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 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 Draisaitl, along with Oilers fans, prompting him to drop the following two-word reaction in Russian, which in English states:

“Russian Machine”

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

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

The club hopes the 28-year-old forward will grasp this opportunity to excel as a top-six player 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. His extension will kick in next season, and he 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 line up 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 initially brought in for top-six roles; however, both failed to impress, allowing younger players like Podkolzin and Kapanen a fair chance at earning meaningful ice time.

The Oilers got a full season from Podkolzin in 2024-25. He played 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 for his performance. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to imagine him scoring 20 goals and potentially topping 40 points.

Of course, a strong season could yield an even higher point total, depending on health and consistency. Barring injuries, it’s certainly plausible. The Oilers will do their best to provide Podkolzin and Kapanen every chance to excel this season.