Top prospect Podkolzin stuck in neutral
Talented winger struggles with KHL squad while blueliner Tryamkin blossoms
It's the latest edition of the weekly tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks' highest-profile prospects:
He's being called a generational talent in Russia.
He's marketed as a young star, featured in KHL promotionals and SKA St. Petersburg's social media feed ad nauseam.
He plays the right way, says the right things, and works hard to improve his already well-rounded game.
So when the Canucks' 2019 first rounder keeps getting buried in the lineup, not seeing the ice when the spotlight is shining the brightest — something's not right.
The last two weeks looked like the first two weeks of the season for Podkolzin, with his strong two-way play standing out despite a limited on-ice role.
In a 4-1 win over Metallurg on Oct. 7, the 19-year-old recorded three shots on net and two hits in 11:48 of ice time.
In a 4-3 loss to Dynamo Moscow a few nights later, Podkolzin started strong with three hits in the first period, finishing the game with two shots on goal, one blocked shot and a minus-1 rating, while playing just over 12 minutes.
This past week, his ice time dipped further in a 4-1 win at Sochi on Wednesday and a 3-1 loss in the Army rivalry game against CSKA Moscow on Friday night.
Against Sochi, Podkolzin recorded two shots on net and an even rating in 10:47. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound winger was allotted a team-low 8:37 of ice time in the loss to CSKA, though he still had an impact on the game, dishing out a big hit, drawing a penalty, and getting off a shot on net on a solo rush up the ice.
“We tried hard, fought on the ice and showed commitment. We conceded a cheap goal in the first period. Nevertheless, everyone displayed effort. We'll draw the correct conclusions and fix our mistakes for future matches,” Podkolzin said after the game.
When asked about drawing
the penalty — which gave SKA a two-man advantage — Podkolzin said: “All of us try to help the team. Everyone has their own roles within the team, some of us try to draw penalties out of the opponents, while others score on the power play. We didn't score on the 5-on-3, but we did register one power play goal today. We will continue working.”
NIKITA TRYAMKIN
Welcome to Nikita's block party, where shots are shunned and you pay a heavy price for admission.
Tryamkin, 26, leads the KHL in blocked shots and is 11th in hits after a productive couple of weeks for Avtomobilist.
The towering defenceman recorded seven blocked shots, one hit and two shots on goal during 23:55 of ice time in a 3-2 win over Barys on Oct. 7.
In a 3-1 win over Traktor on Oct. 11, Tryamkin produced a monster stat line, contributing four shots on net, five hits, three blocked shots and a plus-1 rating in a whopping 29:26 of ice time.
He also factored into the scoring, notching a power play assist to help put the game away late in the third period. On the play, Tryamkin faked a shot from the point, drawing the penalty killers toward him before dishing the puck to a shooter at the face off circle.
The 6-foot-8, 254-pound rearguard didn't stop there,
amassing another impressive stat line in Wednesday's 4-3 win at Vityaz, where he finished with a plus-2 rating, three shots on goal and four more blocked shots in 19:44 of ice time.
There was more from the Big Friendly Giant this past week, but you get the idea.
Tryamkin's resurgent play this season comes at an opportune time for a player just entering his prime. The Canucks are reshaping their blue line, and judging by their draft strategy earlier this month, the onus is on size and skating ability — which fits Tryamkin to a tee.
In 17 games this season, Tryamkin sits 20th among defencemen in points (1G, 6A), ninth in ice time (23:18),
first in blocked shots (47), 11th in hits (32) and is a plus-3 overall.
NILS HOGLANDER
It's official: Hoglander is in a slump.
After notching four points in his first two games this season for Rogle BK, the Canucks' 2019 second rounder has gone pointless over his last six outings — though it hasn't been for lack of trying.
In a 3-1 win over Orebro on Oct. 10, the 5-foot-9, 190pound winger recorded three shots on goal and one hit in 15 minutes of ice time.
In Thursday's 2-1 loss at Brynas, Hoglander was dangerous, directing four shots at the opposition net while looking
dangerous with the puck. On one sequence, the 19-year-old cut in from the side boards, deked through a defender and fired a hard, high wrist shot to the goalie's blocker side.
He also stripped an opponent of the puck in the neutral zone before breaking in alone, only to be foiled by the goaltender.
He was less effective in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to Leksand, registering one hit and going minus-1 in 14:45 of ice time.
Hoglander has four assists and a plus-4 rating in eight games this Swedish Hockey League season.