It's been a tough few years for Vancouver Canucks forward Vasily Podkolzin. In his first year in North America, he spent the entire season with the Canucks in the NHL and played exactly how they expected when they selected him with the 10th overall pick in 2019.
But since his rookie year, Podkolzin hasn't been able to stick in the National Hockey League and has bounced up and down between Vancouver and their American Hockey League affiliate in Abbotsford. When he's been up with the Canucks, he hasn't brought a whole lot and has looked a shade of the player that he was during his rookie campaign in 2021-22.
Next month's training camp could be make or break time for Vasily Podkolzin with the Vancouver Canucks organization. He needs to prove himself to Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff during training camp and pre-season games in order to potentially earn a spot on the opening night roster. If he's unable to earn a roster spot right out of camp, then the Canucks are put in a very difficult situation and would have to place the Russian forward on waivers in the hopes that he'll go unclaimed and down to AHL Abbotsford. Podkolzin going unclaimed is extremely unlikely, so the Canucks may give him plenty of opportunity in training camp to prove himself and that could mean getting top-six minutes in pre-season contests alongside someone like Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller.
Recently, Jeff Paterson of The Province was on Sekeres and Price to discuss the topic and said that it's essentially make or break time for Podkolzin with the Canucks organization.
With the additions this off-season, it's going to be tough for Podkolzin to make the roster out of training camp, which could lead to his departure from the organization via waivers or a trade, if the team is able to find a match to avoid placing him on the waiver wire and losing him for nothing.
Do you think Vasily Podkolzin will make the Canucks' roster to start the 2024-25 season? Let us know what you think in the poll below.
POLL | ||
10 AOUT | 177 ANSWERS Make or break season for Vasily Podkolzin: Why the Canucks need him to make it Will Vasily Podkolzin be on the Canucks' roster to start the 2024-25 season? | ||
Yes | 111 | 62.7 % |
No, he'll be on waivers | 66 | 37.3 % |
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