Canucks send Podkolzin to AHL after healthy scratching him again

Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports

Good Co. Bars is your home for the playoffs! Enjoy $5 beers, prizes, a full game-day experience, and the best atmosphere to catch the game. Join us at any of our five locations.

Vasily Podkolzin will not be making the trip with the Vancouver Canucks to Nashville for Game 6.

The team announced today that they’ve sent Podkolzin back down to the AHL. He’ll join the Abbotsford Canucks, who are in the midst of their own playoff race.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that F Vasily Podkolzin has been assigned to Abbotsford (AHL).

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) May 1, 2024

Rick Tocchet hinted yesterday that this move could be coming. It’s been nearly a full two weeks since Podkolzin has played a hockey game at any level and the team didn’t want him to spend so much time away from the game.

“He’s definitely got to go play a game, for sure, and we’ve talked about that,” said the head coach yesterday. “I think it’s important that he plays some game in a playoff style which could be Abbotsford.”

The Canucks can always recall Podkolzin at a moment’s notice should they need him with the big club.

The Russian winger has struggled to break into the Canucks lineup during their first-round series against the Nashville Predators. Phil Di Giuseppe has established his position in the forward group, which has left Podkolzin on the outside looking in.

The Abbotsford Canucks are in the AHL Pacific Division Semifinal after a dramatic do-or-die victory over the Colorado Eagles. They’ll face off against the Ontario Reign in a best-of-five series.

Podkolzin played 44 regular-season AHL games this season. He scored 15 goals and added 13 assists for 28 total points. The big forward will definitely provide a boost for Abbotsford as they look to continue their playoff run.

The 6-foot-1 forward played two AHL playoff games with Abbotsford during the 2021-22 season. He scored a goal and added an assist as he produced at a point-per-game rate over the tiny sample size.

Abbotsford starts its series against the Reign on Wednesday, May 1 in California. They’ll play two games south of the border before playing the final three, if they’re all needed, in British Columbia.

You might also like: