The Vancouver Canucks made headlines when they agreed to trade winger Vasily Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2025 fourth-round pick. While the move was shocking in terms of both destination and price, it was predictable that Podkolzin would be traded given his usage since Rick Tocchet took over as coach. Ultimately, a move may have been the best option for both parties, as it gives Podkolzin a fresh start while Vancouver gets an asset in return rather than potentially losing the player via the waiver wire.
Related: BREAKING: Canucks trade Vasily Podkolzin to rival Oilers
The timing of this trade is also a bit confusing from the Canucks’ perspective. The Oilers are currently in a tough cap situation due to the St. Louis Blues’ offers to sign Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, and Vancouver gave Podkolzin a two-year extension four months ago. That said, sometimes opportunities to make deals present themselves quickly, which may have been the case in this situation.
Podkolzin’s time with the Canucks could be described as frustrating. While he had a solid first season, posting 26 points in 79 games, he never lived up to expectations of being the 10th overall hype pick and developing into a top-six winger. There was also added frustration from fans as players drafted right after him, such as Matthew Boldy, Cole Caufield, Alex Newhook and Cam York, have all developed into NHLers.
Related: Canucks sign Vasily Podkolzin to extension
As mentioned, while the trade itself was shocking, the fact that Podkolzin was traded is not. Vancouver went out this offseason and acquired four additional forwards, all of which would have been available for the Russian winger next season. This means that in order to get Podkozlin consistent playing time, the Canucks would have had to try to smuggle him through waivers, at the risk of losing him for free.
While nothing is set in stone during the offseason, it’s hard to see Podkolzin as a regular 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 often teamed up for practice, there was simply no trust from the head coach. This is evident because when Podkolzin did get into the lineup during the playoffs, he averaged 8:32 of ice time, with most of his shifts coming in the second game when the game was already out of reach.
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While Podkolzin had a frustrating 2023-24 NHL season, it wasn’t all bad. He showed a willingness to play physical, with 70 hits in his 19 appearances, and was a nuisance to play against when he did get into the lineup. The problem, however, was a lack of consistency and offensive production, which ultimately sent 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, he’s just entering his prime and could potentially hit form in a new organization. The same situation could play out in Edmonton, as the Oilers also have a significant logjam within their forward group. That said, it was clear that his time in Vancouver was coming to an end and it was a positive that the Canucks got a draft pick in return for him.
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