The wait is nearly over, people. Sure, Vasily Podkolzin is gearing up for the Vancouver Canucks. 48 days to be exact, as he’ll probably be on the line-up for his or her first preseason sport towards the Seattle Kraken on September twenty sixth. It took a very long time as a result of he has been working within the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for 2 years and was voted tenth within the 2019 draft.
As NHL-ready as anybody could be, the good Russian will probably earn a spot within the high 9 proper from the beginning, alongside JT Miller, Bo Horvat or Jason Dickinson. He can even be given no less than a second unit of energy play time and the chance to even perhaps take penalties, as has been relied on up to now for Workforce Russia and SKA St. Petersburg.
Evidently, Podkolzin shall be a large addition to the Canucks lineup together with his uncommon mixture of power, dimension, and talent. He additionally has a tireless work ethic, elitist playmaking expertise, and off-chart management expertise. In truth, he has even been in comparison with Mark Messier by the good and ex-Canuck Igor Larionov of the Detroit Pink Wings.
The perfect factor about Podkolzin is its versatility. In contrast to the youngest Russian importer of the Canucks, Nikolay Goldobin, he would not should be within the high six to be efficient. He additionally would not want an elite heart man to draw consideration offensively. He is a tremendous two-way power that may make a distinction anyplace within the lineup. Due to this fact, he shall be crucial new addition to this crew till the top of the 2021/22 season. After the fast success of Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Nils Hoglander earlier than him, followers get used to the truth that huge rookies turn into influential regulars. Podkolzin shall be no totally different.
The query is, the place will head coach Travis Inexperienced use him at first of the season? Let us take a look at a few duos he might go along with.
Nils Hoglander and Bo Horvat
Flanked by Hoglander and Podkolzin, Horvat would have two extraordinarily efficient forecheckers on his line who by no means hand over. Assume Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen on steroids. From what we have seen of them up to now, they’re each good two-way gamers with an inclination to maneuver the sport ahead and make life tough for opponents on each offense and protection. With Horvat’s martial arts and their tireless puck hunt, this trio could be the last word puck possession machine.
Tanner Pearson and Jason Dickinson
Podkolzin, probably the third sequence to kick off the season, could be extra of a matchup position with Dickinson and Tanner Pearson. Each Dickinson and Pearson are used to enjoying towards the highest gamers, however Podkolzin shall be a little bit of an unknown as he’s used to pushing the sport ahead. That may be good although, as he could be attempting to select up the tempo as an alternative of staying in a defensive stance.
Jason Dickinson, Dallas Stars (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Podkolzin has what it takes to be an awesome third row winger regardless of having the abilities to be within the high six. He’s a die-hard fore checker, robust on the boards and infrequently offers up the puck when he has it on his stick. If all the things goes in response to plan, that line might be pretty much as good because the lately cut up three-headed monster of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow that terrified the groups within the Tampa Bay Lightning playoffs.
Elias Pettersson and JT Miller
From a management line to the highest line. When Podkolzin hits his prime he shall be a mainstay within the high 6, even when he is not constantly performed there this season. Nonetheless, I’m positive that Inexperienced will attempt each mixture in coaching camp and within the preseason to see what he has within the younger Russian. Taking part in it with two of the Canucks’ greatest gamers might be a heavenly match. Within the phrases of Pettersson, pace, agility, power, I am a giant fan of this stuff. Then he’ll love Podkolzin on his line.
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks (Photograph by Dave Sandford / NHLI through Getty Photographs)
With Pettersson’s capturing, creativity, and playmaking expertise, in addition to the scale and power of Podkolzin and Miller, this line might be pretty much as good and even higher than the West Coast Specific. At 6-foot-4,23 kilos, Podkolzin would not have the identical punch as Todd Bertuzzi in his heyday at 6-foot-3, 245 kilos, however he nonetheless has related traits that might make him a handful for opponents. Pettersson and Markus Naslund are just about the identical by way of talent and, no disrespect to Brendan Morrison, however Miller, as a top-line heart, has much more to his repertoire than he does.
Including Podkolzin to the highest row would additionally permit Boeser to slide into the second row with Hoglander and Horvat, forcing Garland to affix Pearson and Dickinson within the third row. I do not find out about you, however that seems like a really spectacular high 9 to me.
Podkolzin might be the last word X-Think about 2021-22
With all the additions the Canucks made within the low season, Podkolzin’s signing in some way bought misplaced within the combine. I am positive this was not the case with most Canucks followers, however positively within the media. At $ 925,000 for the following three seasons, he might be the most affordable addition to the NHL. He might even have the largest impression on the line-up, not solely through the common season but additionally within the playoffs.
Podkolzin will probably do his greatest within the postseason as he has already proven the power to maneuver up when his crew wants him essentially the most. From the 2021 World Junior Championship, his management as captain of Workforce Russia shone as he did all the things to guide his crew to victory. He and his crew have been sadly denied a medal, however managed to attain two objectives and 4 factors in seven video games and have become one of many high three gamers of the match. He was additionally chargeable for his complete crew’s efficiency when he apologized on Instagram shortly after dropping 4-1 to Workforce Finland within the bronze medal match. That is the definition of an awesome captain.
Podkolzin’s Tour de Pressure solely made it to the KHL playoffs when he led SKA St. Petersburg with six objectives and 11 factors in 16 video games. Because it was all season lengthy, he did it with little or no ice age on a crew that was reluctant to place him within the highlight. Nonetheless, he shone as the very best participant most nights and ended up ending his complete season in simply 16 video games. Think about what he might do with extra.
The Podkolzin present is coming
Prepare Canucks followers, the following nice Russian is on the horizon and he might be the X-Issue everybody has been ready for since Pavel Bure and Alex Mogilny graced Vancouver with their presence within the Nineteen Nineties. He might not find yourself with the identical numbers, however he shall be remembered as one of many greats. That is ensured by its well-rounded sport and its spectacular intangible values.
Matthew Zator is a contract THW author, media editor, and scout who lives and breathes Vancouver Canucks Hockey, the NHL Draft, and prospects on the whole. He loves to speak about younger gamers and their potential. Matthew is a will need to have for Canucks followers and followers of the NHL Draft and its prospects. For interview requests or content material info, you may observe Matthew on his social media accounts listed beneath his photograph on the backside of articles like this one about Tyler Motte.
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