Leon Draisaitl drops 2-word reaction to Oilers locking up Vasily Podkolzin for 3 years

Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl reacted to the news of the Edmonton Oilers locking up forward Vasily Podkolzin for the next three seasons.

The former first-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft signed a three-year $8.85 million deal, PuckPedia reported.

The news delighted Leon Draisaitl, along with Oilers fans, prompting him to drop the following two-word reaction:

Leon Draisaitl drops 2-word reaction to Oilers locking up Vasily Podkolzin for 3 years - Source: IG

The Russian-to-English translation states:

“Russian Machine”

Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers hope that Vasily Podkolzin will turn into an authentic Russian machine now that the two of them will have a chance to play together on the same line.

The club hopes that the 28-year-old forward will be able to grasp this opportunity to excel as a top-six forward on a team that needs all the reliable, affordable depth it can get.

Vasily Podkolzin is heading into the final year of his current two-year deal. So, his extension will kick in next season. Podkolzin will be eligible to become a UFA in the summer of 2029.

Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin with chance to thrive together

Podkolzin will get the chance to build on his playoff success this season - Source: Imagn

Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin will have an opportunity to thrive together this season. According to Daily Faceoff, Podkolzin is slated to lineup alongside Draisaitl and Kasperi Kapanen. Kapanen, a former first-round pick himself, will hopefully add punch and speed to the line.

Podkolzin will get an opportunity to take over a top-six role after the Oilers moved Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane this summer. Arvidsson and Kane were brought in to occupy top-six roles. However, both players failed to impress in their roles, allowing younger players like Podkolzin and Kapanen to get fair shakes at earning meaningful roles.

The Oilers got a full season from Podkolzin in 2024-25. He played in all 82 games, scoring eight goals and 24 points. That production came from a predominantly bottom-six role with limited ice time.

This season, Podkolzin will get top-six minutes while playing with one of the NHL’s best centers. That situation bodes well heading into this season. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to imagine Podkolzin scoring 20 goals and potentially topping 40 points.

Of course, a strong season could yield a much higher point total. That would all depend on having another healthy and productive season. Barring injuries, it’s certainly plausible. The Oilers will do their best to provide Podkolzin and Kapanen, as well, every chance to excel this season.