Vasily Podkolzin | #92 | RW

[GoldenAlien]

A new prospects update from the Canucks:

 

Russia doesn't participate in the WJSS, but 2019 1st round pick Vasili Podkolzin has already suited up in a few contests these past few weeks. Playing at the Sochi Open event as part of the Russian select team, Podkolzin has been dazzling. Everything that made him a top prospect for this past draft is coming through when he jumps over the boards.

 

The main thing that stands out about his game is his work ethic. In all three zones, the Russian forward is never giving up on the play and constantly has his feet moving.

 

Podkolzin will be a part of the Russian World Junior team this winter after making the team as a 17-year-old last year. He wasn't afforded a massive role last season, but showed flashes of potential that will hopefully come to fruition this year in the Czech Republic.

[Stierlitz]

SKA beat Jokerit in Finland 2-1. Podkolzin played with two experienced players Ilya Kablukov (C, 31 y.o.) and Evgeny Ketov (LW, 33 y.o.) and he was actually the only young player in the regular lineup. Another young forward Daniil Ogirtchuk (19 y.o.) spent most time on bench. Not much details are provided, just mentioned that Podkolzin had breakaway at the start of the 3rd period but did not score.

Edited August 15, 2019 by Stierlitz

[Stierlitz]

Podkolzin also got 5-minute penalty in the 3rd period for roughing against Sami Lepisto (34 y.o., 6'1" and 194 lb).

 

 

[Herberts Vasiljevs]

I'm so glad we have a Russian spy on these boards. 

 

Thank you @Stierlitz. Awesome as always!!!

[MoneypuckOverlord]

1 hour ago, Stierlitz said:

. Podkolzin played with two experienced players Ilya Kablukov (C, 31 y.o.)

Another Canuck draft pick.  It's time to sign our old draft picks.

[HockeyHarry]

So Pod is #92 is that new? 

 

92 is a good number,....I like it.

[Goal:thecup]

4 hours ago, Stierlitz said:

SKA beat Jokerit in Finland 2-1. Podkolzin played with two experienced players Ilya Kablukov (C, 31 y.o.) and Evgeny Ketov (LW, 33 y.o.) and he was actually the only young player in the regular lineup. Another young forward Daniil Ogirtchuk (19 y.o.) spent most time on bench. Not much details are provided, just mentioned that Podkolzin had breakaway at the start of the 3rd period but did not score.

This bottom picture is incredible.

He must have 90% of his mass under 3 feet, on skates.

Protecting the puck and looking ahead to where the puck is going to be.

Thanks again Stierlitz, and again and again, these updates and pics are great.

Edited August 15, 2019 by Goal:thecup
spelling

[Stierlitz]

Finally, there is large and very interesting interview with Podkolzin about Vancouver, NHL draft, world junior championship, SKA... I have been waiting for such interview since June:

https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/reviews/bolshoe-intervyu-novogo-forvarda-talanta-vasiliya-podkolzina-o-drafte-nhl-o-vankuvere-yuniorke-ska-i-mchm-1574665/

 

I will try to translate this interview, this would take some time, Vasily uses a lot of natural Russian idioms that are not easy to paraphrase into English... Man, you are gonna love this interview, it answers so many questions about Podkolzin.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Stierlitz

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, Stierlitz said:

Finally, there is large and very interesting interview with Podkolzin about Vancouver, NHL draft, world junior championship, SKA... I have been waiting for such interview since June:

https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/reviews/bolshoe-intervyu-novogo-forvarda-talanta-vasiliya-podkolzina-o-drafte-nhl-o-vankuvere-yuniorke-ska-i-mchm-1574665/

 

I will try to translate this interview, this would take some time, Vasily uses a lot of natural Russian idioms that are not easy to paraphrase into English... Man, you are gonna love this interview, it answers so many questions about Podkolzin.

Heard then taking about it on local radio this morning. Look forward to your translation! 

[theo5789]

1 hour ago, Stierlitz said:

Finally, there is large and very interesting interview with Podkolzin about Vancouver, NHL draft, world junior championship, SKA... I have been waiting for such interview since June:

https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/reviews/bolshoe-intervyu-novogo-forvarda-talanta-vasiliya-podkolzina-o-drafte-nhl-o-vankuvere-yuniorke-ska-i-mchm-1574665/

 

I will try to translate this interview, this would take some time, Vasily uses a lot of natural Russian idioms that are not easy to paraphrase into English... Man, you are gonna love this interview, it answers so many questions about Podkolzin.

[TGokou]

2 hours ago, Stierlitz said:

Finally, there is large and very interesting interview with Podkolzin about Vancouver, NHL draft, world junior championship, SKA... I have been waiting for such interview since June:

https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/reviews/bolshoe-intervyu-novogo-forvarda-talanta-vasiliya-podkolzina-o-drafte-nhl-o-vankuvere-yuniorke-ska-i-mchm-1574665/

 

I will try to translate this interview, this would take some time, Vasily uses a lot of natural Russian idioms that are not easy to paraphrase into English... Man, you are gonna love this interview, it answers so many questions about Podkolzin.

Saw the google translation and got a lot out of it already but I'll definitely be waiting for your translation as well. He sounds pretty humble and knows that hard work will earn him a spot on the KHL team vs being entitled to it. I was very surprised by the depth of this interview as they talked about a lot of topics including stuff that I normally wouldn't expect a player to divulge, particularly about friends/family asking for a loan.

[JM_]

2 hours ago, Stierlitz said:

Finally, there is large and very interesting interview with Podkolzin about Vancouver, NHL draft, world junior championship, SKA... I have been waiting for such interview since June:

https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/reviews/bolshoe-intervyu-novogo-forvarda-talanta-vasiliya-podkolzina-o-drafte-nhl-o-vankuvere-yuniorke-ska-i-mchm-1574665/

 

I will try to translate this interview, this would take some time, Vasily uses a lot of natural Russian idioms that are not easy to paraphrase into English... Man, you are gonna love this interview, it answers so many questions about Podkolzin.

can't wait. I tried google translate but it was weird, although he does seem very happy to be with Vancouver. 

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

 

 

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

Where's the a mix of everything option? 

[Hogs & Podz]

41 minutes ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

Where's the a mix of everything option? 

 'All of the above'

[BlastPast]

3 hours ago, Stierlitz said:

Finally, there is large and very interesting interview with Podkolzin about Vancouver, NHL draft, world junior championship, SKA... I have been waiting for such interview since June:

https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/reviews/bolshoe-intervyu-novogo-forvarda-talanta-vasiliya-podkolzina-o-drafte-nhl-o-vankuvere-yuniorke-ska-i-mchm-1574665/

 

I will try to translate this interview, this would take some time, Vasily uses a lot of natural Russian idioms that are not easy to paraphrase into English... Man, you are gonna love this interview, it answers so many questions about Podkolzin.

Cool happened! 

[theo5789]

54 minutes ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

 

 

 

Better than this.

[Hogs & Podz]

A Google translate section of the interview.... I'm sure Stierlitz will have a more complete one, but I was really impressed with the translation compared to ones I have read in the past.  (Of course some funny spots...'I was generally purple')  Also the interviewers questions where much more about who HE is.  They did a good job....

The kid sounds like he has... If I could describe as 'elite' character.  He is as straight ahead as they come.  Man.... The leadership and character that is coming with theses players that Benning is assembling is on the verge (in the early stages) of being a well rounded juggernaut for years to come.  

 

 

You were invited to a media day. Only 10 people are invited there - who are very likely to be selected in a dozen.

“I never thought about that.” The situation was funny the day before the draft. My agency arranged something like a party - they played billiards, they drank some cocktails. Non-alcoholic! And then you suddenly think. And I say this: “And if they don’t choose me in the first round?” Everyone laughed. But they just did not understand my condition. Before this party, I did not worry at all. What will I be, in what round - I was generally purple. And when I arrived for pre-draft tests, I never thought of anything like that. I just wanted to talk, look at everything from the inside out, learn something new. And the day before the draft and the draft day are the most nervous days in my life. Wild stress. It seems - why worry, a cool show, everything is beautiful. Americans know how to do it, well done. And you think: "Just in the first round - it will already be very good." Sitting waiting and each team is given three minutes, then until the player comes out - three more. And every three minutes is like an hour.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Hogs & Podz

[canuckledraggin]

Tkachuk is a Russian name is it not? Well now we have our version. Giving zero F*cks and playing the game at a high level. I stood up in my chair and said Tkachuk after Jim Benning said "From the London Knights..." back in 2016. Now we have Juolevi and Podkolzin under cost control and the future is blindingly bright.

 

I'd give JB another year extension even if we miss the playoffs, just to see what he can do what he can pull off in draft. Build through the draft was his mantra since he got here and he hasn't disappointed. He got lucky and he took some risks, but that empty cupboard is full enough to ice a competitive team and give us a lot of hope for the future. Podz is a beauty and he's going to be a Canuck for years to come.

[Stierlitz]

Well, I am going to break the interview because it is so large. This is the first part about the draft:

 

Q: How has your life changed after the draft?

A: Nothing really changes much. I get about 5,000 more followers in Instagram, that’s about it. We just visited Canada, the whole family and got a great show, memory for the rest of my life.

 

Q: We asked Nikita Zaitsev – he was not recognized in Ottawa at all. But people in Vancouver did recognize you everywhere.

A: Yeah this happened, people recognized me. But I was walking in the Canucks jersey. Later I took the jersey off and some people recognized me, some did not. This was nice, you could feel that this is a hockey city.

 

Q: My colleagues from Vancouver said that you were recognized in the stores without any identification marks.

A: This happened in a store and also in a restaurant which my whole family and my agent visited after the draft. This was the euphoria day. Well, the home draft for Canucks, that’s probably the reason that people knew about me.

 

Q: Elias Pettersson said that he could not go shopping without cashiers asking to take picture with him. Are you ready for this?

A: Perhaps this would mean that I am doing quite well. Someone could find this annoying for sure, but Elias deserves with his play to be recognizable everywhere. I think this is great when people come to you.

 

Q: You were contacted by 17 NHL clubs during the pre-draft tests. And you said that one of them was especially attractive to you. Which one?

A: I liked interviews with Vancouver, Detroit, Washington and Chicago. I am not going to say anything about the pre-draft preference, let’s keep this in the past. I was drafted by a very good team. Regarding the development plans and my playing style – this is exactly what I need.

 

Q: Did that “one” team draft high?

A: No. I just like them on a personal level.

 

Q: Were there some clubs that you did not like?

A: Yes. Coming for an interview you see right away how they look at you, how they feel about you. What questions are asked. One thing when they are talking to learn something new about you, and different one when they try to “poke” you.

 

Q: How did they poke you?

A: I could get some provocative questions. For instance, I was shown video with my mistakes. I said: ”Why don’t you also show my good plays?” And they said: “Well this is it”.

 

Q: But this is just stress test.

A: I understand this. And they look at your reaction. Basically my reaction to everything was very calm, I don’t think any team has bad impression about me. Overall this was excellent experience. All those interviews were very interesting, even not very pleasant ones.

 

Q: Did they ask about vodka?

A: Not at all, I was surprised because I was prepared to such questions.

 

Q: You said that interview with Washington was very positive. How was that?

A: Their attitude to Russians was pretty evident, I felt very comfortable. They asked me to sing and play music. I asked them to choose which songs to perform. This was not a joke, I told them that I could play piano a bit (Podkolzin’s mom is the piano teacher). I can play Beatles, can play notes.

 

Q: Your physical tests were quite average.

A: The most important is how you pass interviews. How you represent himself, how you talk to the staff. Tests… The best guy in those tests – I don’t even know what round he was drafted, if he was drafted at all.

 

Q: Last year Liam Foudy was outstanding during the tests and got to the 1^st round from the initial 3-4^th round of the draft.

A: Maybe. I did not even prepare myself to the tests. Came a week before, visited gym three times. I came after vacation, did something but not much. This was the first time I tried bicycle with oxygen mask. This was awful, very hard, I did throw up afterwards.

 

Q: How many pull-ups did you do?

A: Four. In fact, I am not good in pull-up, I don’t know why. But in the test day I did ten pull-ups in total.

 

Q: What happened on the scene during your draft ceremony? This was not quite clear from TV coverage.

A: Ou this was… I was shocked by the public's reaction. That was very loud, and my selection was met with ovation. I was very pleased. There was announcement and I immediately heard cheering. Extremely happy. Home draft!

 

Q: You sure expected to go in the first ten picks…

A: No.

 

Q: You were invited to the media day. Only ten players are usually invited – those who are expected with very high possibility to be drafted in the first ten.

 

Q: I did not think about this. There was funny moment a day before the draft. My agency organized some kind of alcohol free party. And I said: “What if I am not drafted in the first round?” Everyone was laughing. But they did not understand how I felt. Before that party I did not care much – what round, what draft pick overall. I did not think about this during pre-draft tests, just wanted to look at everything from inside, hang out with people, learn something new.

But the day before the draft and the draft day – those were the most nervous days in my life. Wild pressure. It seems - why worry, the cool show, everything is nice. Americans know how to do it, well done. And you think to yourself – just in the first round would be very good. You are sitting, waiting, three minutes to each team for selection, another three minutes for the selected player to show up on the scene. And each three minutes like an hour.

The first three selections – not that bad, I played games in cell phone. Applauded, right guys were chosen. Starting with the seven’s selection, I watched closely. My hands were shaking, I could not hold my cell phone properly. When the Vancouver team went to the scene, my agent said: “Take off your jacket”. Maybe he had some feeling. And I started panicking. I went to the scene, shook hands with everyone, Quinn Hughes gave me jersey and hat. I put the hat on first, then realized that the jersey would not work with the hat. For some reason I was going to walk to the middle of the scene and Quinn told me: “Where do you go, stay here, put this on”. I felt so nervous, so embarrassing. But my nervousness quickly disappeared and I participated in various media events during next hour.

 

Q: How did you sleep after the draft day?

A: My roommate was Ilya Konovalov who was drafted next day. Ilya fell asleep but I could not until 3 am. First, replied to all congratulations, then was just thinking about what just happened. I thought about my life in Podolsk, how I played in Polar Bears as a kid. I did not even think about myself to be here even though watched TV coverage (of NHL drafts). And here I am – selected in the first round. I was happy.

 

Q: Did you get to know other top 10 picks during media days?

A: I did already know many of them. I was not familiar with Kakko only, even though we played against each other. Yes, I talked to Kakko, just couple of phrases. I talked to Jack Hughes a bit. We also talked with Jack in the world junior championship during the captains meeting despite my broken English. We hate each other on the ice but normally communicate in life.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Stierlitz