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Completed Trade With the Oilers Already Backfiring After Shocking Comments From Former Canucks Defenseman
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher had some very high praise for Vasily Podkolzin in a recent interview on Donne & Dhali ahead of the Stanley Cup Final.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is set to get underway tonight as for the second consecutive year, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will battle for the greatest trophy in all of sports.
There are a number of former Vancouver Canucks that will be participating in this year's Stanley Cup Final, including Vasily Podkolzin of the Edmonton Oilers, who's enjoying plenty of success in his first season in the Alberta capital.
Former Vancouver Canuck Troy Stecher has very high praise for Vasily Podkolzin
On Tuesday, one day before the series began, former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher was a guest on Donnie & Dhali, where he had some very positive things to say about his teammate and ex-Canuck Vasily Podkolzin.
During the interview, Stecher, who has played nine seasons in the National Hockey League, called Vasily Podkolzin the hardest working player he's ever played with in his career.
"Yeah, Pods [Podkolzin] is great. Arguably the hardest worker I've ever played with in my career. He's at the rink maybe three, four hours before you're on the ice. He's there at least an hour before everybody else.
He's very quiet, but he goes about business and he's super committed and dedicated. You can ask anybody in our room, everybody has a lot of respect for Pods and the way he holds himself and the work that he puts in. He's a great teammate." Stecher said.
He's very quiet, but he goes about business and he's super committed and dedicated. You can ask anybody in our room, everybody has a lot of respect for Pods and the way he holds himself and the work that he puts in. He's a great teammate." Stecher said.
While both Stecher and Podkolzin both played for the Vancouver Canucks during their time in the National Hockey League, they never ended up being teammates with the B.C. club, with the blueliner leaving as a free agent one year before the latter came over from Russia.
In 2024-25, following Vasily Podkolzin's trade to Edmonton last August, the two finally have the opportunity to be teammates and it's worked out quite well for the Oilers, as they're just four wins away from being the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens back in 1993.
Standing in their way is a Florida Panthers team that also features a pair of former Canucks - forward Nate Schmidt and forward Jonah Gadjovich, along with ex-Vancouver draftee Gustav Forsling.
Puck drop for Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is set for tonight at 5 pm PT and can be viewed across Canada on Sportsnet and CBC.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
JUIN 4 | 1781 ANSWERS Completed Trade With the Oilers Already Backfiring After Shocking Comments From Former Canucks Defenseman Do you think Troy Stecher, Vasily Podkolzin and the Edmonton Oilers will win the Stanley Cup this year? | ||
| Yes | 1222 | 68.6 % |
| No | 559 | 31.4 % |
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