Forward had 24 points with Edmonton last season; deal begins in 2026-27

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Vasily Podkolzin signed a three-year, $8.85 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $2.95 million and begins with the 2026-27 season.

The 24-year-old forward had 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 82 games for Edmonton last season, his first with the team after he was acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Aug. 28, 2024. He also had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

“It’s awesome, I’m really happy to be here for the next few years,” Podkolzin said. “It’s a great group of guys here and we need to get the job done. I just love hockey and I love my work and I love what I do. When I have the opportunity to play with the best players in the world, it’s awesome. I really enjoy it and I try to be useful for them.”

Podkolzin led the Oilers with 211 hits and was second among their forwards with 53 blocked shots, while averaging a career-high 13:13 of ice time per game last season.

He is entering the last of a two-year contract he signed with the Canucks on April 18, 2024, and could have become a restricted free agent after the season.

“We’re very fortunate to get ‘Pods’ the way we did. He’s been a huge asset for us filling in for us on numerous lines,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “He started for us last year on the fourth line and played well, we moved him up and he spent most of the season with (Leon) Draisaitl.”

Selected by Vancouver with the No. 10 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Podkolzin has 59 points (26 goals, 33 assists) in 219 regular-season games for the Canucks and Oilers, and 10 points in 24 playoff games.

“He’s young and we feel he’s just going to get better,” Knoblauch said. “Maybe last year, the offensive numbers didn’t show, they were pretty pedestrian, it wasn’t outstanding but we feel there’s more offense in him and we feel very fortunate to have him with us.”

The Oilers, who have lost in the Stanley Cup Final each of the past two seasons, open the regular season against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 8.