The plans for Vasily Podkolzin's return already determined: Canucks to acquire their next Nikita Zadorov?
While Vasili Podkolzin's NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks has not gotten out to the best start, the August 18th trade sending him to the Edmonton Oilers for a 4th round pick came as a surprise.
Podkolzin was expected to challenge for a depth role with the Canucks, but GM Patrik Allvin decided instead to turn him into currency, and Canucks Insiders Rick Dhaliwal and Thomas Drance say they're open for business with that pick.
The fourth-round pick is already burning a hole in the pocket of Canucks hockey operations leadership. It's ammunition, an asset that's already been pretty explicitly marked as something that the club will look to use to improve during this season.
The Canucks took a gamble trading a player who could still have some potential upside to a division rival, but given how disappointing the former 10th overall pick's career has gone so far and the stockpile of young forwards the Canucks have as bottom six options - it's a bet they were willing to make.
A little under a year ago, the Canucks used a 3rd Round Pick and a 5th Round Pick to acquire the Defenseman who would end up playing huge minutes down the line, Nikita Zadorov. With another pick in their pool, are they already looking at a similar trade?
The Canucks are pressed fairly tight to the salary cap, and if they want to make additions throughout the season may require double retention, in which case extra mid round picks could come in handy.
POLL |
What do you think the Canucks do with the 4th rounder acquired from Edmonton? |
Keep it and draft a prospect | 60 | 29.9 % |
Trade it outright for a depth player | 83 | 41.3 % |
Trade it to incentivize a third team to retain | 58 | 28.9 % |
List of polls |
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Previously on CanucksDaily