RW/LW Vasili Podkolzin (2019, 10th, VAN) Part 4

[Atas2000]

Wait just to be clear, we are going to make the I bet the guy isn't watching argument with Craig Button? A guy that most of his hockey colleagues marvel at the amount of hockey he watches. You have big name scouts that admit they are stunned the amount they see Button at hockey games and he works in a state of the art media center? That guy, yeah I am going to go ahead and say the arguments being made that he doesn't understand who this is and how these leagues work is one of the worst I have read in a while...

I am not a Button guy, I don't dislike him and I know a lot of posters around here do. But his passion for the sport is pretty unquestioned. There are few people that love the sport more across several levels in my opinion than Craig Button.

How many KHL games does he watch? How many does he watch in person(there is huge difference if you are doing this for scouting purposes)? What does he REALLY klnow about the KHL?

His passion for hockey does not interest me in the slightest. I see no proof he is an expert on exactly the matter in question. And his comments prove it. Again, he should shut up about the KHL until he learned something about it.

Also that's a guy who thinks Prosvetov is a better prospect than Sorokokin, Denisenko is a better prospect than Kaprizov and so on and so forth. His passion seems to be more of an irrational thing then rather than knowledge.

 

[vorky]

Wait just to be clear, we are going to make the I bet the guy isn't watching argument with Craig Button? A guy that most of his hockey colleagues marvel at the amount of hockey he watches. You have big name scouts that admit they are stunned the amount they see Button at hockey games and he works in a state of the art media center? That guy, yeah I am going to go ahead and say the arguments being made that he doesn't understand who this is and how these leagues work is one of the worst I have read in a while...

I am not a Button guy, I don't dislike him and I know a lot of posters around here do. But his passion for the sport is pretty unquestioned. There are few people that love the sport more across several levels in my opinion than Craig Button.

How many KHL games a season have Craig Button watched in person at KHL arena?

 

[ijuka]

Yes, Button had Podkolzin over Kakko for most of the year. He's a huge fan of Podkolzin. He's looking for reasons for Podkolzin's failures that aren't his fault. Nothing new there.

By the way, rather than "he doesn't produce because he doesn't play on PP" perhaps "he isn't on PP because he doesn't produce" might be accurate. Marchenko for example has more even strength goals this season than Podkolzin in his entire career

Also on the topic of everyone being soft etc. that's quite clearly not the case, I mean does he know how Radulov play for example?

 

[Raistlin]

Yes, Button had Podkolzin over Kakko for most of the year. He's a huge fan of Podkolzin. He's looking for reasons for Podkolzin's failures that aren't his fault. Nothing new there.

By the way, rather than "he doesn't produce because he doesn't play on PP" perhaps "he isn't on PP because he doesn't produce" might be accurate. Marchenko for example has more even strength goals this season than Podkolzin in his entire career

Also on the topic of everyone being soft etc. that's quite clearly not the case, I mean does he know how Radulov play for example?

His context is N.American. He's probably a big fan of Podkolzin because he sees his game translating to N.American hockey, and really, thats his whole point. His disparaging comments bout KHL is pretty generic when you expand on the 'KHL is a skill league and not a physical league' argument, just like Vanek's argument that the NHL is not as tough anymore.... its common knowledge, its how subpar journeyman players like Vey and Dawes thrive over there, its why its easy to single out Radulov as a hard nosed player vs the prevailing grain of KHL players. I may not agree, but I would respect what he has to say about a prospect coming into the NHL, as opposed to how they are doing in their own domestic league and why it is how it is over there. His audience doesnt care and really, neither should rabid defenders of the KHL either.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Yes, Button had Podkolzin over Kakko for most of the year. He's a huge fan of Podkolzin. He's looking for reasons for Podkolzin's failures that aren't his fault. Nothing new there.

By the way, rather than "he doesn't produce because he doesn't play on PP" perhaps "he isn't on PP because he doesn't produce" might be accurate. Marchenko for example has more even strength goals this season than Podkolzin in his entire career

Also on the topic of everyone being soft etc. that's quite clearly not the case, I mean does he know how Radulov play for example?

Button wildly overvalues Russian prospects for some reason. Look at his list of best prospects from earlier this year: Russian players dominate top spots in TSN’s ranking of NHL-affiliated prospects - TSN.ca

1. Shestyorkin
2. Denisenko
4. Kaprizov
5. Romanov
12. Prosvetov
13. Sorokin
14. Podkolzin
27. Khovanov
36. Kravtsov (the year before he ranked him the best prospect in the world )

No that's not a list of the best Russian prospects. That's his list of the top prospects period.

Dude doesn't have a clue and shouldn't be taken seriously, particularly when it comes to Russians.

 

[Raistlin]

How many KHL games a season have Craig Button watched in person at KHL arena?

I think Button did overstep his boundary, he doesn't need to disparage players in the KHL to make his point about Podkolzin. But in the grand scheme of things, regarding this prospect, whether the evaluator watched a game in Chelyabinsk or Neftekhim Arena matters little, that is 100% not where his future lies.

 

[Disappointed EP40]

How many players, while growing 3-4 inches over an 18 month period, keep their previous growth athleticism? Pods grew, and is catching up to that growth spurt. Guy is clearly going to be another Canuck Calder Finalist (2021/22). Will that make 4 in six years? Has any team had that before?

wtf r u basing this on? this statement is ridiculous

 

[SoundAndFury]

Time for you guys to visit the Seider thread, Button's honor needs defending there too.

 

[Fatass]

Button wildly overvalues Russian prospects for some reason. Look at his list of best prospects from earlier this year: Russian players dominate top spots in TSN’s ranking of NHL-affiliated prospects - TSN.ca

1. Shestyorkin
2. Denisenko
4. Kaprizov
5. Romanov
12. Prosvetov
13. Sorokin
14. Podkolzin
27. Khovanov
36. Kravtsov (the year before he ranked him the best prospect in the world )

No that's not a list of the best Russian prospects. That's his list of the top prospects period.

Dude doesn't have a clue and shouldn't be taken seriously, particularly when it comes to Russians.

And a bunch of guys posting on a fan Internet chat site know more? Russia produces a lot of super players, so projecting their young guys to be really good makes a lot of sense.

 

[SoundAndFury]

And a bunch of guys posting on a fan Internet chat site know more? Russia produces a lot of super players, so projecting their young guys to be really good makes a lot of sense.

However, no one in Russia would agree with that list either. Denisenko 2nd, Prosvetov over Sorokin, Marchenko nowhere to be found...

Be it lack of view time or bias or whatever else, his lists are pretty terrible. And they aren't terrible in hindsight, hindsight just proves that they are.

 

[Canucks LB]

Why is there so little people mentioning that Pod is getting basically zero Power Play opportunities?

This is a massive part of his potential production he is also missing.

In the AHL the guy is gonna play top PP time and 20+ Min a game.

And on the Canucks he will be on the 2nd Unit for sure.

 

[bagsw]

Why is there so little people mentioning that Pod is getting basically zero Power Play opportunities?

This is a massive part of his potential production he is also missing.

In the AHL the guy is gonna play top PP time and 20+ Min a game.

And on the Canucks he will be on the 2nd Unit for sure.

That is because he has bad shot. PP unit becomes less dangerous when one player can’t score. He is good playmaker, but he is not better than other candidates to play in PP.

 

[Canucks LB]

That is because he has bad shot. PP unit becomes less dangerous when one player can’t score. He is good playmaker, but he is not better than other candidates to play in PP.

How would anybody even know that without a serious look and opportunity?
It's actually kind of funny how many times I heard the exact same about Bo Horvat on the PP.

 

[bagsw]

How would anybody even know that without a serious look and opportunity?
It's actually kind of funny how many times I heard the exact same about Bo Horvat on the PP.

I saw him on the PP a lot of times on many levels. His shot looked average even when he played with juniors and had many chances on the PP.

Do not get me wrong, I like Podkolzin and hope him best, but Canucks' fans overvalue him to much.

 

[Atas2000]

How would anybody even know that without a serious look and opportunity?
It's actually kind of funny how many times I heard the exact same about Bo Horvat on the PP.

Are you aware you reply to a russian KHL fan? He certainly watched Podkolzin play... a lot.

 

[Caser]

I saw him on the PP a lot of times on many levels. His shot looked average even when he played with juniors and had many chances on the PP.

Do not get me wrong, I like Podkolzin and hope him best, but Canucks' fans overvalue him to much.

To be fair, he always had a solid slapper, but yeah, his hands in general and shot in particular clearly weren't his greatest strengths even back there.

 

[Canucks LB]

I saw him on the PP a lot of times on many levels. His shot looked average even when he played with juniors and had many chances on the PP.

Do not get me wrong, I like Podkolzin and hope him best, but Canucks' fans overvalue him to much.

Just play him behind the net like Bo does, Use his strength and power alongside his playmaking skills shine.
He does not need to be a sniper, but more a net presence

 

[4Twenty]

Just play him behind the net like Bo does, Use his strength and power alongside his playmaking skills shine.
He does not need to be a sniper, but more a net presence

Who you taking off Ska’s PP units?

You seem to expect he’ll be gifted all these situations up the line. He won’t. He’ll have to earn it through production and what he shows his coaches in practice.

It seems you’re always assuming that he is showing his coaches that he’s good enough and they’re holding him back on purpose. It’s borderline ridiculous.

If he was his teams best PP options he’d be playing on it.

He’s just not a dangerous offensive player yet. Hopefully he shows it at the junior tournament but that’s all it is a junior tournament.

Podkolzin has plenty of improving to do before he’s this lock to be top 6 winger as an nhl rookie. Your expectations don’t really match his performances in the best league going right now. The level of competition in the tournament you like to hype is miles below the KHL let alone the NHL.


And none of this means I don’t like the prospect. I do. I like the fit in Vancouver long term but I think he’s closer to Virtanen/McCann in terms of being ready to produce at 19/20 than Horvat/Boeser.

He really needs to work on his shot. His hasn’t looked as dangerous since the summer tourney before he was drafted. Even the Russians who watch him way more than anyone over here have remarked about that regularly. It makes him easier to defend.

 

[Raistlin]

Who you taking off Ska’s PP units?

You seem to expect he’ll be gifted all these situations up the line. He won’t. He’ll have to earn it through production and what he shows his coaches in practice.

It seems you’re always assuming that he is showing his coaches that he’s good enough and they’re holding him back on purpose. It’s borderline ridiculous.

If he was his teams best PP options he’d be playing on it.

He’s just not a dangerous offensive player yet. Hopefully he shows it at the junior tournament but that’s all it is a junior tournament.

Podkolzin has plenty of improving to do before he’s this lock to be top 6 winger as an nhl rookie. Your expectations don’t really match his performances in the best league going right now. The level of competition in the tournament you like to hype is miles below the KHL let alone the NHL.


And none of this means I don’t like the prospect. I do. I like the fit in Vancouver long term but I think he’s closer to Virtanen/McCann in terms of being ready to produce at 19/20 than Horvat/Boeser.

He really needs to work on his shot. His hasn’t looked as dangerous since the summer tourney before he was drafted. Even the Russians who watch him way more than anyone over here have remarked about that regularly. It makes him easier to defend.

its catch22 right now. he is not going to improve the way he is being deployed,
He isn't.
At all.
His shot is his weakest trait, hopefully he gets a washing machine/dryer in his basement and shoot a thousand pucks at all four corners at night while isolating. Won't it also be nice if he has access to a Swedish sniper with one of the best shots in the world giving him pointers?

 

[Fatass]

its catch22 right now. he is not going to improve the way he is being deployed,
He isn't.
At all.
His shot is his weakest trait, hopefully he gets a washing machine/dryer in his basement and shoot a thousand pucks at all four corners at night while isolating. Won't it also be nice if he has access to a Swedish sniper with one of the best shots in the world giving him pointers?

It must be really pissing off that Russian team knowing Podkolzin is done April 30, 2021, and will be a Canuck May 1, 2021.

 

[Peasy]

IMO, Podkolzin being ranked 3rd for a lot of his draft year has skewed the perception of him to many people (specifically nuck fans).

Kinda feel the same way with Caufield and Montreal fans.

 

[Canucks LB]

I just have a feeling he is going to absolutely dominate the WJC.
Especially if he gets top line opportunity

 

[Atas2000]

It must be really pissing off that Russian team knowing Podkolzin is done April 30, 2021, and will be a Canuck May 1, 2021.

Just for the lulz of it I wish he signs for another two years in the K. Just to see meltdown.

 

[Raistlin]

Just for the lulz of it I wish he signs for another two years in the K. Just to see meltdown.

I can lulz right now, Benning will be shot into the sun in Van if his prized prospect goes through this gong show for a third year. Its your right to wish though.

 

[Fatass]

Just for the lulz of it I wish he signs for another two years in the K. Just to see meltdown.

Could you imagine Podkolzin reupping with SKA after all the (apparent) concerns over opportunity to develop? I think he’s already committed to signing in Van as soon as he can. He’s likely extremely excited about the coming WJCs, and the opportunities that will afford him.