When Leon Draisaitl goes to bat for you, as a fellow teammate, you’ve likely got it made. Such might be the case for Vasily Podkolzin, who in a short run with the Edmonton Oilers has earned the trust of his coach, and more importantly the respect of his linemate.
Draisaitl was raving about Podkolzin recently. After Podkolzin scored his first goal of the season, Draisaitl emphasized that fans and the media completely underrate the Oilers’ newbie’s game. Saying he loved playing with him and is excited about his first goal possibly opening up the floodgates for him.
He labeled Podkolzin an ideal support player, which will undoubtedly carry a lot of clout with team management.
“He’s a really, really good hockey player. He’s really underrated. He does a lot of things that go unnoticed, that a lot of people that don’t understand hockey, they don’t pick up on it He’s really smart and he passes the puck really well. He makes the right plays almost every single time.”
Draisaitl praised him as very fun to play with, a compliment he once gave Kailer Yamamoto. That praise undoubtedly influenced Yamamoto’s contract extension before his eventual trade and fade from the NHL.
Should the Oilers Be Listening to Draisaitl’s Assessment?
Draisaitl doesn’t sign players to contracts. That’s the job of GM Stan Bowman. But, with Podkolzin being a pending UFA at the end of next season, you can bet, that as long as Podkolzin doesn’t suddenly stop trying, he’ll be getting another offer on July 1.
The fact that Draisaitl was so complimentary and cited several examples of the kinds of things Podkolzin does is something the Oilers should be taking note of.
Podkolzin has one more season after this for $1 million; a great deal for a player who has shown he can hang with the likes of Draisaitl on the Oilers’ second line. And, as the NHL salary cap jumps, Bowman might be smart to take Draisaitl’s word. Locking the 23-year-old into a team-friendly deal will be a wise investment and make one of his stars happy.
