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Canucks sign 2019 first-round pick Vasily Podkolzin to entry-level contract |
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It was just a matter of time.
On Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks announced that they've signed Vasily Podkolzin to his entry-level contract.
In their press release on Sunday, the Canucks said that Podkolzin won't be made available to the media until after the conclusion of the World Championship, which wraps up next Sunday. As I mentioned in the last blog, my social-media sleuthing has led me to believe that he is with the Russian team in Latvia, even though he's not on the official roster.
The draft class of 2019 has been on a signing spree over the last couple of months — particularly since the NCAA season ended, with so many players from the U.S. NTDP going high in that draft. Spencer Knight and Cole Caufield have already delivered big playoff moments in their young careers.
It sounds strange to say, but the Canucks should be thrilled if Podkolzin, the 10th overall pick from that year, can follow in the footsteps of pick number 40. After appearing in every game for Vancouver in this shortened season, Nils Hoglander finished his rookie season with 13 goals and 27 points.
The 20-year-old finished in a tie for sixth in the rookie scoring race, which was won by Kirill Kaprizov, who turned 24 in April. The next two spots were held down by 2017 picks Jason Robertson and Josh Norris, with 2018 selection Yegor Sharangovich of New Jersey in fourth and precocious Tim Stutzle in fifth.
Hoglander's 27 points tied him with undrafted Swiss forward Pius Suter of Chicago, who turned 25 this month.
Though he stayed in Sweden for his first year after being drafted, Hoglander finished the season ranked fourth in his draft class in both total points and games played — behind only the top three picks of 2019, Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Kirby Dach. His 13 goals rank him third, ahead of the 10 for Dach, who spent a good chunk of this season on the injured list after breaking his wrist in a tune-up game for the World Junior Championship.
With players like Trevor Zegras, Bowen Byram and many others just starting to get their feet wet, and international stars like Moritz Seider still on their way, I wish I could hop into the time machine and fast-forward 20 years, to see which of these 2019 players end up at the top of this group when all is said and done.
In the two years since Podkolzin was selected by the Canucks at Rogers Arena, we've often discussed how his game is well suited to the NHL. He's currently listed at 1.92 metres tall and 92 kgs on the KHL website — and that works out to 6'3" and 202 pounds, well above the 6'1" and 190 he clocked in at before the draft two years ago. With a June birthday, he's also one of the younger players in his draft class — still a month away from turning 20.
He's developing a heavy body to go along with his heavy game, so he could have real potential as a true power forward. He has also displayed an impressive commitment to two-way hockey, and strong leadership skills as captain of Russia's world junior squad.
He says he'll be here in less than three months, and has no problem spending some time in the AHL if that's the route the team wants to take.
Thomas Drance of The Athletic is also reporting on Monday that the Canucks are close to signing the second of their three sixth-round picks from the 2019 draft class, Czech forward Karel Plasek.
He'll turn 21 in July, and spent most of last season playing with Brno in the top Czech league, where he recorded 10 points in 44 games.
Goaltender Arturs Silovs, another 2019 sixth-rounder, was signed to his entry-level deal two months after he was drafted, and did get to back up one game for the Canucks as they played out the string earlier this month. The third sixth-rounder, winger Jack Malone, went back to the USHL this year after losing out on the opportunity to play his sophomore season for Cornell while Ivy League hockey was shut down.
I'm also intrigued by both the seventh-rounders from that draft — forward Aidan Mcdonough, who has had two strong seasons at Northeastern, and Swedish centre Arvid Costmar, who has impressed in international competition, including the last world championship.
Costmar may not be ready for top-level hockey quite yet, though. He got into 22 SHL games this season with Linkoping, and scored just one goal.
Signing windows are longer for European and college players, so no decisions need to be made immediately in any of these cases.
Today is the moment of truth, however, for fourth-rounder Ethan Keppen. The Canucks' rights to the winger from the OHL's Flint Firebirds expire on June 1.
After not playing all year due to the OHL shutdown, Keppen signed an amateur tryout contract with the Canucks in April. He got into seven games with the Utica Comets down the stretch, picking up one assist, but Rick Dhaliwal reports that he'll become a free agent on Tuesday.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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