Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] F Vasily Podkolzin signs extension with the Canucks (2 years, $1.0M AAV)
- Thread starter Mrfenn92
- Start date
I don’t think he’s got the upside we once thought he did but I have a feeling guys like Podz and Raty are going to play big middle/bottom six roles in Vancouver next year.
Part of what made the Canucks so good this year was their awesome depth and role players having career years. Joshua, Bluegers, Suter, PDG, Lafferty.
You can’t and specifically do not want to pay all those guys long term. That’s bad analytics. But when you have your Podz and Raty types stewing in the AHL, you can replace those roles internally and cheaply.
Good cheap depth for Vancouver even if he’s no longer a sexy prospect or asset. I think Podz still has a long NHL career ahead of him.
Part of what made the Canucks so good this year was their awesome depth and role players having career years. Joshua, Bluegers, Suter, PDG, Lafferty.
You can’t and specifically do not want to pay all those guys long term. That’s bad analytics. But when you have your Podz and Raty types stewing in the AHL, you can replace those roles internally and cheaply.
Good cheap depth for Vancouver even if he’s no longer a sexy prospect or asset. I think Podz still has a long NHL career ahead of him.
Gurglesons
Registered User
Agreed. Tho I will say that with Podz if he's given a more offensive role as he gains more confidence, I think he can be a 25-25 type of player that brings all the other stuff that emblazons Rick Tochett hockey.
Raty OTOH has really started showing why he was once such a highly ranked prospect.
The kid has everything but speed and I think that causes him to have a longer adjustment period as he progresses levels. But if he continues that trend he's gonna be a real good point producing solid 2way guy in the NHL.
Watching him now in Abby, you can see that he's not just a regular talent but has that it factor that most don't have down there.
PavelBure10
The Russian Rocket
Very fair deal. Pods will probably never be a scorer but once he gets his man strength he could be a very useful bottom 6 player.
Artorius Horus T
sincerety
- Oct 13, 2018
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Because 1m for an RFA 3rd line winger is a totally fine deal? Do you expect the team to just let RFA's walk for free when they're playing in the NHL?
A million bucks for a middle 6 AHLer. Lucky for him he was a high draft pick or he’d be in Siberia right now.
Based on post history for that particular player, yes, he expected that even if the idea is foolish.
Good move for both Vancouver and Pod.
Because he's developing into an effective bottom sixer and he's a cheap RFA. Every team in the league would have made the same decision.
Tell me you just stat watch without saying it explicitly.
Making blatantly false comments like this on players you don't even watch should be considered trolling. Absolute waste of space.
The Nuge
Some say…
Smart gamble for Vancouver. The worst case scenario is he costs nothing against the cap, and if he can turn into an NHLer next year, you get him cheap for an extra year
Podz has had a very crazy year. He went from being pencilled into the lineup to being sent down, got choke slammed into the ice so hard he started convulsing, and then had a baby just a few months later. I can’t imagine how stressed he and his wife were while expecting a baby, and I hope he can have some stability. I love this player
Mathew Barzal
Walk It Like I Tocchet
Great contract! Love having Podz on the team. I dont think he will ever live up to the high draft pick value but he brings alot to the team. He is a heat seeking missile on the forecheck and is ultra responsible defensively. I think playoff hockey will also suit his game more. I'm not expecting much from his this playoff run but i hope he can use it as a building block to continue developing.
TheDawnOfANewTage
Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
- Dec 17, 2018
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Oh man, where’s that one poster who thinks Podkolzin is his mortal enemy? That dude rules.
NYR94
Registered User
It was the same way on the ice. Board battle followed up by a guy picking him up and slamming him to the ice.
WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
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A bit surprising he didn't go back to the KHL, but I'm sure Canuck fans are grateful he's sticking around to battle it out a bit more. The ceiling is obviously not super high but sometimes these big guys take a while.
Podkolzin either gets underrated or overrated. I remember the subset of Canuck fans who thought he was a better prospect than Brzustewicz. He's clearly not. Then there is the subset who think he's waiver fodder. He's clearly not. He'll be a steady 3rd line wing in the NHL one day. Solid signing.
eviohh26
Registered User
Kid has made it clear he wants to be a NHL'er. KHL is not a option.
I love the way he plays. He is defensively responsible , forechecks and backchecks hard. Hits anything that moves and hits hard. He is calm with the puck on his stick and makes smart clean passes. I feel he will be our Hoglander 2.0 . His numbers are not there but they will come.
I love the way he plays. He is defensively responsible , forechecks and backchecks hard. Hits anything that moves and hits hard. He is calm with the puck on his stick and makes smart clean passes. I feel he will be our Hoglander 2.0 . His numbers are not there but they will come.
He’s got all the makings of a decent 3rd line checker. Speed, physicality, hard nosed, and plays with energy. High work ethic. Has some puck skills.
He lives in Vancouver during the off season, he’s committed to the NHL.
biturbo19
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2010
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As expected. Pretty much every Canucks fan paying attention, fully expected him to basically get the "Hoglander special" contract extension. Which is exactly what this is here.
Whether he goes crazy and pays off huge like Hoglander's deal, remains to be seen, and is fairly unlikely. But the Canucks are going to really need cheap depth to offset some of the other big contracts they'll be signing/starting, plus OEL buyout...and just a lot of guys to re-sign in general.
Podkolzin looks like an NHL bottom-6er again of late, so he's not a bad buy at $1M in that respect. But unlike most cheaper depth FAs you could sign to pad out a roster, Podkolzin does still have at least a reasonable shred of "upside". If he can be a 15G+ bottom-6/middle-6 complementary guy with some physicality and defensively responsible, that'd be huge on a cheap $1M deal. Much less if he starts to become the actual middle-6 complementary 20G+ sort of player over the course of this contract.
And there's very little downside. Can more or less bury it if you need to because he regresses super hard again. It's also an easily moveable "reclamation project" contract anyway. So worst case, you can always just unload it that way to a team looking for a cheap filler with size and former draft pedigree.
Effectively no risk. Potentially big reward.
Whether he goes crazy and pays off huge like Hoglander's deal, remains to be seen, and is fairly unlikely. But the Canucks are going to really need cheap depth to offset some of the other big contracts they'll be signing/starting, plus OEL buyout...and just a lot of guys to re-sign in general.
Podkolzin looks like an NHL bottom-6er again of late, so he's not a bad buy at $1M in that respect. But unlike most cheaper depth FAs you could sign to pad out a roster, Podkolzin does still have at least a reasonable shred of "upside". If he can be a 15G+ bottom-6/middle-6 complementary guy with some physicality and defensively responsible, that'd be huge on a cheap $1M deal. Much less if he starts to become the actual middle-6 complementary 20G+ sort of player over the course of this contract.
And there's very little downside. Can more or less bury it if you need to because he regresses super hard again. It's also an easily moveable "reclamation project" contract anyway. So worst case, you can always just unload it that way to a team looking for a cheap filler with size and former draft pedigree.
Effectively no risk. Potentially big reward.
Canucks LB
My Favourite, Gone too soon, RIP Luc, We miss you
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