In the NHL, where enemies become friends, fistic fury can turn into a big hug.
Like with two skill forwards—Vasily Podkolzin and Raphael Lavoie—who had a rare heavyweight fight in the AHL last season when Podkolzin was with Abbotsford and Lavoie in Bakersfield. Now they’re buddies at Edmonton Oiler camp
“One of the greatest things about hockey,” said Podkolzin.
“How crazy things can turn, a handshake in camp.”
Who won the fight? Who got the decision?
“He did probably more hits (punches) than me, but, uh, maybe it was half (a draw),” laughed Podkolzin.
Lavoie, who had 28 goals in Bakersfield, remembered the fight, fondly.
“We obviously didn’t know we were going to become teammates,” said Lavoie, replaying the lead-up and the dropping of the mitts. “We’re not fighters per see but off the draw, he tripped me in our zone and we weren’t saying nice things to each other. Then, on the way to the bench, we bumped into each other, again. More words were exchanged and then we said ‘all right, let’s go.’ It was a good tilt.”
“He’s a strong boy. He landed some good shots, I landed some. Pretty good fight. When he got traded here, he called (Bakersfield teammate Matvey) Petrov and Petrov called me. Now, we’re all good,” said Lavoie.
On the limp
Finnish winger Roby Jarventie, acquired from Ottawa in the July Xavier Bourgault trade, is walking around Rogers Place with a knee brace on his left leg and a crutch and his chances of showing what he can do in camp are likely meagre.
Jarventie, who has played seven NHL games but has spent most of his time in the AHL since he was a second-round draft in 2023, did have knee surgery this past February as a Senators’ prospect in Belleville. But his repaired knee isn’t the problem right now.
“He had surgery on the one leg and overcompensated with the other one,” said Oiler coach Kris Knoblauch. “He really wanted to push through and be out there for camp but it’s best for him to get treatment. He should be back on the ice in one or two weeks.”
By then, it’s probably too late to make an impression.
This ‘n that
- Zach Hyman and wife Alannah welcomed their third son, Camden on Wednesday. He joins Theo and Bennett to round out the Hyman forward line. He joked they (parents) were playing zone defence now…
- Podkolzin is thrilled to be on the same team as Connor McDavid after being rivals in Vancouver: “When he was on the ice, I wasn’t after playing against him for two playoff games last spring. “I was on the bench most of the time. I was on the bench all the time,” joked Podkolzin…
- Oilers goalie Stu Skinner trotted out some new pads—royal blue and orange after having white and orange last season…
- Sad to see that ex-Oiler and local product Tyler Ennis has retired at 34 after exactly 700 NHL games. Ennis, who had tons of offensive skill wrapped into a small package got the most out of his 5’9” (generous height) and 160 pounds (equally generous tip of the toledos). Ennis got a neck injury while playing in Germany last year…
- Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson, who was GM of Powell River in the BCJHL, is now director of hockey operations…Ex Oiler winger Zach Kassian, just hired as a first-time NHL pro scout, is at camp. He’s still being paid by Utah for one more year ($767,000). He’ll be under the scouting tutelage of his former junior GM Warren Rychel back east…
- With farmhand winger Carl Berglund (concussion) out and Jarventie also hurt, the Oilers brought in another PTO centre Jasper Weatherby. He had 50 NHL games for San Jose in 2021-22 and played last season for Nashville’s AHL farm team in Milwaukee. He was originally a fourth-round Sharks draft in 2018 and was traded to Detroit in January, 2023…
- Former Oiler Alex Chiasson is back in Detroit’s camp on a PTO after 20 games in 2022-23. He didn’t play last season…Podkolzin, playing with Derek Ryan and Corey Perry at the first day of camp, on relocating to Edmonton after the warm weather of Vancouver: “I’m from Russia. I don’t really care about it (snow).”…
- Of note, defenceman Darnell Nurse, who should get into at least two exhibition games late in camp, and Ty Emberson were partners on the first day of practices. Brett Kulak and Josh Brown were a pair, as well. You’re free to forget this when Troy Stecher or somebody else is with Nurse two or three days from now…
- Barrie Colts’ defenceman Beau Akey, the Oilers top pick in the 2023 draft, was practising Thursday but the 19-year-old likely won’t be taking part in any contact stuff after last November’s shoulder surgery. “He has to see the doctors to get clearance,” said Knoblauch…
- Free-agent signee forward Brady Stonehouse, who played junior last year in Ottawa, is also hurt. He didn’t take part in the Young Stars and isn’t on the ice for main camp.
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