edmonton Oilers acquire former first-round pick Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks in surprise trade

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Tyler Ball
August 18, 2024 (9:11 PM)

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Tonight a surprising trade has been completed between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers sending Vasily Podkolzin to the Oilers.

This offseason has been extremely busy for the Edmonton Oilers. From trading Ryan McLeod to the Edmonton Oilers to the recent offer sheets of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway by the St. Louis Blues. Now the Oilers have made a trade to land former first-round pick Vasily Podkolzin.

In return, the Canucks will get a 2025 4th-round pick. Vasily Podkozlin comes to the Edmonton Oilers after being mostly a bottom-six player in Vancouver despite being selected highly. He brings speed and smoothness with a touch of grit. To this point, he has struggled to produce offensively despite moments of flash. He spent much of the 2023-24 season in the AHL but produced well with 28 points in 44 games.

With the Oilers making this move it creates a larger conversation about the future of Dylan Hollway with the team. He was recently signed to an offer sheet by the St. Louis Blues. To this point many people assumed the Oilers would bring back Dylan Holloway but this trade has placed some doubt.

The reason for the change in discussion around Dylan Holloway is that he and Vasily Podkolzin are similar players when it comes to their roles. Both young players who likely would end up on the wing in Edmonton playing third-line roles.

With the window to match the contracts of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg coming rapidly to a close it will be interesting to see what other moves the Edmonton Oilers make. If this is all they do then both Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg could be St. Louis Blues on opening night.