Vasily Podkolzin isn’t losing sleep over the Mike Babcock chatter.
With Edmonton bringing in the polarizing coach, the easy storyline is that Babcock could zero in on the depth players rather than the stars. Podkolzin fits that bucket neatly: not a marquee name, but a useful forward with enough skill to play up the lineup and enough scoring touch to flirt with 20 goals in a season. Coming off a career-best 19 goals and 37 points in all 82 games last year, he’s one of the players who could have been viewed as a natural target if the old Babcock reputation were going to matter.
Podkolzin, though, brushed the whole thing aside in a translated interview with Russian outlet Sport-Express. When the subject turned to Babcock’s history, including the controversial stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he answered with a laugh and even joked about the cell phone rumors.
“I intentionally left it in the locker room. Now I guess I’ll have to carry it around with me.
But seriously, we all just treat it as a joke at this point. It’s already a meme in itself.”
That’s not the reaction of a player bracing for trouble. Podkolzin said he’s actually looking forward to working with Babcock, calling him “a legend of world hockey” and saying Edmonton needs “a shake-up” after last season’s disappointing first-round exit to the Anaheim Ducks.
“The most important thing is that he manages the team properly; it’s very possible he can bring something new to the table. We need a shake-up.
We really hope Mike will help us.” He added, “It’s possible that he will be tough in certain moments.
But that’s what we need. Mike spoke with the team leaders, and I think he has a plan on how to utilize us.”
Podkolzin also made it clear he doesn’t view the coaching change as a simple upgrade-over-replacement situation. He had plenty of appreciation for Kris Knoblauch, who was dismissed after guiding Edmonton to consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances.
Podkolzin said he sent Knoblauch a personal thank-you message and described the move as “a dual situation and a mix of feelings.”
“I really developed under him, and he gave me room to play, so it’s hard for me to evaluate the situation objectively. Time is ticking, and our leaders are in their prime.
That is both a curse and an advantage for coaches. The pressure and responsibility for the result are colossal because that’s what a coach gets paid for.
I am very grateful to Kris and wrote him a message of thanks after his dismissal. Our team is entering a new phase, and I hope it ends in a victory.”
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Another Former Oilers First Round Pick Is Suddenly Moving Forward
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Now the Senators have rewarded that progress with a one-year, two-way contract that keeps him in the mix for more opportunities next season. Bourgaults rise is the kind of reminder Edmonton fans know well: sometimes a prospects story does not really begin until after he leaves the organization that drafted him, and Ottawa will be watching closely to see whether this latest step leads to something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Connor McDavid May Have Just Boxed Himself In With Oilers
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Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman were part of the same conversation around the bench change, and McDavids public backing of the move adds another layer to the pressure now facing the Oilers. If the season goes sideways, it will be harder for him to separate himself from the direction the club chose, which is why this is more than just another coaching storyline in Edmonton. [Read more 🡒]
One Oilers Roster Decision Is Still Hanging Over The Summer
One roster item is still sitting on the Oilers summer to-do list, and it has less to do with urgency than timing. Edmonton is still in negotiations with restricted free agent winger Colton Dach, but the club is clearly keeping its options open on the open market first, a familiar approach for a team trying to balance depth needs with whatever flexibility it can preserve.
Dachs situation has become one of those quiet campfire stories around the league, the kind that can linger until another move changes the math. For the Oilers, the decision is tied to the bigger picture of how they want to use their remaining room, and until that external addition is sorted out, the contract talks are set to stay in the background. [Read more 🡒]