Edmonton Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin took a personal leave of absence last week following the passing of his father, mourning the loss with his family in Russia.
According to head coach Kris Knoblauch, Podkolzin will fly back to Edmonton on Tuesday night. The plan is for him to get settled in, skate on Wednesday and Thursday, and return to the lineup on Friday in the team’s final preseason game—a road matchup with the Vancouver Canucks.
“We’re expecting his flight to come back Tuesday night. So, we’re not gonna get him in that Wednesday game [at the Seattle Kraken]. He’ll skate on Wednesday, skate on Thursday, and then hopefully he can play that last exhibition game,” Knoblauch told the media.
On Sept. 23, Podkolzin signed a three-year extension with the Oilers that will earn him $2.95 million annually starting in 2026–27. Last season, he recorded eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 82 games. He added 10 points in 22 playoff games.
