Podkolzin has lots of time for polish
2019 first-rounder has shown flashes of the promise that caught Canucks' eye
It's the latest edition of the world junior championship tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks' highest-profile prospects:
VASILI PODKOLZIN
They love me.
They love me not.
Fresh off what some saw as a disappointing tournament opener for the Vancouver Canucks' top prospect, Podkolzin couldn't get it going offensively again in Russia's 2-0 loss to the Czech Republic at the 2021 world junior championship on Sunday night.
The 2019 first-rounder, captaining a talented Russian side, had some moments in a tightly contested first period, distributing the puck to his teammates and winning a bevy of battles. Midway through the period, Podkolzin whipped a dangerous pass across the Czech crease, but couldn't connect with a linemate.
Later in the frame, Podkolzin found himself on a two-on-one that was eventually broken up by Czech defender Jan Mysak. The pass to Podkolzin didn't have much steam on it, so the Canucks prospect tried to feed it back across the net, with Mysak getting a stick on the puck.
Podkolzin, a six- foot- one, 192-pound right-shot winger, was less noticeable in the second period, as the Czechs capitalized on a Shakir Mukhamadullin bobble at the blue-line and scored on the ensuing rush to make the score 1-0. Podkolzin wasn't on the ice for the goal against.
The Czechs took a 2-0 lead in the third on a Martin Lang goal after Russian defenceman Daniil Chayka had a point shot blocked, springing Lang on a breakaway in which he beat Yaroslav Askarov on a quick wrister.
Throughout the game, Podkolzin often found himself as a netfront presence, something that the Russians appeared to tweak in the third period as things got desperate.
Podkolzin, 19, helped create a chance with less than two minutes left in the game, but Czech goaltender Lukas Parik made the save on Yegor Chinakov in tight.
Podkolzin finished the game with two shots on net and an even rating.
Many Canucks fans are getting their first look at Podkolzin in a while and — spoiler alert — he's not going to blow you away with his offensive game. This is a player whose pedigree rests on his defensive work rate, his on-ice vision and his truculent physical play.
He's also tough as nails, as exhibited when he took a late, high hit and didn't even drop to the ice in the 5-3 win over the Americans on Christmas.
He's also a natural leader. In that same game, Podkolzin repeatedly pulled teammates out of after-whistle scrums, with Chayka telling KHL.com's Gillian Kemmerer afterwards that Podkolzin “is someone who should be a captain anywhere that he plays.”
Still, as the 10th-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Podkolzin is expected to put points on the board, especially at the junior level.
He's taking some heat online for not producing — something the future Canuck will look to change against Austria today.
The Austrians were demolished by the Americans 11-0 on Saturday, so Podkolzin and the Russians will view the matchup as a get-well game.
Podkolzin has no points in two games this tournament. He has two goals, four assists and a plus-1 rating in 24 KHL games this season.
As for Canucks prospects playing elsewhere at the moment:
DMITRI ZLODEYEV
He's making the most of his playing time at home after missing out on Russia's world junior squad.
Zlodeyev scored a goal this past week for Dynamo Moscow in VHL action, as the 18-year-old notched his fifth tally of the season in Russia's second-tier men's league. The goal came in a 3-1 win on Christmas Day against Buran Voronezh, with Zlodeyev opening the scoring against his hometown team.
On the goal, Zlodeyev — a defensive-minded centre with some serious puck skills — took a pass at the opposition's blue-line midway through the first period, stickhandled around a defender and ripped a wrist shot past the goalie's outstretched glove.
The 2020 sixth-rounder had a look at scoring again in the second period, neatly tipping a shot that was stopped by the goaltender.
Zlodeyev, who stands at five foot 11 and 183 pounds, was also engaged physically, mixing it up with a Voronezh defender after a whistle in the third period.
Zlodeyev didn't find the scoresheet in Sunday's 3-1 loss to HC Tambov, but was given third-line minutes as he continues to gain the coaches' trust at the professional level.
Should he continue his strong play, it won't be long before Zlodeyev makes his KHL debut. After all, he was slated to get his first KHL start late last month before an injury set him back.
Zlodeyev has five goals and a minus-1 rating in 15 VHL games this season.
He also has four goals, eight assists and a plus-8 rating in 15 games in the junior-level MHL.