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Vasily Podkolzin can’t score, which is clearly bugging him as you look at his face as he sits on the bench, but any time the captain Connor McDavid says he likes playing with him, goals aside, that is clearly a whopping assist he should be taking to heart.
No testimonial means more 97’s. It rings very loudly.
Maybe we missed it, but as much as Jesse Puljujarvi was good defensively, did some good stuff and had underlying numbers that appealed to his Edmonton Oilers fan base, did they sound as positive about Jesse as a sometimes linemate in his time here when Puljuarvi was having trouble scoring?
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No.
The 2019 first-round draft Vancouver Canucks winger (10th overall) has no goals in 20 games here, and none in 608 dark days since his last one March 23, 2023, baffling because people in Vancouver who are around the team all the time will tell you he had the best wrist-shot on the team in his days there.
He’s probably better suited to being a third-line NHL winger with his bulldozer style, where the heat’s turned down and scoring isn’t as critical as being in the top six, but again, McDavid, who knows a player when he sees one, and Leon Draisaitl, too, are fans — big fans.
So, he will probably be on LW with 97 again against the Minnesota Wild Thursday. And maybe 29, too. They were a trio in Ottawa Tuesday when Podkolzin had two assists.
McDavid remains effusive in his praise of Podkolzin against the Senators is wearing a haunted look as he tries for a goal, any goal.
“Honestly the numbers aren’t showing it,” said McDavid. “I know he hasn’t scored and lots has been made of that. But he works so hard, keeps pucks alive, makes so many great little subtle plays that the media doesn’t love to write about.”
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Actually we do. It’s been pointed out, but …
“Plays that are important to being a good linemate,” said 97.
He said the same thing about his work ethic three weeks ago, in terms of context, so goals or not, he hasn’t lost his bullishness on Podkolzin’s ability and doggedness as the drought continues.
The catch has been how long a player can ride with 97 and 29 without scoring. He doesn’t shoot nearly enough, just 27 over the 20 games. It’s like he’s paralyzed in a scoring area, passing off.
“I remember watching him in the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament here (2018), watching his Russian team against USA, and he was better than (Cole) Caufield and didn’t have trouble with (Quinn) Hughes. He was great,” recalled an NHL scout.
The hitch is continuing to play Podkolzin in the top six, however, either with McDavid or Draisaitl in the middle, not as a trio. If Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is on left wing, and not centre, then what of Jeff Skinner, who has three goals on 55 shots? He shouldn’t be a fourth-line winger, for sure, or anywhere in the bottom six, not with 360 career goals. They signed him for $3 million.
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But that’s a story for another day.
KEEP AN EYE ON THIS
Zach Hyman seldom gets hurt, but when he didn’t return for the third period, even with a 4-1 Oiler lead in Ottawa, yes, it should ring some alarm bells. He always wants to play. Did he really get hurt on that innocuous collision with Nick Jensen while trying to stay onside — he was wincing, and maybe he twisted the wrong way (core issue) — or when he was drilled in the chest at centre ice by Arber Xhekaj in Montreal the night before, a play that should have been an interference call?
All we know is, that supposed day-to-day issue with the other top-six winger, Viktor Arvidsson, is now over a week (four games missed), too. Having both Hyman and Arvidsson out against the very strong Wild would be a problem, clearly.
This ‘n that: If it doesn’t matter, a left-shot defenceman or right-shot add for Oilers at deadline for the second pairing, Mike Matheson in Montreal makes perfect sense because he can play both sides, is an excellent puck-mover and underrated defensively, along with being comfortable as a lefty on the right. He has this season and next at $4.88 million AAV, so he would need some Habs’ salary retention. Lots of teams will be calling on the veteran Matheson though … Minnesota’s stud forward Kirill Kaprizov now has a point in 10 straight road games as the Wild, with eight road wins and 18 total points on the season … Oilers waiver claim Kasperi Kapanen will wear 42 here as he did in St. Louis. Best 42 in Oiler history: probably Josef Beranek, who had 49 points one season and 66 over 121 games … Ex-Oilers defenceman Philip Broberg is already back skating 2 1/2 weeks after Mitch Marner fell on his leg, so the Blues’ defender is well ahead of his four- to six-week timeframe for a return … Oil Kings centre Gracyn Sawchyn, Florida’s second-round pick who was just signed a while back, is a tough kid. “He had two teeth knocked out in a game in Saskatoon last trip, needed surgery, and insisted on playing the next night, wearing a bubble (cage),” said Oil Kings’ GM Kirt Hill, who thinks Sawchyn, even at 160 pounds, might find his way to the NHL because of his skill and competitiveness … Hill could get first pick in the 2025 bantam draft. He has Seattle and Moose Jaw’s first-round picks after trades, and both clubs are struggling mightily. The best WHL bantam prospect is forward Maddox Schultz, playing for Regina Pat Canadians in U18, and he’s 14. He’s already 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, so bigger than most kids his age … Oilers farmhand Matthew Savoie got a few games at centre when Noah Philp was recalled a few weeks ago, but he’s back at wing because they see him as an NHL winger with his quickness. He probably needs a full year in Bakersfield in his first pro season. “He’s done fine but has to work at getting inside, finding holes. Guys in the American League are bigger, stronger than in junior,” said Bakersfield GM Keith Gretzky … Noah Philp got a three-game Oilers look after a call-up in late October and currently has seven points in 11 games in Bakersfield. But they want him percolating in the minors, unless there’s injuries here. Maybe in the New Year a bring-back as fourth-line centre. “He still took a year off. That’s a lot. He has to work on the little details here, like faceoffs (to be a fourth-line NHL centre),” said Gretzky … Ex-Oilers winger Tyler Benson, after playing last season in Henderson for the Vegas farm team, is now with MoDo in the Swedish Hockey League … Vegas just called up two productive farmhands, Cal Burke and Mason Morelli, but not Raphael Lavoie. Always good in the minors, Lavoie has really struggled in Henderson after their waiver claim, with a goal and an assist in 11 games … Bakersfield doesn’t have a captain after Brad Malone retired and hooked on as an assistant coach in Oshawa with the OHL Generals, but likely will name one next week, either Drake Caggiula or Seth Griffith.
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