Former Canucks First Round Pick Lands Haymaker Against The Predators

Halloween was an eventful night for former Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin. The now Edmonton Oilers winger dropped the gloves for the second time in his career, taking on 6'3", 225-pound defenceman Jeremy Lauzon. Despite taking some shots from Lauzon, Podkolzin ended up scoring the takedown thanks to a perfectly timed haymaker.

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It wasn't just the fight that was impressive, but also Podkolzin's overall play. Playing on the Oilers' first line, the former first-round pick had an assist, four hits and a blocked shot. In 11 games with his new team, Podkolzin has two assists and is averaging 11:22 of ice time.

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During his time with Vancouver, he recorded one fight in the NHL and one in the AHL. His only fight in the NHL was on November 13, 2022, against A.J. Greer of the Boston Bruins. As for his AHL fight, that occurred on January 27, 2024, when he took on now teammate Raphael Lavoie in a game against the Bakersfield Condors.

Podkolzin was traded during the offseason in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick. In 137 games with the Canucks, Podkolzin recorded 35 points while averaging 12:15 of ice time. Podkolzin's return to Vancouver is scheduled for November 9 when Edmonton visits Rogers Arena for the first time this season.