The Vancouver Canucks traded forward Vasily Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Sunday evening. Podkolzin, 23, was in the midst of settling into his new Vancouver apartment when he received the unexpected news.

“My wife and I were driving to IKEA to look at furniture for our new apartment when the Canucks’ General Manager called and said I had been traded to Edmonton,” Podkolzin recalled in an interview with rq.com. “We talked briefly and thanked each other. Then the Oilers’ general manager called and said they were waiting for me on the team.”

The young winger admitted that the trade came as a surprise, marking his first experience with such a move in his career.

“Of course, I was shocked by the trade,” Podkolzin said. “Now I’ve realized it. I want to continue preparing for the season and arrive at the new team in good shape. It’s important to fit in; Edmonton is assembling a good team. I hope I can help them win.”

Podkolzin had a modest showing during the 2023-24 regular season with the Canucks, recording two assists in 19 games. He also appeared in two playoff games for Vancouver, though he did not register any points. Most of his season was spent with the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL, where he tallied 15 goals and 28 points in 44 games.

The Canucks originally selected Podkolzin in the first round, 10th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft. At 6’1″, the left-shot Russian winger showed promise early in his career but struggled to secure a permanent spot in Vancouver’s lineup.

Reflecting on the trade, Podkolzin expressed a mix of practicality and optimism.

“I’ve been in Vancouver for two weeks now. I had a settled life here, but the NHL is a business, and a trade can happen anytime. This trade is a good opportunity for me as a player. I want to play and win as much as possible; that’s the main thing. I’ll be flying to Edmonton soon, I think in two weeks. Now, my wife and I will sort out all the daily issues in Vancouver, and then we’ll get ready for the new place.”

Canucks’ General Manager Patrik Allvin also weighed in on the transaction, thanking Podkolzin for his contributions to the team.

“We would like to thank Vasily for his time here with the Canucks. Podz put in a lot of work both on and off the ice, and we wish him all the best in Edmonton,” Allvin said in a statement on Sunday.

Podkolzin now looks to make his mark with the Oilers as Edmonton continues to build a team with its sights set on success and hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup Final.