“Replacement” Oiler Looks to Ruin Holloway’s Return with Blues….

When Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg step onto the ice in Edmonton tonight as members of the St. Louis Blues, Oilers fans will welcome both with a rousing ovation. Neither was with the team terribly long, but both made an impact, and what might have been will be appreciated on Saturday night as the puck drops. After it does, two Oilers will be looking to put an end to the informal ceremony. Particularly, Vasily Podkolzin aims to prove the Oilers got it right in letting Holloway go via an offer sheet last summer.

Holloway, who was Leon Draisaitl’s left-winger during the Oilers’ deep playoff run last season, signed a lucrative two-year offer sheet with the Blues in August. While losing Broberg also stung, what the Blues paid to get him takes the bitterness off a little. But, with Holloway making $2.29 million per season and with eight goals and 16 points in 27 games, the Blues got themselves a bargain. The Oilers wound up with some picks, but management quickly pivoted, acquiring Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks for a fourth-round draft pick in 2025. He’s making $1 million this season and next, and he’s started to get comfortable playing the spot that likely would have been Holloway’s.

Podkolzin, 23, has since become a fixture in Edmonton’s top six, notching three goals and eight points in 26 games. While those numbers don’t jump off the page — and they don’t match Holloway’s production –, his teammates and coaches have praised his versatility and effort.