Speculation: Vasili Podkolzin NHL arrival? (read OP)

[Hansen]

Justin Bailey would have had more impact for our team than Podkolzin in these playoffs. Not an indictment, just a fact that he is young and raw.

I seriously believe he should be in the AHL (maybe not in COVID world but in the before times) to further develop his offensive game. He is being hyped as being NHL ready because he can play a grinding game, but that isnt all you want from a top 10 pick. If he makes the team he'll be pigeon holed into that role and will not get the opportunity to find the production game he might given better chances

 

[krutovsdonut]

Well, yeah.

This whole argument started with claims that Podkolzin was 'ready now'. But if polished AHLers are better options and he would only be playing in the KHL to 'develop' ... then clearly he isn't ready now.

Any 'ready' NHL player would be playing regularly in the KHL because he would be an elite player at that level helping his team win games.

i think he's ready for the fourth line in the nhl, but not for a top 6 role. does that help?

 

[VanJack]

If Podkolzon isn't as good as guys like Roussel, Eriksson, Baertschi, Sutter, Beagle, MacEwan, Motte or Hawryluk on the third and fourth lines, then he should just stay in Russia.

I mean come on. How low a bar does he have to leap? Look at the salary cap? The Canucks NEED someone like Podkolzin playing on an entry level contract. The salaries for Baertschi, Sutter and Pearson are up at the end of the season. I'd be shocked if any of them gets re-signed.

The contracts for Roussel, Beagle and Eriksson will mercifully have only season left on their ridiculous four-year contracts. The Canucks will buy out at least two of them next off-season imo.

So who's going to play on the third and fourth lines with Pettersson, Hughes and possibly Demko signing big ticket contract extensions? Podkolzin and Hoglander earn third and fourth line spots almost by default.

 

[F A N]

Oh, of course there are players with standout traits who can excel at lower levels. But the KHL is really no different from the AHL in this regard.

The KHL is better than the AHL because it has more mature players, but it isn't better by a huge amount. The closest comparison to the current KHL is the old IHL of the 1990s which was filled with veteran minor-pro guys and former NHLers. And that league wasn't even close to the NHL, and neither is the KHL.

And there are a million reasons why those 'NHL equivalency' numbers are just a total waste of time.

I do think that the KHL is hard to evaluate and I agree that those NHL equivalency numbers are not very useful. What I was trying to express is that the KHL does have "stars" who can perform similarly at the NHL level. You almost never see that at the AHL level because quite frankly there are no Panarin talents at the AHL level.

At the same time, I think the KHL is better than the AHL. Productive KHL players don't tend to struggle at the AHL level unless they simply have trouble adapting to the North American game or culture. Most of the AHL stars who succeed in the KHL are skilled type players who may simply lack speed, size, or two-way game to score the same way at the NHL level.

 

[MS]

I do think that the KHL is hard to evaluate and I agree that those NHL equivalency numbers are not very useful. What I was trying to express is that the KHL does have "stars" who can perform similarly at the NHL level. You almost never see that at the AHL level because quite frankly there are no Panarin talents at the AHL level.

At the same time, I think the KHL is better than the AHL. Productive KHL players don't tend to struggle at the AHL level unless they simply have trouble adapting to the North American game or culture. Most of the AHL stars who succeed in the KHL are skilled type players who may simply lack speed, size, or two-way game to score the same way at the NHL level.

Absolutely, there are normally a few KHL guys who could play in the NHL but have chosen to stay in Russia. Mozyakin was one for years. But the bulk of the league is minor-pro calibre players.

The KHL is better than the AHL. But not by a whole lot. Again, the old IHL of the 1990s is the closest comparison in terms of league quality.

There are very few solid AHL players who have had any trouble in the KHL, either. Again, Jensen, Schroeder, Valk, Pedan, Shinkaruk etc. are all performing comparably (or better) to what they did in the AHL.

 

[I am toxic]

All 3 are tell tale signs you lost the argument. Dude, you used an NHL lockout year as your representation of KHL stats. It was laughable and got treated as such.

Everyone who posts on this board wants Podkolzin to help the Canucks win a stanley cup, all of us, but some are little more based in reality. You keep going with those 2012/13 NHLe's.

Commenting on the ridiculousness of NHLe's has nothing to do with the Canucks, y'all just aren't interested in good faith discussion.

And that poster wouldn't even give me the last word.

Evil . . . oh, wait, wrong muppet.

 

[MS]

i think he's ready for the fourth line in the nhl, but not for a top 6 role. does that help?

... and I don't believe that a player who is 'ready' for a bottom-6 role in the NHL would be struggling in the same role in a vastly inferior league.

 

[krutovsdonut]

... and I don't believe that a player who is 'ready' for a bottom-6 role in the NHL would be struggling in the same role in a vastly inferior league.

hopefully we will find out no later than 10 months from now.

 

[Ernie]

I have better things to do than engage with this nonsense. If you think that winning an argument is continuing on a rant then I feel bad for the people in your life.

 

[Waveburner]

I have better things to do than engage with this nonsense. If you think that winning an argument is continuing on a rant then I feel bad for the people in your life.

This level of condescension is honestly fantastic considering you've provided nothing so far. I hope you keep going.

 

[I am toxic]

This level of condescension is honestly fantastic considering you've provided nothing so far. I hope you keep going.

Where would he have acquired such skill?



Asking for a friend

 

[Ernie]

This level of condescension is honestly fantastic considering you've provided nothing so far. I hope you keep going.

wow that's very rich. self awareness 0/10.

 

[4Twenty]

wow that's very rich. self awareness 0/10.

The last few posts you’ve made....take them to heart.

nope.

wrong.

lacks self awareness

Quit digging man. Just use Malkin’s 28 yr old KHL season for your Equivalencies. But keep that to yourself.

 

[StreetHawk]

If Podkolzon isn't as good as guys like Roussel, Eriksson, Baertschi, Sutter, Beagle, MacEwan, Motte or Hawryluk on the third and fourth lines, then he should just stay in Russia.

I mean come on. How low a bar does he have to leap? Look at the salary cap? The Canucks NEED someone like Podkolzin playing on an entry level contract. The salaries for Baertschi, Sutter and Pearson are up at the end of the season. I'd be shocked if any of them gets re-signed.

The contracts for Roussel, Beagle and Eriksson will mercifully have only season left on their ridiculous four-year contracts. The Canucks will buy out at least two of them next off-season imo.

So who's going to play on the third and fourth lines with Pettersson, Hughes and possibly Demko signing big ticket contract extensions? Podkolzin and Hoglander earn third and fourth line spots almost by default.

Is likely keep Pod in the KHL for this season. Too many one way deals anyways so there is minimal cap savings at that point in time. Best to not burn an elc year.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

wow that's very rich. self awareness 0/10.

You've been pretty rude and condescending for most of your participation in the thread, dude. Maybe that wasn't your intention, but that's how I took your tone to be.