Sad to see Podz go, but realistically, there was just no opening for him in this Vancouver lineup. We all tend to view prospects in terms of their draft position and all the scouting reports about their 'potential'. But the sad fact Podkolzin was drafted in 2019 and it's now 2024. He's aged out as a prospect and has been passed by guys who have more potential as NHL players.
Obviously when the Canucks signed him to a two-year, $1m contract, it was really a 'show me' deal. And when they signed a flock of UFA wingers this off-season, the writing was on the wall.
Still, it is depressing when a top-10 pick basically flops. It was painful when Juolevi did a faceplant, when the next guy picked in that draft was Matthew Tkachuk. And Podz was picked instead of guys like Boldy or Caulfield. For a team like the Canucks--which over the years have traded so many draft picks for failed prospects, it borders on disastrous when you pick guys in the top-10 who basically can't play for you.