Vasily Podkolzin | #92 | RW

[J-23]

18 hours ago, TGokou said:

I do wonder if he would be better suited to Pettersson's line or Horvats? Put him with Pettersson and you have a bulldog who will fight to win all puck battles in the corners and dig the puck out for Boeser and Pettersson in the slot. Alternatively he can bulldoze his way to the net, creating rebounds for Boeser or Pettersson to finish. It is a very complimentary skillset for those two players. On the other hand, putting him with Horvat you have a super responsible line that if paired with another high energy winger (Virtanen?) would create havoc all over the ice. Particularly in the playoffs teams would have to put out their best D against Pettersson but if they are ever stuck out there against Horvat - Podkolzin they could really wear them down and score at the same time.

Ya there’s going to be lots of options in the top 6 in the next few years.

 

Same goes for the bottom 6 too.

[J-23]

1 hour ago, Bo53 said:

I recall Burke always talking about how every teams scouts look for a Tom Wilson type player (less all the dirty nonsense.) Does Pod fit that type of player? Curious what others think on this.

 

Either way, love the pick and I can’t wait for him to make the ice safe for our other players.

Burke just saying that cause he old school . Tom Wilson players are nice but they will probably go extinct in the NHL during the 2020’s imo. It’s a new league. Pod is more like a Kane or Tkachuk.

[westcoastsniper]

14 minutes ago, J-23 said:

Burke just saying that cause he old school . Tom Wilson players are nice but they will probably go extinct in the NHL during the 2020’s imo. It’s a new league. Pod is more like a Kane or Tkachuk.

Half agree with you. I think Tom Wilson doesn't fit into the old school goon category because he provides a lot of other utilities other than fighting. He played with Ovechkin and Kuznetsov quite a bit last season and did well in that spot.

[Phat Fingers]

Podz is the type of pick that builds teams into champions.  He is a faster, more skilled winger version of Bo with an edge.  

 

I see both Podz and Hoglander (please start a restaurant chain) as top 6 wingers.  

 

Prior to the draft Vancouver had 1.5 top six wingers (Baer ?  and Boeser).  Post draft we have 2.5 and 2 more on track in 1-2 years.  Between Virtannen and Pearson we could get 1 more second line player.  

 

IMO we were lucky to get Podz.  He doesn't have to be a line driver, we have those now.  We need committed tenacious wingers with size, speed and some snarl.  Guys that go to the net, go into the corners and chip 20g minimun while Ep40, Bo and Brock get better.  

 

Podz will do that better than anyone else in the draft not named Kakko.  

[cuporbust]

Anyone hear Button s take on Pods? Pretty high praise.

 

Summary

 

Nikita filitov , (his coach in russia) said he has never in his life seen a young player willing to do whatever it takes to win , and such high character as Vasily 

 

He can do absolutely everything....penalty kill, powerplay,  1st line , 4th line . 

 

An absolute pitbull 

 

Mentions his charcter a couple times 

 

 

 

Im so excited for this pick!

 

Is HUGE on Hoglander too

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by cuporbust

[Kanukfanatic]

4 hours ago, aGENT said:

Better skating, less douchey replacement for Tkachuk that a segment of CDC is still butt hurt over

...dangit....

 

I wanted at least the same douche/60 as tkachuk......COME ON JB!!!

[aGENT]

4 minutes ago, Kanukfanatic said:

...dangit....

 

I wanted at least the same douche/60 as tkachuk......COME ON JB!!!

Don't worry, he's got more lion pounces/60

 

[cyoung]

2 hours ago, J-23 said:

Burke just saying that cause he old school . Tom Wilson players are nice but they will probably go extinct in the NHL during the 2020’s imo. It’s a new league. Pod is more like a Kane or Tkachuk.

I disagree, the league is trending in the direction of big and fast again. It really changes over time continuously. Balance of size and speed is needed.

[Camel Toe Drag]

3 minutes ago, cyoung said:

I disagree, the league is trending in the direction of big and fast again. It really changes over time continuously. Balance of size and speed is needed.

Big and fast never left. 

[WeneedLumme]

22 minutes ago, Camel Toe Drag said:

Big and fast never left. 

So true. Big and slow may be outdated, but until hockey becomes a non-contact sport, big and fast will never be obsolete.

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

17 minutes ago, WeneedLumme said:

So true. Big and slow may be outdated, but until hockey becomes a non-contact sport, big and fast will never be obsolete.

I just wish a small, slow, and old team would win the Cup one day. The year that happens, I’m showing up to camp demanding a tryout.  

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

I just wish a small, slow, and old team would win the Cup one day. The year that happens, I’m showing up to camp demanding a tryout.  

Me too!  I’ll put snow and ice radials on my scooter. 

[Kootenay Gold]

40 minutes ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

I just wish a small, slow, and old team would win the Cup one day. The year that happens, I’m showing up to camp demanding a tryout.  

Come on now Sid lol. How old can you be and have as I recollect from something you posted awhile back; you have 6 yr old twins.

[soosoodeff]

i can hear the crowd chant ... " PUT-GOALS-IN, PUT-GOALS-IN, PUT-GOALS-IN"

commentators... "He vastly puts goals in!!"

Edited June 27, 2019 by soosoodeff

[Pure961089]

7 hours ago, Horvat is a Boss said:

It has been a while since the draft and I've been collecting my thoughts on this pick. Podkolzin was not someone I was expecting us to take at 10th overall and he was actually one of three players I was hoping we didn't take at that spot, but I wasn't overly disappointed with the pick. It's easy to spot the compete level, complete game and physical abilities that make him an enticing player. My concerns are mostly with his high end vision and overall creativity. 

 

My main issue with Podkolzin is I don't think he has high end vision offensively. I want to clarify that he is still a smart player defensively and is very fundamentally solid, but I don't see him as someone who makes his teammates better. Offensively, he buries his head and simply charges the net without using his teammates fairly often. He has the physical ability to pull it off, but I don't think it's a sustainable or efficient way to consistently find the scoresheet at the next level. This is the main reason I don't think his ceiling is as high as some other in terms of point production. 

 

To further illustrate this point, his production across the various Russian leagues this year can be compared to a some recent Russian picks. Kravtsov was taken 9th overall in last years draft and was named the best prospect outside the NHL earlier this year by TSN. Denisenko was taken in the middle of the first round last year and was ranked 2nd behind Kravtsov on the same list. Dorofeyev was taken in the 3rd round this year. They all spent various amounts of time in different leagues around Russia, but there is a common trend among the four of them:

 

MHL:

Kravtsov: 3 points in 1 game

Dorofeyev: 17 goals and 14 assists for 31 points in 19 games (1.63 PPG) - 2 assists in 3 Playoff games (0.67 PPG)

Denisenko: 9 goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 31 games (0.71 PPG) - 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 point in 12 Playoff games (0.58 PPG) 

Podkolzin: 6 goals and 2 assists for 8 points in 12 games (0.67 PPG) - 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 3 Playoff games (1 PPG)

 

VHL:

Kravtsov: 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points in 9 games (0.78 PPG)

Podkolzin: 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in 14 games (0.36 PPG) - 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 8 Playoff games (0.34 PPG)

 

As you can see, the production is not overly impressive. Both Dorofeyev and Kravtsov spent a considerable amount of time in the KHL in their draft years as well, which is something Podkolzin wasn't able to do. Three of those players bounced around leagues as well, so Podkolzin not adjusting to any one particular league does not seem like a likely explanation. Furthermore, Podkolzin played on MHL and VHL teams that finished near the top of the standings. Getting outscored that badly by someone rated considerably lower than you (Dorofeyev) while playing on a good MHL team in a league that is extremely weak defensively is not a good sign at all. That does not mean that he will never score many points ever again, but it does mean it likely won't be something he will offer long term. Podkolzin is younger relative to the draft than Kravtsov and Dorofeyev as well, so that is something to consider as well. 

 

However, that doesn't mean Podkolzin is some wasted pick that will bust and be completely useless. As I said earlier, his defensive game is strong. Watching him live at the WJC, it was apparent that his details are top notch and he follows the system his coach implements very well. His positioning defensively is good and he doesn't cheat towards offense. He's strong on his stick both offensively and defensively. His strength on the puck is apparent and he is tough to knock off the puck. He should be able to win more than his fair share of puck battle even at the next level. His instincts down low in the offensive zone to drive the net good as well and should make him effective in the hard areas. His hands and puck control are also adept which should lead to him finishing off plays nicely especially when combined with a good, accurate shot. There's a lot to like with this player even if he doesn't appear to have the same high end vision that other elite players do. 

 

The other great thing about Podkolzin is it's so easy to see him as a great fit for either of our top two centers. He would add a different element to the Pettersson - Boeser pairing as a big, strong player who can win battles down low and along the boards. He makes up for the main things that those two players lack, which are physical strength on the puck, brute force when retrieving it and sheer power when taking it to the net. Him and Pettersson are also both defensively conscious and the line would not be forced to be a pure offensive line, leading to more balanced playing times. However, pairing him with Horvat is also incredibly appealing; both players would be incredibly difficult to contain due to their abundance of strength, power and explosiveness. Those two would form a great foundation for a hard working two-way line that can play hard against the other team's top players while still being threatening offensively. That holds a lot of value, especially in the Playoffs when physical abilities and defensive responsibility shine through. Our top six could be paired similar to how Washington's was when they won the Cup last year with Pettersson - Boeser being our offensive duo while Horvat - Podkolzin dominate the hard minutes similar to how the Kuznetsov - Ovechkin and Backstrom - Oshie pairings were deployed during their run. 

 

For me, I think Podkolzin will end up being a good player for us as a responsible, physical two-way winger who we can trust to make an impact at both ends of the rink. He will likely be a great fit with either of our two centers and provide a needed component to our top six. However, I don't think he will be a high end point producer who puts up elite numbers offensively by himself. He might put up some lofty totals playing with Pettersson down the road if they end up together, but not individually as a driver of offense. Hopefully he can continue to improve his awareness in the KHL over the next two years. Overall, I have warmed up to this pick a little more and I'm happy he's in the organization. Our scouting staff's recent run of 1st round picks gives me confidence that he'll end up being a good piece for us moving forward. 

A Good team, as you say Podkolzin played for would be less likely to give a 17 year old top 6 ice time if they could help it.  I would venture to say Dorofeyev was given more ice time than Podkolzin.  

Edited June 27, 2019 by Pure961089

[Noble 6]

3 minutes ago, Pure961089 said:

Good teams as you say Podkolzin played for would be less likely to give a 17 year old top 6 ice time if they can help it.  I would venture to say Dorofeyev was given more ice time than Podkolzin.  

 

The MHL is a junior league, all players are younger than 20. Imagine if a top 10 pick didn't earn ice time in the CHL. Then consider that the MHL is the CHL of Russia, so even lower in terms of quality. That would look incredibly bad on the player, especially considering it wouldn't be for defensive issues. 

Edited June 27, 2019 by Horvat is a Boss

[Pure961089]

1 minute ago, Horvat is a Boss said:

 

The MHL is a junior league, all players are younger than 20. Imagine if a top 10 pick didn't earn ice time in the CHL. Then consider that the MHL is the CHL of Russia, so even lower in terms of quality. 

I’m talking about his time in the KHL. 

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

1 hour ago, Kootenay Gold said:

Come on now Sid lol. How old can you be and have as I recollect from something you posted awhile back; you have 6 yr old twins.

Yeah, but years of twins parenthood work kinda like dog years. 

[Stierlitz]

SKA St.Petersburg announces today that the team is going to play its home games in 2019-2020 season on the "Canadian" size field. The field size is 26 by 60 meters.

 

This should be mentioned that the KHL now officially allows three field sizes: Canadian 26 x 60 meters; Finnish 28 x 60 meters and European 30 x 60 meters.

[Stierlitz]

Pavel Bure about Podkolzin and Vancouver, posted on June 23rd:

 

What is the most difficult for the Podkolzin's adaptation in Vancouver? During the remaining two years in the KHL, he needs to learn how to play against men. After all he is still junior, he is about to make that next step into the big-time hockey. And obviously this would be useful to speak English.

 

Vancouver really holds a special place in my heart. Not just because my jersey was retired there. This is my first NHL team, I spent quite some time there, I have very good memories about the players, the city, fans. I still communicate with my former Canucks teammates.  I have excellent relationship with the club owner Francesco Aquilini, we often meet each other, discuss something. Sometimes he visits me in Moscow. Canucks is an excellent organization and I would like to congratulate Podkolzin with this as well. He is going to join very good team.