This was always going to be a make-or-break year for Vasily Podkolzin and the Vancouver Canucks.
That’s why we profiled the 23-year-old Russian last month.
Waiver eligible for the first time in his young career, it’s NHL or bust for the former 10th overall draft pick. Abbotsford wasn’t going to be an option this season, so the magnifying glass was going to be on Podkolzin in training camp.
Or so we thought.
The Canucks decided to cut bait, trading Podkolzin to the Edmonton Oilers for just a fourth-round draft pick. It’s a measly return but shows just how far his stock has fallen since former Canucks GM Jim Benning picked him in the first round of the 2019 draft.
Podkolzin was a polarizing prospect heading into that draft. The power forward kicked off his draft-eligible season by leading the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in goals (eight) and tied for first in points (11) in just five games.
Russia's Vasili Podkolzin leads the #HlinkaGretzkyCup in goals and is considered a top prospect for the #2019NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/aLNSoGJJL3
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 11, 2018
But throughout the rest of Podkolzin’s draft-eligible season, his stock fell because of a lack of production. He scored four points (1-3-4) in seven games at the U-18 World Championship and three points (0-3-3) at the World Juniors. Podkolzin went from a top-three prospect to a borderline top-10 pick in the eyes of many leading up to the draft.
Still, there was reason for optimism when the Canucks selected him.
Podkolzin has been praised by all his Canucks coaches for his work ethic and attitude, but time after time he has failed to put points on the board.
In fairness to Podkolzin, it hasn’t always been his fault. He rotted on the bench for much of his time in the KHL before coming to Vancouver.
The Canucks rushed Podkolzin into the NHL as a 20-year-old under Travis Green in 2021. The team was a disaster, and Green was fired by December. Bruce Boudreau took over, and Podkolzin seemed to thrive in the second half of the season, scoring 20 points (9-11-20) in the final 56 games under Boudreau.
But that was as good as it got for Podkolzin in Vancouver.
Since the end of the 2021-22 season, Podkolzin has split time between Vancouver and Abbotsford, scoring just nine points (4-5-9) in 58 NHL games and 46 points (22-24-46) in 72 AHL games.
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The Canucks were patient as can be with Podkolzin last season. They sent him to the AHL early and kept him there until March. His numbers with Abbotsford were respectable ā 28 points (15-13-28) in 44 games ā but certainly not eye-popping. And he failed to score a single goal in 19 games with Vancouver after being called up.
Now, this doesn’t mean Podkolzin’s NHL career is over. He’s only 23, after all.
That’s why some Canucks fans are wondering if GM Patrik Allvin gave up on Podkolzin too quickly.
Fulfilling the potential that comes with being a top-10 draft pick isn’t realistic anymore, but Podkolzin could develop into an everyday bottom-six, two-way winger. Time is ticking though.
You can’t shoehorn a 23-year-old prospect into the lineup if he doesn’t deserve it, particularly with a player who hasn’t shown nearly enough flashes of offence.
That’s why the most important question for Podkolzin now is more what is he, rather than what will he become.
The Canucks appear to have made the decision that he isn’t an everyday NHL player.
Podkolzin will try to prove them wrong in Edmonton.