Podkolzin Gets Honest About Perry, Kane & His Time with the Canucks l Inside Oilers Arena w/ Casino

Podkolzin Gets Honest About Perry, Kane & His Time with the Canucks l Inside Oilers Arena w/ Casino

A year ago you were in Abbottzford playing in the AHL. Yeah. Well, you know, it was a shock for me. It was really hard to come to terms with, really hard to push myself to keep working, to just enjoy it. People don’t always know what’s really going on, but they still get caught up in the uh uh narrative. Yeah. During that tough time, did you think about returning to the KHL? The NHL is more about survival for me. All right, folks. Here we are. And we’re uh still in the ice district. Not that we’ve been camped out here all day or anything. Just showed up this evening. This place is gorgeous. If you saw Dimma’s video, the one he shot at the Stanley Cup final, you’ll remember just how packed it was here during the Stanley Cup final. The energy was unreal. [Music] It’s honestly such a cool feature. They’ve got this ring set up so you can skate and warm up a bit before the game, then head over to watch the actual match. Why not? Everything here is set up for people to enjoy. And the best part, it’s completely free. You can come here, change into your skates. Oh, and there’s a fireplace in case you get cold. Your linemates right now, like every single one of them is a highlight reel. Each guy is practically a legend, a highlight. One of those legends is Kane. I mean, the guy’s got so many stories, divorces and comebacks, and he loses everything and then he makes it back. And his career hasn’t even been that long, but man, it’s been intense. What’s he like in real life, like dayto-day? First of all, you’ve got to have a certain mindset to go through all that and still walk around smiling like I does, hanging out, joking with everyone like it’s no big deal. I don’t know. He’s got that gangster vibe, you know? Honestly, I don’t know him super well, honestly, personally. But when you look at him, he just gives that rapper energy, you know, like hockey player really. You just look at him and think, you know, it’s like just some throw some chains in him and that’s it. Uh, you know, seriously, he’s got that rockstar vibe, I’d say. What about Cory Perry? Cory Perry is a legend. Despite his age, how old is he now? 39 years old. Just imagine the kind of path he’s had. He wouldn’t have cut back in 2007 when he was still pretty young. And in the last 6 years, he’s lost in the finals four times. I mean, personally, I don’t even know how I’d handle that for me. I mean, it just blows my mind. But he’s still great with everyone. easy to talk to, always up for a laugh, and uh still puts in the work, too. Yeah, he’s a real leader. He’ll drop the gloves with anyone. He doesn’t care who or where it is. He’s got his own coach, you know, uh like a set of values, habits of being a good teammate, a good player. Um we get along great at team in dinners or wherever it might be. Honestly, I’ve got nothing bad to say about him. For us fans watching from the outside, not being in the room. Uh first of all, we remember how Perry came in, especially with Chicago where he was brought in to mentor Bedart. At least that’s how it looked from the outside. And then came that scandal. People were saying there was something going on with Bedard’s mom or whatever. It’s nonsense. A fake story, of course. He became the scapegoat in that whole situation. I I think so. Yeah. Just a matter of reputational risk. Yeah. I don’t even think anyone really even looked into what actually happened or why it happened. Uh, I mean, I’m sure there was some kind of reason. Don’t really remember. They swept it under the rug by just letting Perry go. I mean, who else were they going to cut? I mean, Bad. No. No way. I think there was also some older case like a sex scandal involving a coach or something. Uh, who invited players over? Invited him over. Yeah. And then years later, 10 years or five, I don’t know, after some time, someone decided to speak up. Maybe that player’s career, I don’t know, didn’t work out. But you could say that about anything. I could go out right now with some official statement like, I don’t know, accuse someone of something awful and that person would be in trouble even if I’d only ever met them once in my life. People don’t really look into things. They just fall under the influence of I mean media influence and it’s so easy to tarnish someone’s name to smear anyone and then that person has to live with it for years. it like you know you you mention someone’s name and people go oh isn’t that that guy who you know had that story you know that scandal so basically Perry just got dumped I I really think they just cut him loose [Music] this season feels like it’s been a special one for you and the past year has been special for you too because I mean just looking back a year ago you were in Abbottzford Ford playing in the AHL and let’s be completely honest and not lie to ourselves. Things weren’t going so well at that point. Horrible. Yeah. A year later, Vasil Carlson is playing for the Edmonton Oilers and the top six. You’re lining up with Didle. You’re sometimes skating on a line with McDavid and from the outside people think like, wow, that’s a miracle or he just got lucky like he landed in the right spot or got traded at the right time. Everyone’s got their own take, but to me, um, I think that there’s more to this than just luck. That’s why I want to start this part of the conversation by looking back. Let’s remember what the past year has been like for you. Always going on in your life, what you were thinking, what you went through. Please tell us about it. The year started off pretty well. Yeah, it started pretty well actually. I had a solid training camp. I had a nice start. Like I was skating on a line with uh with with Dre Zatil. So no, sorry, not Dre Zatil with Miller and Ba. I was skating. Things were looking pretty good. Uh then I played two games and then they called me to a meeting. I mean two preseason games. So then they called me in for a meeting. Uh this was the start of the 23 24 season just to give some context. Uh they told me uh like for several reasons right now you’re not an NHL player level. Can we talk about what those reasons were? Uh yeah, I think it’s fine now. You know, it’s all in the past. Uh they told me like uh your work ethic is definitely the best. We would say uh you’re in the best shape of anyone. Uh I should clarify this. Uh I stayed in Canada in Vancouver the whole summer. I was in the gym. I was preparing. All the coaches saw it. It was a tough summer really, but they were like, uh, your hockey IQ isn’t at the NHL level right now. Sort of like, you know, you’re making the wrong decisions out there. And and that line really stuck with me. You know, it uh it made me think a little bit. It kind of burned into my memory. And that was it. They told me I was going to the HL. The main coach told you that? Yeah, exactly. Uh in fact I came in with a totally different mindset and different I mean it was a shock for me like uh after playing two full seasons in the NHL you know. Yeah. And then going into my third year my contract year I was really focused on proving myself. I had this idea to show everyone that you know well basically to show that I deserve to be resigned and you know but life throws a prize at you and it brings challenges. Uh so yeah yeah yeah I ended up uh spending over half a year yeah around about five or six months in the AHL workers on their power play and DJI go back and forth now Wthbone to Coulson scores. What was that time like for you those five or six months? Let’s just let’s just say uh I don’t miss it. Yeah. Well, I mean, looking back now, of course, I can smile about it, but at the time, everything felt like it was dragging on forever. There were all these conversations going on. Naturally, we started talking with my agents about a possible trade that was, you know, kind of kind of expected because, of course, there was some disappointment. I mean, I didn’t understand what it all meant. I mean things had been fine for two years and suddenly this one line just stuck with me like you know and I was really lucky to have Jeremy Collin as my head coach in Abbottzford and now he’s an assistant coach in New Jersey Devils. You could say Jeremy basically pulled me up by the years because my mindset back then wasn’t great. Uh far from it in the sense that it was really hard to motivate myself, really hard to keep pushing myself to keep going on to be patient. Even though I kept telling myself like, uh, come on, come on, come on, keep going. It’ll work out. People will see what you’re doing. The turning point was really having Jeremy there. In the toughest moments, he was always there for me. Sometimes he even cut me a bit of slack when I needed it. And he talked to me a lot. Honestly, I can say that thanks to him, I grew, not just as a player, but maybe as a person, too. I came back to the main roster in March of the same year with a completely different mindset. And now, honestly, it feels like a breath of fresh air or a gift uh a gift from above, so to speak. Uh that everything is, you know, uh sorted out that I’m right here and I’m playing. That’s all that matters now. Did you ever find yourself thinking because I’m sure you did at the time like why did this happen in the first place? Did you ever come to an answer? No, I still haven’t. Physically I was 100% ready. But everyone’s physically ready. Sometimes that’s just not enough. I don’t know. Maybe I just wasn’t part of their plan anymore. You see, the people who the ones who brought me into the NHL, the ones who chose me in the draft, they’re gone. They’re not here anymore. Uh, no, they’re not in the organization anymore. And the new people came in with their own vision for the approach, for the lineup, for the style of play. What were they supposed to do? Keep giving fastly pad goals in like his his regular NHL minute in his third year or maybe send him down. I tried to put myself in their shoes. I tried to understand their side, too. So, maybe it was easier for them just to let me play in the focus on the team they were building. I don’t think that their goal was to develop me like whether I was ready or not. I think the in the plan in their vision at that time I didn’t fit into any of the four lines. Check out the lines at the entrance and how stunning the lobby looks. It’s just something else absolutely gorgeous. And the way everything’s designed, the way it all shimmers, and the arena looks like a spaceship, honestly, it’s just stunning. Those jerseys are so bright, I can only imagine what it’s going to be like inside the stadium. Oh, and uh, by the way, do you know what’s different about Edmonton? You won’t find this at any other NHL arena. They have a casino inside the arena. There it is. You can stop by before the game, play a little bit, and then you just Oh, no. Oh, sorry. Anyway, they kicked us out of the casino. But anyways, it’s cool that they have one here. People come to watch the game and hit the casino along the way. Can you imagine? All right, let’s go to the game. Right now, we’re standing in the tunnel area. Behind me is uh where the players will be coming out. And honestly, I’ve realized something. Uh being down here in the tunnel area, it feels totally different. There’s this uh sense of suspense, you know, everything’s quiet and calm, and soon the team’s going to come out, and we’re about to see that. [Music] All right, tell me, do you think could have said that on purpose that your hockey IQ isn’t any hell level just to get you under your skin and push you to work even harder? Yeah, I think so. Quite possible. Might be true. But that line, it really stuck with me. So, it really did hurt you. Yeah, of course it did. Later when I got called back up to the team talk, it told me that my game well, my play style, uh, you know, had changed a lot for the better. Uh, that I’d become, I don’t know, confident, something like that. Honestly, I don’t really buy into it. You’re not going to learn to play real hawk in the AHL. I mean, as harsh as that might sound, to me, the AHL is more about survival. But that’s going to spin it into another fight. Someone reached over the fence in tons of swinging and this and now that draws everybody including a line change to stick up for Brad Ross trying to fight guys on the monster bench. And all he’s upset about is Brian Straight crosschecking in the back. Maybe it’s different for other guys. Everyone sees it their own way, but for me it felt like survival. It’s a fight for a spot. There’s not how to say a strong sense of team or unity. Everyone’s chasing their own goal there. So uh for me, by all means, the number one goal was to get out there as soon as I could. During that tough time, did you think about returning to the KHL? No. I mean, of course, I had these thoughts. You know, you start wondering what exactly went wrong in your North American career, but thoughts are going back. No, no, not really. All right. Tell me, do you know what surprised the local journalists the most? It’s that Vasili Pulsen always hits the ice 20 minutes before the rest of the team. Everyone talks about your work ethic and where did that come from? Is that something that started this season or or have you always been like that even as a kid or back in Absort? No, it was the same in Vancouver. I always came out earlier than everyone else. But I mean it wasn’t like I was trying to prove something or work insanely hard just to show off. It’s just that you know here the goalies come out about 50 minutes early and I kind of take another 50 minutes on top of that for myself. I get some shots in move around a bit and the coaches too. Sometimes the coach come out early too, like you know, sometimes the coaching staff come out on the ice early too, like to shoot around or do some extra individual drills. And so for me, it’s not about being the first one on the ice or anything like that. Like, you know, I must be the first one on the ice. No, I just know, you know, it’s turned into a routine and I don’t even notice it anymore. Like I I show up at the arena and basically do the same things every time. Gym, bike, stretching, breakfast. Are you the first one to show up? Uh, no. One of the first. One of the first. Yeah, I usually get there a bit early. And when I start getting dressed for the ice, even though practice is still a way off, I don’t even think about it. You know, you know, naturally the guys are joking around like like uh when we’re on the road, she can’t uh go out early because another team is using the ice before us and we only go on after them. So, uh there’s like I don’t know 20 minute slot for practice and I’m still getting dressed and someone like Perry or Mav were like ice is ready. Where are you? You’re late again. Always late. You know, they’re just messing with me obviously. Okay. So, uh, after hearing those words from Tit, do you think we could have come back and still respect him, still played hard for the team, the same attitude? Yeah. Yeah. No problem business. Totally. Uh, first of all, credit to him for saying it. It means he believes people are allowed to have their own opinion. Like, uh, and for me, I mean, it’s not like those words hurt me. I mean, they did basically, but I I’ve never really had any real serious beef with coaches or trainers before. I’ve always uh I’ve never been a favorite or anything, but I’ve always had really good relationships with coaching staff everywhere, like everywhere. Uh this was probably just my first time experiencing something like that. And of course, it’s it’s his opinion. If he said it, fine. even now like you know uh if we saw each other or you know talked on the phone I’d have no problem speaking with him and so on really no problem. So, in the end, you guys parted on good. Totally. We We shook hands, said thank you. Uh, actually, there was more to it. Toki even called over here. There’s there’s a coach here, Paul Coffee. Yeah, they’re friends, good friends. Ti called him and said, “You’re getting a good guy. Take care of him.” That was a nice thing to do. So, yeah, there they go. Yeah. and David. There’s a place in Edmonton, Alberta, and this place is a terror dome. Oh, we got [Music] There’s this VIP box here. From behind the glass, you can actually watch the players as they come out. I’ve seen something similar in New York. So, basically, people are eating, relaxing, and they get this unique view. Edmonton’s arena really is impressive. Even though it kind of looks like it’s made of, you know, you know, like metal, but it doesn’t feel like a giant tin can the way it did in San Jose. The metal here looks stylish and welldesigned. It’s blended with other materials and elements, so it feels modern and beautiful. When it comes to interior, um, basically you’ve got this glass panorama thing and super high ceilings. And, uh, I’m not even sure what the style is called. Maybe we’ve got some designers watching who can tell me. Then there’s the security. Security here is just top-notch. And by the way, this is a mobile bar. This guy just drives it around and serves drinks to everyone. I’m honestly blown away by the scale of it all, the ambition, and the fact that, well, it’s not just expensive for the sake of being expensive. It’s actually made for people. So many thoughtful touches and little details. It’s just it’s amazing being in a place like this, whether you’re playing or just visiting, it’s a real pleasure. So, uh, if you’re ever in Edmonton, don’t miss the chance to check this place out. Shot scores. I heard you’ve got an interesting story about your jersey number. Yeah. Yeah. Uh yeah. So, uh once again, there was so much just going on. Tons of info, tons of calls, texts from unknown numbers. I was trying to save contacts as they introduce themselves. Then it came to numbers. I got a call from the equipment guy asking, “What number do you want? Do you want to keep 92?” I remembered this story about Misha Malv when he was in Colorado. the fact that he picked number 98, like the year of his birth, and then like some of the guys came up to him and said, “Hey, maybe pick something lower. 98’s kind of a bold choice, which I think is nonsense, honestly.” Like the higher the number. Yeah, it’s nonsense. Still, I don’t really care either way. It didn’t matter. Honestly, I could go for another one, but I thought about keeping 92 or switching maybe to number 19. That’s a number I’ve always played under, but it was taken. I always considered number 11, though. or maybe he had been retired for some time. Maybe some legend like Messia wore it. I don’t know. And then so the guy goes, “Are we keeping 92 or not?” And I said, “Can I make a quick call?” At that time, the only player I really knew was New Hopkins because I he’s from Vancouver and I used to skate and work out with him in the gym. So I said, “Let me ask him real quick if it’s cool. I’m fine either way just to be respectful. I mean, think about it. 90 is Ky Perry, 91 is Kane, 92 would be me, 97 is McDavid, and oh, and 93 is Na Hopkins. So, it’s kind of a stack lineup, right? But I asked him quickly and he n got back to me right away. He said, “Yeah, take it.” Of course, no problem at all. So, they were really cool about it. But even if they had said, “Hey, maybe pick something else.” I would have totally understood that. So, why 92 by the way? You know, I used to always wear 19, but then uh Vladimir Kachov came to say Scott and he picked 19. For me, I don’t really know. 92 just kind of made sense. Our whole generation grew up watching Cousins, you know, he was young back then and you know, we all followed him. He was young stars. Uh so yeah, I I guess that influenced it a bit. You know, you you could say he played a part in that. There’s a place in Edmonton, Alberta, and this place is a terror dome. Oh, we got I believe if you asked all your former coaches and teammates, pretty much everyone would point out your work ethic. So, was that something your parents taught you or something you developed on your own? I mean, not every hockey player has that kind of work ethic. Far from it. Some just can’t do it, let’s be honest. And not everyone even understands what it really means. How was it for you? How did that grow in you? You know, um I’m I’m not even sure. I just look at other guys. I see the level that they’re at, how calm and collected they are doing what they do. Uh I don’t know if it’s because they’re that good or because I don’t know their parents drilled into them early on or something, but hard work pays off. And if you do something long enough, like just, you know, keep chipping away like a woodpecker. It might seem silly or outright pointless, but in the end, it can really bring you some results. The only time uh I struggled with that was in Abbisford. There was a stretch when it was really hard to force myself to show up early, to keep being the first one out there. And the system was different out there. You see, like before every practice, they post a list 15 minutes ahead saying which forwards or defenseman were supposed to be on the ice. So, you didn’t really have any open ice time. Uh, and I’ll be honest, it it got tough. I think, man, I really don’t want to go out there today. I just don’t want to. Uh, especially not early, you know, but I still managed to push myself. But how how’d you do it? Nothing special. I just say to myself, what then? Should I pack all my stuff and go home? Is that it? It’s hard to argue with yourself, to be honest. But I got reasons to keep going. I’ve got a dream. I’ve always dreamed of playing in the NHL, you know, or always wanted to be here and play here. I’ve got a family. a family I can’t let down. I mean, I’ve got everything. I’ve I’ve got two arms, I have two legs, uh a head, I’ve got everything I need to play in the NHL and be a good player here. So, uh at that point, it’s like there’s no turning back even when it gets tough. I don’t know if you know, well, you probably do. There’s this footballer, Alexan. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh he once said that when his dad wanted to boost his fitness, he made him race the elevator up the stairs. Uh did your dad raise you with that kind of mindset like uh Vasil hard work really matters or maybe had his own unique approach? Never. Big thanks to him for that. He never pressure me at all, you know, cuz I’ve seen those hockey parents who just absolutely physically destroy their own kids. I Well, I remember it. I’ve seen it and I just think it’s wrong if I’m honest. My dad never forced me. He’d say, “You’re doing this because you love it, right?” I said, “Yeah.” Naturally, he was one of the first who showed me hockey. I mean, I didn’t decide anything at 4 years old, but I still wanted it for myself back then. And my dad never said anything harsh to me. Sure, when I was slacking off, he probably noticed. He’d say something like, “It’s just that I’ve seen what you’re capable of, and this isn’t it.” That was his message. But I never had any issues with him because of that. You know, my parents, huge thanks to them. They never uh they only ever helped. They always supported me, always on my side. Uh, so how did they support you during that tough period? I think they were even more stressed than I was. It’s obvious that falling always hurts and they were worried about the sun in the AHL. Well, roughly speaking, that’s classic. What else to say? So yeah, uh, I told them, you know, that’s how it works. It must be done. This is the path. I’m that kind of player, you know, like I fully I fully understand them. I mean, I don’t know how I’d react if I were a parent. But of course, they were very upset. That’s normal. But I kept telling them, “It’s okay. Everything’s fine. I’m working now.” I said the same thing to everyone. Anyone who asked Sasha, too. She didn’t show it much, you know, but I know she was upset, too. Basically, everyone realized and knew where I could be and where I was. When they come to your games in Edmonton, what did they say to you? They actually came for the first time this past November. It was their first time seeing me play an NHL game live and I hadn’t scored in a while. But on the last day here, we had a game against the Rangers and I finally scored and it was like, thank God they got to see it with their own eyes and they had a great time overall, you know, spending time with their granddaughter and everything. Yeah, it was great. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, heat. Hey, heat.

Exclusive Interview with Vasily Podkolzin | Inside the Oilers’ Arena & Ice District Casino!

In this episode, we sit down with Edmonton Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin for an honest and open conversation.

🎙️ Podkolzin shares:

– His thoughts on Evander Kane
– His opinion to the controversy surrounding Corey Perry
– The challenges he faced during his time with the Vancouver Canucks
– Why he chose jersey number 92

Plus, we take you on a tour through the Oilers’ home base:
🏒 Rogers Place Arena
🎰 The stunning Ice District Casino
💥 And the behind-the-scenes energy of one of the NHL’s most electric hockey cities.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more exclusive hockey content!

Timecode:
0:00 Disclaimer
0:08 In this Episode
0:42 Rogers Place, Ice district
1:36 Podkolzin talks about Evander Kane
2:26 Podkolzin talks about Corey Perry
4:52 Podkolzin talks about his tough time in Vancouver
11:00 Inside Oilers Arena & Casino
11:45 The Oilers Players’ Tunnel
12:30 Did Tocchet words hurt Podkolzin?
13:02 AHL survival
13:58 Did Podkolzin consider to return to KHL?
14:15 Podkolzin always comes first on the ice?
15:52 Podkolzin talks about Tocchet
17:24 Oilers Arena Tour
18:54 Interesting story about Podkolzin’s jersey number
21:10 Podkolzin talks about his work ethic
23:17 Podkolzin on his father influence

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