The Vancouver Canucks have traded forward Vasily Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick, the teams announced on Sunday. The draft pick involved originally belonged to the Ottawa Senators.
Selected 10th overall by the Canucks in the 2019 NHL Draft, Podkolzin’s performance has not matched initial expectations. Despite a promising rookie season in 2021-22, where he scored 14 goals and added 12 assists in 79 games, his performance has declined. Over the past two seasons, he has accumulated just nine points in 58 NHL games.
Podkolzin, who is 23 years old, has two years remaining on his current contract with an average annual value of $1 million. He will become a restricted free agent at the end of this contract and will not be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2028. His addition to the Oilers is expected to bring speed to their lineup, though his underlying performance metrics have been subpar.
This trade comes amid other recent moves by the Oilers, including the signing of defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway to offer sheets by the St. Louis Blues. The Oilers have until Tuesday morning to decide whether to match these offers.
