[Signing] Canucks sign Vasili Podkolzin

[Gawdzukes]

15 hours ago, Jimmy McGill said:

I'd love to get Zadorov from CHI since they probably lose him to expansion. But that would mean we expose Myers. According to the stats guru's Seattle wouldn't pick him cuz fancy stats, but I think they'd pick him, or at least they'd give it a serious look. 

 

It might take a risk like this for Jim to really bring in a defensive upgrade from a team thats losing a player anyway. 

 

14 hours ago, spook007 said:

Anything to upgrade the defensive side of our D would be welcomed, especially size and nastiness... 

I don’t wanna lose Myers, as he is one of the few, who actually makes the others pay the prize. But if that what it takes for an upgrade, then I’m all for it. 

I wanted to draft Zadorov that year, although Horvat was a nice consolation. Just what we always needed I thought. Although his record has been splotchy so far, as he hasn't stuck with teams I'd be willing to give him a chance. 

[DeNiro]

58 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

 

I wanted to draft Zadorov that year, although Horvat was a nice consolation. Just what we always needed I thought. Although his record has been splotchy so far, as he hasn't stuck with teams I'd be willing to give him a chance. 

Seems like there’s more than a few players from that draft available right now.

Jones, Monahan, Ristolainen, Zadorov, Domi.

 

Seems like we chose wisely.

 

 

[DeNiro]

11 hours ago, zimmy said:

I’m wondering if Button was asked about Pod’s precipitous drop in his prospect rankings that came out this spring? 

Seems like him being signed in Russia was the number 1 factor that scared teams away.

 

That and maybe his world junior tournaments being a bit underwhelming that year.

[zimmy]

14 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

Seems like him being signed in Russia was the number 1 factor that scared teams away.

 

That and maybe his world junior tournaments being a bit underwhelming that year.

It’s good of you to float out possible factors but I was really hoping the man himself could explain. Not that it changes what POD is or what he will become but, having pursued these types of lists before, I was confused by the sharp decline. His energetic effusiveness when talking about the young lad suggested a prospect of the highest caliber, not someone ranked behind 50 or 60 of his cohorts. Just seeking clarity I guess which I can’t imagine is really that important!

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, zimmy said:

It’s good of you to float out possible factors but I was really hoping the man himself could explain. Not that it changes what POD is or what he will become but, having pursued these types of lists before, I was confused by the sharp decline. His energetic effusiveness when talking about the young lad suggested a prospect of the highest caliber, not someone ranked behind 50 or 60 of his cohorts. Just seeking clarity I guess which I can’t imagine is really that important!

Pods grew 2 to 3 inches over the last year, and is only recently adjusting to his new size.  As we saw in the most recent K playoffs, Pods is adjusting very well

He's an amazing player, who will help us win games in a variety of ways.  

[DeNiro]

1 minute ago, zimmy said:

It’s good of you to float out possible factors but I was really hoping the man himself could explain. Not that it changes what POD is or what he will become but, having pursued these types of lists before, I was confused by the sharp decline. His energetic effusiveness when talking about the young lad suggested a prospect of the highest caliber, not someone ranked behind 50 or 60 of his cohorts. Just seeking clarity I guess which I can’t imagine is really that important!

I think I’ve heard him mention that scouts weren’t sold on his offensive abilities either.

 

Great energy guy and puck hound but not the type of finish you’d like to see from a top pick.

 

Thats why you always see skilled guys with high point totals go ahead of guys like Podkolzin.
 

It’s the philosophy of thinking you can teach a skilled guy with all the offensive tools to play a two way game vs teaching a two way guy to develop the offensive tools to be a scorer.

 

Clearly the Canucks thought their was enough foundation there that he could develop more finish and become a strong 200 foot player.

 

 

[Bertuzzipunch]

3 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Pods grew 2 to 3 inches over the last year, and is only recently adjusting to his new size.  As we saw in the most recent K playoffs, Pods is adjusting very well

He's an amazing player, who will help us win games in a variety of ways.  

I really see him as our Alex Tuch.

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

1 hour ago, zimmy said:

It’s good of you to float out possible factors but I was really hoping the man himself could explain. Not that it changes what POD is or what he will become but, having pursued these types of lists before, I was confused by the sharp decline. His energetic effusiveness when talking about the young lad suggested a prospect of the highest caliber, not someone ranked behind 50 or 60 of his cohorts. Just seeking clarity I guess which I can’t imagine is really that important!

Button sort of addressed it in an interview with Chris Faber on the Canucks Conversation Podcast #162.

 

He said that a big factor in how he made his list was “NHL readiness” and the potential to step immediately into an NHL lineup. He seemed to bump up prospects who had signed ELCs, or were in systems where NHL teams had greater access to the player (transfer agreement leagues, CHL, and players already in the AHL/NHL). When he made the list, Podkolzin had not yet had his impressive KHL postseason, which probably kept him lower than he would have been. And he was still playing under contract in Russia, and hadn’t signed his ELC with Vancouver.
 

Button did say that he’d rank Podkolzin higher, if he were redoing that list.

 

I have to say, I found his explanation a bit of a cop out, in that he seemed to apply criteria with Podkolzin that he didn’t consistently use with many of the other prospects on his list. 
 

Honestly, I think part of the low ranking was just Button looking to get some reactions from the Vancouver fan base. Canucks fans are some of the most passionate and active fans around, so dropping Podkolzin to #50 (from #14 on the previous year’s list), and making his the sole Canuck prospect in the top-75 (the Leafs had 5, Oilers and Sens both had 4, and the other Canadian teams 3 each) was guaranteed to drive a lot of page views and comments.

 

When Button has actually spoken directly on Podkolzin, he’s been very complementary. In that same Faber interview, Button said “if Vasili Podkolzin isn’t going to be a really good, strong, productive player in the NHL, I’m just getting out of the business.”

[zimmy]

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

Button sort of addressed it in an interview with Chris Faber on the Canucks Conversation Podcast #162.

 

He said that a big factor in how he made his list was “NHL readiness” and the potential to step immediately into an NHL lineup. He seemed to bump up prospects who had signed ELCs, or were in systems where NHL teams had greater access to the player (transfer agreement leagues, CHL, and players already in the AHL/NHL). When he made the list, Podkolzin had not yet had his impressive KHL postseason, which probably kept him lower than he would have been. And he was still playing under contract in Russia, and hadn’t signed his ELC with Vancouver.
 

Button did say that he’d rank Podkolzin higher, if he were redoing that list.

 

I have to say, I found his explanation a bit of a cop out, in that he seemed to apply criteria with Podkolzin that he didn’t consistently use with many of the other prospects on his list. 
 

Honestly, I think part of the low ranking was just Button looking to get some reactions from the Vancouver fan base. Canucks fans are some of the most passionate and active fans around, so dropping Podkolzin to #50 (from #14 on the previous year’s list), and making his the sole Canuck prospect in the top-75 (the Leafs had 5, Oilers and Sens both had 4, and the other Canadian teams 3 each) was guaranteed to drive a lot of page views and comments.

 

When Button has actually spoken directly on Podkolzin, he’s been very complementary. In that same Faber interview, Button said “if Vasili Podkolzin isn’t going to be a really good, strong, productive player in the NHL, I’m just getting out of the business.”

This is very helpful, thank you.  
 

His criteria of NHL readiness is what I also understood the list was based on. If nothing else, POD has been almost universally viewed as having a game that would successfully transfer to the NHL so his dropping on that list was confusing particularly since Button never seemed to waver on this point.

And if the ELC issue was front and center in his re-evaluation, why wasn’t this stated more prominently?

 

To the degree to which I have been triggered (only slightly!) I feel like I should have read the tea leaves better. Have I somehow been “Buttoned”?

[Me_]

15 hours ago, DeNiro said:

Seems like there’s more than a few players from that draft available right now.

Jones, Monahan, Ristolainen, Zadorov, Domi.

 

Seems like we chose wisely.

 

 

I’d take a flyer on Domi.

He’s got good hockey bloodlines.

[Bertuzzipunch]

1 minute ago, Me_ said:

I’d take a flyer on Domi.

He’s got good hockey bloodlines.

Agreed, him and podz would be a great combo imo

[Me_]

9 minutes ago, Bertuzzipunch said:

Agreed, him and podz would be a great combo imo

Oh man.

 

MILLER - HORVAT - BOESER

DOMI - PETTERSSON - PODKOLZIN

 

Ouch.

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Me_

[Bertuzzipunch]

Just now, Me_ said:

Oh man.

 

MILLER - HORVAT - BOESER

DOMI - PETTERSSON - POSKOLZIN

 

Ouch.

Was thinking more

 

miller-petey-boeser

pearson-Horvat-Hög

Trade-Domi-Podz 

 

lol

[Me_]

10 minutes ago, Bertuzzipunch said:

Was thinking more

 

miller-petey-boeser

pearson-Horvat-Hög

Trade-Domi-Podz 

 

lol

Funny, as soon as I wrote mine, I thought more in your line of thinking…

 

PODKOLZIN - DOMI - MOTTE

 

?

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by Me_

[Bertuzzipunch]

3 minutes ago, Me_ said:

Funny, as soon as I wrote mine, I thought more in your line of thinking…

 

POSKOLZIN - DOMI - MOTTE

 

?

 

Sure why not lol

[Convincing John]

On 6/2/2021 at 10:26 AM, Alflives said:

Pods grew 2 to 3 inches over the last year, and is only recently adjusting to his new size.  As we saw in the most recent K playoffs, Pods is adjusting very well

He's an amazing player, who will help us win games in a variety of ways.  

Adjusting to becoming taller? Lol ok. You act like he grew 2-3 inches over a week. People are getting out of hand with their Pod expectations. He is going to be a bottom 6 player with the odd cup of coffee in the top 6. There is nothing wrong with this. There is no reason to get defensive. His skating and his finish aren’t that of a top 6 player but our bottom 6 is ghetto. We need fresh, young enthusiasm down there instead of these salt and pepper haired guys who are out to pasture. Our bottom 6 is as stale a Thatcher Demko interview. Now we finally have some cayenne pepper to throw on that bottom 6 geezer fest and I’m excited. 

[Me_]

1 hour ago, Convincing John said:

Adjusting to becoming taller? Lol ok. You act like he grew 2-3 inches over a week. People are getting out of hand with their Pod expectations. He is going to be a bottom 6 player with the odd cup of coffee in the top 6. There is nothing wrong with this. There is no reason to get defensive. His skating and his finish aren’t that of a top 6 player but our bottom 6 is ghetto. We need fresh, young enthusiasm down there instead of these salt and pepper haired guys who are out to pasture. Our bottom 6 is as stale a Thatcher Demko interview. Now we finally have some cayenne pepper to throw on that bottom 6 geezer fest and I’m excited. 

10OA19 bud.

He’ll be fine.

[Alflives]

3 hours ago, Convincing John said:

Adjusting to becoming taller? Lol ok. You act like he grew 2-3 inches over a week. People are getting out of hand with their Pod expectations. He is going to be a bottom 6 player with the odd cup of coffee in the top 6. There is nothing wrong with this. There is no reason to get defensive. His skating and his finish aren’t that of a top 6 player but our bottom 6 is ghetto. We need fresh, young enthusiasm down there instead of these salt and pepper haired guys who are out to pasture. Our bottom 6 is as stale a Thatcher Demko interview. Now we finally have some cayenne pepper to throw on that bottom 6 geezer fest and I’m excited. 

Most younger guys go through a growth spurt in their earlier teen years, but Pods had his later.  That's great for us, because he's a bigger and stronger version of what we drafted.  He will be a very important player, who contributes to our first Cup.  

[rekker]

4 hours ago, Convincing John said:

Adjusting to becoming taller? Lol ok. You act like he grew 2-3 inches over a week. People are getting out of hand with their Pod expectations. He is going to be a bottom 6 player with the odd cup of coffee in the top 6. There is nothing wrong with this. There is no reason to get defensive. His skating and his finish aren’t that of a top 6 player but our bottom 6 is ghetto. We need fresh, young enthusiasm down there instead of these salt and pepper haired guys who are out to pasture. Our bottom 6 is as stale a Thatcher Demko interview. Now we finally have some cayenne pepper to throw on that bottom 6 geezer fest and I’m excited. 

I'm excited for Pods as well, but with any prospect patience is needed. But for you to label him as basically a bottom six player is as ludicrous as putting lofty expectations on him. He's a skilled grinder which could just as easily make him a Gallagher or Burrows, Hyman. Every skilled line needs a plumber. I'm excited, but I agree, people should temper expectations  

[Jester13]

On 6/2/2021 at 3:24 PM, Bertuzzipunch said:

Was thinking more

 

miller-petey-boeser

pearson-Horvat-Hög

Trade-Domi-Podz 

 

lol

Miller - Petey - Boeser

Domi - Horvat - Podkolzin

Pearson - Trade - Hoglander

 

Yes, please.