RW/LW Vasili Podkolzin - SKA St.Petersburg, KHL (2019, 10th, VAN) Part 3

[Deezone]

More positive spin on Podkolzin by Canadian media propagandists...

 

[4Twenty]

He's not currently a good compliment to the best KHL players, that's the issue. A year old quote after the World Juniors (likely Ray's only look at the player) of the players NHL upside, not what he is currently doesn't really do anything. I think we all know he's a solid prospect with traits that are definitely required in Vancouver. The point is, he's not that player now. I wouldn't expect him to be Pettersson's winger this season either. It's a good thing to me the coach trusts him to play, even though he doesn't expect him to produce. That's the beauty of his skillset. The skills and play still need to be developed and refined, acting like they don't is foolish.

Acting like a third rate tournament like the Karajala Cup is stronger data point than the KHL is also foolish.

In the games I've seen, he shows flashes, is a good puck transporter in the neutral zone, but the offensive possession tends to die when he's out there. He has the skillset to be more impactful, but Ska is a really good team that is deep.

It just so happens the player that he'd be replacing in the opportunity people want to see him get is the teams captain, Ketov and maybe Timkin.

He's not coming in for any of the dudes who played center, as already mentioned by Zine (although, I've often wondered why he hasn't been tried, seems to have a decent enough defensive conscience and most KHL Centerman suck on the draw anyways, so it's not that crucial to win them).

There is a reason the folks complaining can never come up with their own ideas of who should come out of the lineup to give Podkolzin the ice time they feel he deserves.

Tkachev, Burdasov, Kuzmenko, Vey, Marchenko, Kempenainen, Aaltonen, Morozov, Shvets-Rogovol, Timkin, Ketov, Kamenev. Which FOUR of these guys is Podkolzin more effective in the KHL than at present? I've bolded players who play center. I don't think there is a case he's better than the first 4 wingers, the next 4 centers listed play special teams, so it's down to Shvets-Rogovol, Timkin, the captain and an NHLer who can play C and wing. There is no shame in not being one of the better forwards in this group. That Vasili has played 24 of the 32 games and is getting 12 minutes on average on this strong roster should be seen as a postive, not a negative.

Anywho, lets move this forward?

What are the expectations of Podkolzin at the WJC's? Russia has an extremely tough group with USA, Sweden, Czech and Austria.

 

[Caser]

Sounds about the right time to close this part, as it is over 1k posts and move to the next one: RW/LW Vasili Podkolzin - SKA St.Petersburg, KHL (2019, 10th, VAN) Part 4