Vasily Podkolzin
Podkolzin with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021
Born (2001-06-24) 24 June 2001
Moscow, Russia
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams
Vancouver Canucks
Abbotsford Canucks (AHL)
SKA Saint Petersburg
NHL Draft 10th overall, 2019
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 2018present

Vasily Alexandrovich Podkolzin (alternately spelled Vasili Podkolzin, Russian: Василий Александрович Подколзин; born 24 June 2001) is a Russian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Abbotsford Canucks in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected tenth overall by the Canucks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with them in 2021. Prior to joining Vancouver Podkolzin played for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League. Internationally Podkolzin has played for the Russian national junior team at several tournaments.

Playing career

Podkolzin played for the Belye Medvedi club until he was 12 years old, when he moved to Vityaz Podolsk. The move was done both because Belye Medvedi has no professional affiliate, and their leadership had changed.[1] He spent four years with Vityaz at their school, but was not given a chance to play for their club in the Junior Hockey League (MHL), the top junior league in Russia, so in 2018 he decided to transfer to powerhouse SKA Saint Petersburg.[1]

On 12 November 2018, Podkolzin made his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) debut with SKA Saint Petersburg, becoming the first player born in the 21st century to play in the KHL.[2] He split the 2018–19 season between three teams and leagues: three games with SKA; fourteen with SKA-Neva of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), the minor league for the KHL; and twelve games with SKA-1946 of the MHL.[3]

Rated by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau as the second-best international (playing outside of North America) skater, Podkolzin was a highly regarded prospect going into the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.[4] He was selected tenth overall by the Vancouver Canucks.[3] As he still had a contract with SKA for two more seasons, Podkolzin remained in Russia before moving to the NHL.[5]

On 30 May 2021, Podkolzin was signed by the Vancouver Canucks to a three-year, entry-level contract.[6] He scored his first NHL goal against the Philadelphia Flyers' Carter Hart on 15 October in his second NHL game.

Playing for the Abbotsford Canucks, Podkolzin was taken off ice on a stretcher during a game against the Colorado Eagles, due to collision with Keaton Middleton.[7]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Russia
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2020 Czech Republic
Bronze medal – third place2019 Canada

In 2018, Podkolzin captained Russia in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he won a bronze medal. In the bronze medal game against the United States, Podkolzin scored a hat trick in a 5–4 victory.[8] He led the tournament in scoring with 8 goals, 3 assists and 11 total points in 5 games.[5]

Podkolzin next played internationally at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Vancouver, Canada. He recorded 3 assists in 7 games, helping Russia win bronze.[9] He also played at the 2019 Under-18 World Championships, scoring four points in seven games.[5] Podkolzin then played in the 2020 World Junior Championships in Ostrava. He scored five points in seven games, registering a goal and 4 assists. Russia fell in the final to Canada, leaving with a silver medal. In 2021, he was named captain of Team Russia, where he led the team to a 4th place finish. He scored four points in seven games with two goals and two assists.

Personal life

Podkolzin was born in Moscow and grew up in the Maryino District of the city. He has one younger brother, Mikhail (born 2011), who also plays hockey. Podkolzin's father, Alexander, is an entrepreneur, while his mother teaches piano.[1] He first skated at the age of four, and began to play hockey shortly after that. His grandfather played for Khimik Voskresensk, and his father plays in an amateur league. When he was eight, Podkolzin joined the Belye Medvedi (White Bears) club.[2] The Belye Medvedi facilities were on the opposite side of the city from the Podkolzin home (north-west and south-east, respectively); it took over an hour via metro and bus for Podkolzin to reach the rink.[1] When he moved to Saint Petersburg, Podkolzin stayed in an apartment with a teammate, Ivan Manin.[10]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeague GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2016–17 Vityaz Podolsk RUS-U16 2916233945
2017–18 Vityaz Podolsk RUS-U17 2113173020
2018–19 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 30000
2018–19 SKA-Neva VHL 142354 82130
2018–19 SKA-1946 MHL 126282 32130
2019–20 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 302687 41230
2019–20 SKA-Neva VHL 163586 10000
2019–20 SKA-1946 MHL 20446
2020–21 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 35561115 1665116
2020–21 SKA-Neva VHL 10110
2021–22 Vancouver Canucks NHL 7914122626
2021–22 Abbotsford Canucks AHL 21120
2022–23 Vancouver Canucks NHL 394379
2022–23 Abbotsford Canucks AHL 287111812
KHL totals 687121922 2077146
NHL totals 11818153335

International

Year Team Event GPGAPtsPIM
2017 Russia U17 515610
2018 Russia U18 42240
2018 Russia HG18 583118
2019 Russia WJC 70334
2020 Russia WJC 71458
2021 Russia WJC 72248
Junior totals 3514193338

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Belousov, Yevgeni; Klimovitski, Pavel (17 August 2018). "История нового русского суперталанта. Он не захотел ехать в Канаду и перешел в СКА" [The history of the new Russian super talent. He did not want to go to Canada and moved to SKA]. Sport-express.ru. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  2. 1 2 Seren Rosso, Alessandro (20 June 2019). "Vasily Podkozlin: A Star in the Making". KHL.ru. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  3. 1 2 Biech, Ryan (21 June 2019). "Deep Dive: Vasily Podkolzin". NHL.com. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  4. Morreale, Mike G. (15 April 2019). "Kakko No. 1 in Central Scouting final ranking of International skaters". NHL.com. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 Kimelman, Adam (14 June 2019). "Podkolzin preaches patience for NHL arrival ahead of 2019 Draft". NHL.com. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  6. "Canucks sign Vasily Podkolzin". Vancouver Canucks. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  7. Raptis, Mike. "Canucks: Vasily Podkolzin stretchered off ice in scary incident at Abbotsford Centre". The Province. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  8. Kuzma, Ben (22 June 2019). "Canucks had options, but were always sold on Russian Vasili Podkolzin". The Province. Vancouver. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  9. Aykroyd, Lucas (6 January 2019). "Russia tops Swiss for Bronze". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  10. Yeronko, Igor (21 September 2018). ""Говорят, Америка, Канада – это круто. Но сейчас я не хочу туда ехать". Интервью нового русского суперталанта" ["They say America, Canada is great. But now I don't want to go there." Interview of the new Russian super talent]. Sport-express.ru. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
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