Oilers prospect has been compared to Evander Kane
It's no secret by now that The Edmonton Oilers will be without scoring ace and top enforcer Evander Kane for a better part of the NHL season, but one prospect has emerged as a suitable replacement.
Evander Kane has undergone successful surgery to repair multiple injuries sustained throughout the 2023-24 season, but the Oilers are now faced with a tough task in regards to finding a replacement. Liam Horrobin of Oilers Nation recently published an intriguing article, drawing compelling comparisons concerning an Oilers prospect.
As per Horrobin, Podkolzin is the closest comparable the Oilers have to Kane. He has the potential to score 15+ goals at even strength. He's a power forward with a 6'1″, 190-lb frame, and he has that toughness to him as well. The only problem is that Podkolzin has scored four goals in the past two seasons in the NHL. He needs to regain his confidence before the team can consider pushing him too high up the lineup.
The first plan is for Podkolzin to make the spot his own. The second plan is to acquire someone at the deadline if Kane is out for the remainder of the regular season. The options are good, with Taylor Hall, Andrew Mangiapane, and Andrei Kuzmenko all possibly available.
Podkolzin has been a shining star for the Oilers so far this preseason. The initial comparison to Kane became a point of discussion after the Oilers beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in overtime during the 1st game of the preseason. Podkolzin made an impressive physical play along the boards that set up the eventual game winning goal - a play that replicated Kane's stunning game 6 body check against the Vancouver Canucks that led to the eventual game winner.
Despite having Kane missing from the lineup, Vasily Podkolzin is a suitable replacement until the Oilers can make a deadline acquisition.
source: Oilers Nation
How can the Oilers replace Evander Kane in the lineup?
| POLL | ||
Will Podkolzin step up? | ||
| Yes | 30 | 83.3 % |
| No | 6 | 16.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
