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

[4Twenty]

Why would a tournament against teenage competition show he’s better deserving of more ice time in a pro league. Remember when Virtanen went to the wjc at 19 from the nhl?

It sounds to me like the Yakupov claim is about the hype surrounding a prospect they thought was good but not as good as the North American hype.

It feels to me like Vancouver posters in general have a singular focus and don’t even try and understand the team situation in SKA. ie who are you benching to give Podkolzin the ice time you want? Name names or else is just reads like Podkolzin fanboyism.


I’ve tried to watch a number of games and while he looks like he can handle the khl minutes he doesn’t separate himself from his own teammates. Not too unexpected in the top league going right now as a teenager.

 

[Canucks LB]

Yes but you complain about his current usage not about what he can become in the nhl.

Bo also played his entire 19 year old season on a 4th line.

I’m not saying stylistically it’s not a nice piece to have but I think you’re equating what you hope he becomes to what he is currently.

He’s not good enough to be a top 6 contributor in that league currently.

Also the idea the coach who brought him to two world juniors has it out for him seems absolutely ridiculous.

I hope in time he’s a top 6 forward but he isn’t now and needs to improve a lot if he’s to become one.

it seems like you’re already banking on a Horvat. I’d say he’s not close to that yet.

edit* Vancouver certainly needs a guy who will go hard to the net but he needs to finish. His goal scoring or lack thereof is concerning. But again he’s only 19 time is on his side but it doesn’t mean his semi stagnation isn’t a concern moving forward and that’s on him as well as his situation (which I still feel is reasonable for him - 4th line on a really good deep KHL team).

Let’s take a step back, and just call out exactly what’s real here.

It’s not just me complaining about his ice time, there have been countless reports, articles, and multiple people from not just here, but around the world complaining about his ice time.

This is not some fantasy theory, so I want to get that out-of-the-way.

 

[4Twenty]

The articles that have been posted are largely trash. From both sides.

Who would Podkolzin displace in the top 6 and PP if you were running the team?

 

[Deezone]

Why would a tournament against teenage competition show he’s better deserving of more ice time in a pro league. Remember when Virtanen went to the wjc at 19 from the nhl?

It sounds to me like the Yakupov claim is about the hype surrounding a prospect they thought was good but not as good as the North American hype.

It feels to me like Vancouver posters in general have a singular focus and don’t even try and understand the team situation in SKA. ie who are you benching to give Podkolzin the ice time you want? Name names or else is just reads like Podkolzin fanboyism.


I’ve tried to watch a number of games and while he looks like he can handle the khl minutes he doesn’t separate himself from his own teammates. Not too unexpected in the top league going right now as a teenager.

The ONLY thing that matters is what Canucks evaluators think.

 

[4Twenty]

The ONLY thing that matters is what Canucks evaluators think.

I mean I hope he looks better on small ice but SKA plays on a smaller than Olympic size rink now.

He’s currently not a good enough player to play more than he has. Lines look more fluid without him.

He’s only 19. I’m not all that worried but I think there are some wild expectations for him from a lot of Canuck fans.

Again, who’s spot in the lineup of ska do you think he should have? It’s a reasonable question. Nobody will answer it.

 

[Lainehasaweirdface]

The articles that have been posted are largely trash. From both sides.

Who would Podkolzin displace in the top 6 and PP if you were running the team?

What really doesn't make sense to me, is Bregin has no problem bumping someone out of the top 6 for him for a game. He'll throw Pod on the first line for a game, Pod will play a hell of a game and then he's back on the 3rd line next game. There's no way that's good for a kid's confidence.

 

[4Twenty]

What really doesn't make sense to me, is Bregin has no problem bumping someone out of the top 6 for him for a game. He'll throw Pod on the first line for a game, Pod will play a hell of a game and then he's back on the 3rd line next game. There's no way that's good for a kid's confidence.

I think it’s probably likely the helluva game is being overstated.

Pro coaches play the guys who will win them games. There’s a reason that he doesn’t play more and to me the simplest reasoning is that he’s not a difference maker.

the team has better players than him to produce. That’s fine. He’s a teenager in a men’s league. If he was performing like marchenko and getting sat then I’d understand but Podkolzin isn’t a dangerous player at this level and I think it should temper expectations but it seems it’s the opposite. Expectations are high and the issues with his development are being blamed on his circumstances and little responsibility seems to go to the player.

He’s a good prospect but he’s got a lot of room to go to be this bonafide top 6 Pettersson linemate I read about daily.

 

[Fatass]

I mean I hope he looks better on small ice but SKA plays on a smaller than Olympic size rink now.

He’s currently not a good enough player to play more than he has. Lines look more fluid without him.

He’s only 19. I’m not all that worried but I think there are some wild expectations for him from a lot of Canuck fans.

Again, who’s spot in the lineup of ska do you think he should have? It’s a reasonable question. Nobody will answer it.

Pods grew 3 inches since his draft, and is only now starting to catch up to that growth spurt. Hes going to be a great NHL player. I see Alexander Yakushev in him. And that’s a fabulous player to add to the Canucks already great young core.

 

[Jacob]

3 inches in 18 months?

 

[Fatass]

3 inches in 18 months?

That’s a lot, right? Very hard to keep the coordination needed to be elite athletically when growing like that. Pods will now fill out his new frame, and take a little longer to catch up to that growth spurt athletically. This kid has the kind of physical development curve that leads to an excellent power forward. As a Canuck’s fan I’m very excited to see this guy at 22/23. I saw Yakushev play, and Pods has that kind of potential.

 

[canuckking1]

That growth spurt is a myth. He might've gotten a little taller but nowhere near 6'4.

 

[Deezone]

I mean I hope he looks better on small ice but SKA plays on a smaller than Olympic size rink now.

He’s currently not a good enough player to play more than he has. Lines look more fluid without him.

He’s only 19. I’m not all that worried but I think there are some wild expectations for him from a lot of Canuck fans.

Again, who’s spot in the lineup of ska do you think he should have? It’s a reasonable question. Nobody will answer it.

Podkolzin has looked great with Morosov and Marchenko. Your point that he hasnt looked good enough to play more minutes is laughable... Podkolzin has been great defensively, great possession, great corsi, great passing....poor treatment by SKA.

 

[4Twenty]

Podkolzin has looked great with Morosov and Marchenko. Your point that he hasnt looked good enough to play more minutes is laughable... Podkolzin has been great defensively, great possession, great corsi, great passing....poor treatment by SKA.

Who do you take out?

I disagree he’s been great. He’s been playable.

Morozov and Marchenko look more dangerous without him in my opinion. I want him to be better. No sense pretending like he’s outperforming teammates and artificially being held back. It’s not the case.

He’s learning the pro game in a strong league on a strong team. Hopefully he can improve and earn more ice time.

 

[Disappointed EP40]

Podkolzin has looked great with Morosov and Marchenko. Your point that he hasnt looked good enough to play more minutes is laughable... Podkolzin has been great defensively, great possession, great corsi, great passing....poor treatment by SKA.

Goals and assists >> Possession, Corsi

Talk about laughable.

You're grasping hard to hold Podz as your idealized prospect.

 

[Atas2000]

The ONLY thing that matters is what Canucks evaluators think.

And the hysteric crusade continues. Lies, narratives, false claims...

 

[4Twenty]

Goals and assists >> Possession, Corsi

Talk about laughable.

You're grasping hard to hold Podz as your idealized prospect.

Is there even publicly available Corsi stats for the KHL? I’d love to check them out. Never seen any of it posted here.

 

[Deezone]

And the hysteric crusade continues. Lies, narratives, false claims...

So the Canucks Director of Player Development is hysteric and lying....you're embarrassing yourself.....again

 

[Deezone]

Is there even publicly available Corsi stats for the KHL? I’d love to check them out. Never seen any of it posted here.

You could watch some some games or read material from others who do.

 

[4Twenty]

You could watch some some games or read material from others who do.

I’ve watched over a half dozen thanks. Read that article before as well. There isn’t any corsi or possession stats.

 

[Fatass]

I’ve watched over a half dozen thanks. Read that article before as well. There isn’t any corsi or possession stats.

Pods grew three inches in a year. He’s catching up to his growth spurt. Kid is going to be a beauty.

 

[Atas2000]

So the Canucks Director of Player Development is hysteric and lying....you're embarrassing yourself.....again

Yes, he does. So what? Is the NHL some holy land? While it's more of ignorance than a lie in his statement. NA ice? Is he sure he is earning money with hockey? And repeating a weird narrative about how a player who can't really make it in the KHL yet is NHL ready should be below someone in his position.

Obviously it does not add to the credibility of the Canucks organizaton. Interestingly enough it is the third canadian NHL team I have such issues with. Can't say that about any american franchize. Go figure.

 

[ookhaab]

great passing...

Well actually his passing has been one of the worst on SKA, at least compared to SKA's Top 9. It might also be one of the bigger reasons for his scratches/low ice time, notice how players lower on this particular stat tend to get lower ice time.

PS. CBJ fans have much bigger reason to complain about their prospect's ice time than VAN fans.

	TOI/gp	Pass completion %
Podkolzin	12:07	66,37
Shvets-Rogovoy	13:05	74,72
Kemppainen	17:26	77,09
Morozov	15:10	74,69
Aaltonen	15:45	82,65
Marchenko	14:43	72,81
Burdasov	15:04	79,91
Vey	18:02	82,18
Kuzmenko	14:37	74,66
Tkachev	17:55	79,61

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[4Twenty]

Well actually his passing has been one of the worst on SKA, at least compared to SKA's Top 9. It might also be one of the bigger reasons for his scratches/low ice time, notice how players lower on this particular stat tend to get lower ice time.

PS. CBJ fans have much bigger reason to complain about their prospect's ice time than VAN fans.

	TOI/gp	Pass completion %
Podkolzin	12:07	66,37
Shvets-Rogovoy	13:05	74,72
Kemppainen	17:26	77,09
Morozov	15:10	74,69
Aaltonen	15:45	82,65
Marchenko	14:43	72,81
Burdasov	15:04	79,91
Vey	18:02	82,18
Kuzmenko	14:37	74,66
Tkachev	17:55	79,61

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Where are you finding this data?

 

[ookhaab]

Where are you finding this data?

KHL official site. It is tho quite hard to navigate even with translator.

 

[Atas2000]

You could watch some some games or read material from others who do.

There is the typical half-truth for you.

Did the russian U20 NT beat three senior teams in that tournament? Yes. Were those senior teams on KHL level? No. But let's not tell the ausdience that. Those senior teams were without KHL players from those nations, which are by design their best players playing in Europe/Russia/KHL. The Czechs decided to release the KHLers before the game against Russia and played with a younger team even giving a record setting 16 year old a spot. The other two NTs never had KHLers on them. So basically those were not even all the best Liiga and/or SHL players., pretty much VHL level teams. So yes, the russian U20 has shown it's players can dominate the VHL level. And obviously they do as it's leaders including Podkolzin outgrew the VHL by now, others are successful players in that VHL. Was it still a notable achievement? Yes, it was. Overrating it like the U20 team really beat the best european selections of other nations' men is ignorant and stupid. And in that case it is just used to again spread the false narrative.

And most relevant to this thread. That tournament has shown exactly the core of the controversy around Podkolzin. He obviously still has issues on KHL level, but on the level below he is dominant. He is in his development caught inbetween those levels. That is nor uncommon, nor is it something to be worried about. At 19 that's perfectly normal for a prospect.

But then again, the toxic vancouverians somehow twist the simple situation to insanity and a player who needs time to be successful in the 2nd best league is better off trying his luck in the best one.