Latest news with #VasilyPodkolzin
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Edmonton Oilers NHL Draft guide: Picks, best fits and analysis
The Edmonton Oilers have four picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: Nos. 83, 117, 191, 223. Here's what to expect. The Oilers had just three draft picks — a third-rounder from St. Louis for not matching Dylan Holloway's offer sheet, plus their own selections in the sixth and seventh rounds — before trading Evander Kane to Vancouver on Wednesday. Advertisement For dumping Kane and the last year of his $5.125 million AAV contract, the Oilers received a fourth-round pick in return. That asset was originally shipped to the Canucks last August to acquire left winger Vasily Podkolzin. Still, the Oilers are scheduled to make just four picks and none until No. 83. That's the cost of being perennial Stanley Cup contenders and reaching the final two years in a row. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman Edmonton's farm system is very light, but it has some potential NHL forwards in Matt Savoie and Sam O'Reilly. The blue line is another story. Beau Akey has a chance to make it, but after him, there's not much else coming. In recent mock drafts, Corey Pronman has projected the following picks: 83. Hayden Paupanekis, C 191. Ondrej Stebetak, G 223. Patrik Volas, D
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Could The Oilers Have Their Own Sam Bennett In Waiting?
As the Edmonton Oilers continue to mold their roster into a perennial contender, one under-the-radar player could be following the blueprint of a current playoff adversary – Sam Bennett. That player is Vasily Podkolzin. Podkolzin, selected 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2019 NHL Draft, was sent to the Oilers in a trade dump this past summer. He had a so-so regular season but has played a pivotal role in the playoffs, becoming a regular and a key part of the team's overall forward depth. Advertisement Podkolzin has had a relatively quiet start to his NHL career in terms of offensive production, but there are signs of a real player here. His best season came as a rookie with Vancouver in 2021–22, where he posted 14 goals and 26 points in 79 games. Since then, his offensive numbers have dipped. It's an interesting trend we've seen before, namely in Bennett, who dropped off as a member of the Calgary Flames but has exploded for the Florida Panthers during this playoff run. Much like Bennett's early career, he wasn't a standout offensive threat either. Drafted fourth overall by the Flames in 2014, Bennett had a 36-point season early on but struggled to break through consistently. It wasn't until a trade to Florida that Bennett began to gain recognition for his gritty, high-motor game and timely scoring. Before this season, he had never reached 50 points in a season. This summer, he's expected to land a massive contract extension, some insiders peg it might be well beyond his actual value. The risk in overpaying someone like Bennett after a massive season is real. If the Panthers do it, or another team offers him a huge unrestricted free agent deal, they could come to regret it. Still, it begs the question about what the Oilers have in Podkolzin and if they should invest in what he might become. Both players were top-10 picks. Both were moved on from by their original clubs after failing to meet offensive expectations. And both bring a rugged, playoff-suited style of hockey that doesn't always show up on the stat sheet but becomes invaluable in the post-season. Advertisement Podkolzin hasn't reached the offensive levels Bennett has yet, but his career is six seasons younger, and he's trending in the right direction. Podkolzin finds himself in a similar situation to the one Bennett was in just a few years ago. While he may never evolve into a 30-goal scorer, neither has Bennett. Regardless, Bennett is poised to cash in during free agency thanks to strong playoff performances and a reputation as a gamer. First to arrive at the rink and often last to leave, 'gamer' is a great way to define Podkolzin as a player. Knowing what they have and what his potential could be, the Oilers will want to avoid him ever really cashing in big after a strong run. Vasily Podkolzin celebrates with Corey Perry after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup final. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images) Podkolzin, under contract for another season in Edmonton, could see a bigger role in 2025. If he puts up a 20-goal, 45-point campaign, it might force the Oilers to make a decision: invest early in the 6-foot-1 winger or risk having to overpay down the line, just as the Panthers may soon have to do with Bennett. Advertisement It's far from a guarantee, but Podkolzin has the tools, the tenacity, and the playoff makeup to become Edmonton's version of Sam Bennett. All it might take is one breakout year to change the conversation. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
National Post
13-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Vasily Podkolzin finally has his time in spotlight for Edmonton Oilers
Vasily Podkilzin did the same thing in Thursday's overtime as he's done all season long: Look to Leon Draisaitl. Article content This time, it just happened to be in overtime of the biggest game the Edmonton Oilers were playing in since Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final. One that required them to climb all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to briefly take the lead before Florida forced the third overtime of this over-the-top series. Article content Article content Article content In it, Draisaitl did what he's done better than anyone else all season: Put the puck in the back of the net to give Edmonton a 5-4 win and tie the series 2-2 heading back to Edmonton for Game 5 on Saturday (6 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet). Article content But the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard trophy winner with a league-leading 52 goals in the regular season hardly did it by himself Thursday. Article content Vasily Podkolzin spent more time than anyone on Draisaitl's left wing here in his first season with Edmonton, digging pucks out of corners and doing all the dirty work on to provide elbow grease on a line where the spotlight shone on his talented centre. Article content And Thursday ended no differently, even though both were playing on different lines in this one. Article content With the puck sent out of Edmonton's end by defenceman Mattias Ekholm, Podkolzin had it on his stick for a split second, having spotted Draisaitl just having hopped off the bench, sending a nifty backhand pass clear across the ice and into Florida's zone. Article content Article content Draisaitl caught it in stride, and with one hand on his stick, managed to steer the puck through the legs of both Panthers defenceman Niko Mikkola and Sergei Bobrovsky for the biggest goal of his already illustrious career. Article content Just don't ask Podkolzin how the play ended up coming together. Article content 'I can't tell you right now, it's more like instincts,' Podkolzin said. 'Sometimes you have to risk it, especially in overtime. Yeah, I got lucky there that the pass came through. Article content 'So, it's a good play.' Article content And the kind that only happens when two teammates are fantastically familiar with each other, not to mention a well-earned assist for the 23-year-old Russian product who hasn't always seen his hard work result in points. Article content On Thursday, Podkolzin ended up with two of them, though it could be argued his assist in overtime was every bit as important as his goal that tied the score 3-3 heading into the third period.
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
'You have to risk it sometimes': Vasily Podkolzin
Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin says the Oilers leadership team did a good job inspiring the team to keep fighting on their way to win Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers.
Global News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Global News
ANALYSIS: Teams need to seize the moment to put stamp on Stanley Cup final
Without being flippant, you could say that the Edmonton Oilers were drilled in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final on Monday night. More politely, though, they were run right over. Oh sure, the Oilers tried to muddy the game up in what turned into an old-school type of third period, but at that point, that was all Edmonton had left because, frankly, their combative response late in the game showed some life, but not much else. Story continues below advertisement What was in clear view on Monday was how the defending Stanley Cup champions initiated all night, as the Florida Panthers didn't enter the game looking to pussyfoot around, they strolled into the arena like a tomcat to an alley fight. In other words, Florida came into Game 3 — their first home game of the series — not looking to just take part, but seizing the moment to take over. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy And there was no more telling a moment of that than on the Panthers' fourth goal – a series definer, perhaps — when Sam Bennett shoulder-dropped Vasily Podkolzin just inside the Panthers' blue line, finishing his check and ultimately forcing the stunned Podkolzin into a turnover later in the shift the other way. The result? A breakaway goal for Bennett — his playoff-leading 14th — and a 4-1 lead for the Panthers, which proved to everyone that Florida had reached another level in the series. Story continues below advertisement What will now be interesting to watch on Thursday is how each team will respond to the one-sided affair, because for Edmonton to send the series back to Alberta tied at two, they'll need to be better in Game 4. Much better! Otherwise, they'll face elimination heading home and one would expect Florida to execute the same game plan, hoping to once again, without being flippant, not only drill the Oilers into the ice but run right over them again, too.
