Prospect Info: 10th overall: Vancouver selects Vasili Podkolzin (RW, SKA St. Petersburg)

[Fire Benning]

Interesting pick..seems like a bit of a risk based on ability and the uncertainty that always comes with drafting Russians, probably would've taken Caufield over him but I do think there's something there with Podkolzin, don't hate it overall.

 

[CanaFan]

has the highest pass completeion rate of the draft.

1 / 1 is not easy to beat

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

He certainly likes to ham it up..probably be a crowd favourite.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Haven't been following this draft as closely as I have previous years due to my expectations having been lowered to beneath whale shit at the bottom of the ocean, but I must admit being very pleasantly surprised. And surprised generally due to Podkolzin being a) Russian and b) under contract with the KHL for 2 more seasons.

Happy with the pick, happy with the imbecile in charge not trading any draft picks so far.

 

[Hansen]

I like Pod a lot, and have been a big fan since the u20 WJC. He reminds me a lot of Gabe Landeskog stylistically, and I just caught myself thinking "Oh man, this guy battling to retrieve the puck for Petey, or even mucking it with Bo, would just be sublime"

I had him firmly in the top 3 until Byram's surge in the new year

Very happy with the risk at 10, could be a situation where it pays out in spades.

 

[dwarf]

Well it is boom or bust. If he is not a star, he won't stay. Zona got our dman

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

I like Pod a lot, and have been a big fan since the u20 WJC. He reminds me a lot of Gabe Landeskog stylistically, and I just caught myself thinking "Oh man, this guy battling to retrieve the puck for Petey, or even mucking it with Bo, would just be sublime"

I had him firmly in the top 3 until Byram's surge in the new year

Very happy with the risk at 10, could be a situation where it pays out in spades.

Re-watching him he reminds me very much of Horvat. Drives very hard right at d-men and has good enough hands to get by a lot of the time.

 

[mathonwy]

I don't mean to bring politics into this but....

Russia and North America aren't exactly the best buds right now and Putin is a hell of a propagandist...

I mean..

What's the likelihood of a 17 year old kid who grew up in in the capital city of Russia being a Canuck 4 Life?

I don't know.

(we all saw how EASY it was for Tryamkin to peace out of this clustereff of an organization).





Is that you Jake Virtanen?





Maybe it's Jake?





Da.... it's the Russian version of Jake Virtanen.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Pttersson and pod could be deadly

Dare I say, they would be like two peas in a Pod.

 

[CanaFan]

I don't mean to bring politics into this but....

Russia and North America aren't exactly the best buds right now and Putin is a hell of a propagandist...

I mean..

What's the likelihood of a 17 year old kid who grew up in in the capital city of Russia being a Canuck 4 Life?

I don't know.

(we all saw how EASY it was for Tryamkin to peace out of this clustereff of an organization).





Is that you Jake Virtanen?





Maybe it's Jake?





Da.... it's the Russian version of Jake Virtanen.

Some similarities, though one of Jake’s biggest flaws is his lack of intensity with the puck and a sort of ... purposelessness ... with it. Podkolzin is the exact opposite on both counts. He wants the puck and when he has it he knows exactly what he wants to do with it. Podkolzin might be what Jim Benning had originally dreamed Jake would be though, I can see that.

 

[CanaFan]

Dare I say, they would be like two peas in a Pod.

Alien Pod references will be a thing now I guess?

 

[mathonwy]

Some similarities, though one of Jake’s biggest flaws is his lack of intensity with the puck and a sort of ... purposelessness ... with it. Podkolzin is the exact opposite on both counts. He wants the puck and when he has it he knows exactly what he wants to do with it. Podkolzin might be what Jim Benning had originally dreamed Jake would be though, I can see that.

When he's playing for his country against the evil democractic scumbag liberal minded globalist countries.

When he's playing in the KHL is a different story....

 

[Horse McHindu]

Alien Pod references will be a thing now I guess?

Maybe just me, lol.

I have a nerdy sense of humour.

 

[CanaFan]

When he's playing for his country against the evil democractic ******* liberal minded globalist countries.

When he's playing in the KHL is a different story....

I can’t speak for his KHL games but even at his worst tournament (U18’s) I could see the elite drive and determination, just some pretty wonky results.

 

[mathonwy]

I can’t speak for his KHL games but even at his worst tournament (U18’s) I could see the elite drive and determination, just some pretty wonky results.

Easy to always play hard in tournament play.

Not so easy to always play hard in league play.

 

[Horse McHindu]

2 years, I like this long-term thinking despite JB only has one year left in his contract
Maybe there is not instant pressure to make the playoffs afterall?

Who ever we took was gonna take 2 years of development anyway

It’s called being a professional.

This whole idea that Benning would act out of his own self interests due to a fear of his job being on the line was a ridiculous notion to begin with (propagated by the usual suspects unsurprisingly).

 

[mathonwy]

Oh sweet baby jebus please let me be wrong.

 

[CanaFan]

Easy to always play hard in tournament play.

Not so easy to always play hard in league play.

No, but most players who play hard are wired to play hard. I don’t think we’ll see a massive drop off at the NHL level.

 

[DFAC]

Well it is boom or bust. If he is not a star, he won't stay. Zona got our dman

Ill take Podkolzin over Soderstrom 10 times out of 10

 

[me2]

Thank you for being the 1st to say it.

Way too much risk here for my liking. I dont like drafting players under contract to the KHL. If he develops really well his rich KHL club will probably sign him to a contract that the Canucks cant match. If he doesnt improve he tells the Canucks its NHL or Russia.

I would've taken Boldy and called it a day.

The best KHL prospects come to the NHL. This was a threat 10 years ago when the oligarchs were being silly with their money but not anymore.

I don't mind the pick, I'm not sure his upside is as high as some think, he had a bit of a so-so year. A lot of the draft hype was from a great tournament he played in August. I like him though, he plays a good complementary game to our soft skill players, our marshmallow top 6 could use him. 50-60 point, tenacious 2-way play is good outcome for a 10th pick. He's still young by draft age, so more room to develop.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Who are Pod's comparables?

I’ve heard Evander Kane being a comparable.

 

[Canucks LB]

I was at the draft, the so many people on TV and HF Boards other threads think the canucks fans were "booing"
Well my section was more stunned, it was not boos, it was more like "holy f*** were picking a russian" stunned sound.

After people clued in, the cheering started.
I don't think many people hated the pick

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

I was at the draft, the so many people on TV and HF Boards other threads think the canucks fans were "booing"
Well my section was more stunned, it was not boos, it was more like "holy **** were picking a russian" stunned sound.

After people clued in, the cheering started.
I don't think many people hated the pick

That's what I did as well. I was more shocked the Canucks would take "the Russian" than anything else.

 

[me2]

Well it is boom or bust. If he is not a star, he won't stay. Zona got our dman

I don't think he'll leave unless he's a mediocre 3rd line or worse. I don't see that Russian risk. Who was the last Russian top pick that didn't show?

 

[THE Green Man]

I was at the draft, the so many people on TV and HF Boards other threads think the canucks fans were "booing"
Well my section was more stunned, it was not boos, it was more like "holy **** were picking a russian" stunned sound.

After people clued in, the cheering started.
I don't think many people hated the pick

That was my reaction at home too, wanted Boldy and still kind of do. Thought about it, shrugged my shoulders and said it could have been worse.