The Edmonton Oilers got their young winger for two years around $1-million.
While they were surely planning on that being Dylan Holloway when the offseason kicked off seven weeks ago, it looks like it might be Vasily Podkolzin — a 23-year-old Russian winger who has fallen out of favour with the Vancouver Canucks.
The Oilers acquired him on Sunday evening in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick acquired earlier this offseason in the Xavier Bourgault trade.
Coupling the latest trade with a decision needed on the St. Louis Blues’ offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, it might signal the end of the latter’s tenure with the team, and their intent on allowing their 2020 first-round pick to head to the Gateway City.
With nothing being reported of the ilk, the trade tells you what you need to know. Podkolzin, drafted by the Canucks 10th overall in 2019, he returned to Russia for two years after his draft, and after a strong rookie campaign, has struggled to crack their NHL roster over the last two seasons. While he’s shown well in the American Hockey League, much like Holloway has, the regular NHL minutes haven’t quite been there.
Podkolzin, much like Holloway, has shown the ability to be an impactful player defensively, even if the offence isn’t quite there. In his 2021-22 season, playing 79 games, he drove offence at a two percent rate above league average, and defence at a five percent rate above league average, according to Hockey Viz. In 39 games in 2022-23, while his game took a step back, his offence was at a five percent rate below league average, but his defence remained strong at a three percent rate above league average. Holloway, whose 2023-24 season I looked at earlier Sunday, brings forth a very similar profile as a player.
A key to what this swap evidently could look like is the salary cap implications. The Oilers hoped to get Holloway signed around the $1.2-million mark, not the $2.2-million he signed with the Blues for. Both his new deal and Podkolzin’s, run for the next two seasons, allowing the Oilers — if they choose not to match that offer sheet — to save $1.2-million against the cap.
Simply put, the salary differences between the two could be the difference-maker here.
Holloway might end up being the better player down the road, if the offensive side of his game is able to flourish. But who knows if that will be the case if he lands in St. Louis. The Blues struggled mightily to generate offence last year, finishing bottom-five in the NHL in 5v5 shot attempts, scoring chances and expected goals for per hour, with the sixth fewest goals per hour, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Edmonton was put in a difficult situation last week by the Blues, and while essentially swapping Holloway and a fourth for Podkolzin and a third may not be the most ideal situation, their backs were up against the wall.
The Oilers will need to answer the offer sheets by early Tuesday at the latest, so buckle up for what should be an eventful next few days.
