The Canuck Way Mailbag: Podkolzin, Boeser, Bure, prospects, more

Since Pettersson joined the team in 2018-19, we all had visions of two elite one-timers on the power play. The problem is, the Canucks have never used both of them in that capacity.

Pettersson is always set up on the right side for it while Boeser is never put in a shooting position for that same opportunity on the other side. Then when Tyler Toffoli joined the team, he was relegated to second unit duty where he rarely got any opportunities at all.

If the Canucks want to maximize both their offensive weapons on the power play, they have to start using both of them more effectively. Boeser has a great one-timer, but only when he’s getting a pass from an elite playmaker.

It has to be perfectly placed in his wheelhouse or he won’t get his A-shot away. With Pettersson, he seems to be able to adjust his shot no matter how bad the pass is. Boeser, on the other hand, needs a little help from his friends.

I’m not sure Green and Newell Brown will make the necessary adjustments to allow Boeser to have more chances on the power play. Both Pettersson and Boeser need to be triggermen, not just one of them.

All of last season, it was clear that Pettersson was the primary target along with Horvat in the slot or bumper position. With Toffoli gone to the Montreal Canadiens, Boeser should resume his role on the first unit, but he also needs to resume his role as triggerman as well.

That is a tough question to answer. Pavel Bure was one of the NHL’s most electrifying goal scorers while Pettersson is one of the most dynamic two-way forwards in the game today. They are different players with different skill sets, so I am going to take the easy way out and say both.

Bure’s primary skill was scoring goals at insane speeds. Even when it was diminished later in his career, he could still find the back of the net almost at will.

Pettersson, on the other hand, can do almost everything at an elite level. Obviously, he does not have the same speed and automatic goal-scoring acumen, but his overall package is much more impressive. His hockey IQ is off the charts, and he has a lethal one-timer and soft hands to match. His wrist shot, slap shot and playmaking abilities are no slouches either.

Basically, it would be amazing to have Pettersson and Bure on the same line in the same era. I would not be surprised if they both posted 120-point seasons and Bure was a 60-plus goal scorer. Too bad we don’t have a time machine.

Unfortunately, Vasili Podkolzin will be with SKA St Petersburg until the end of the KHL’s 2020-21 season. He can join the Canucks when their regular season comes to an end or they get eliminated from the playoffs. With the NHL potentially playing games into May, he could debut in the NHL as soon as mid-season.

When Podkolzin finally comes over to North America, I can see him fitting in well on Horvat’s line with his size, speed, and forechecking abilities. He plays the game with a high motor, strong work ethic, and impressive two-way game which would be a welcome addition to a matchup line like Horvat’s. He has endured a trying season in the KHL so far, but his increased role with Team Russia in the Karjala Cup appears to have re-ignited his game.

Podkolzin currently has four points in his first two games, which included an exciting game-winning shootout goal he scored on Saturday.

Hopefully, his SKA St Petersburg coaching staff are watching and start giving him more ice time when he returns to the team after the tournament. He also will be one of the key players for Team Russia when the World Junior Championships get going at the end of December, so more success could be around the corner for the young Russian.

That brings us to the end of another The Canuck Way mailbag. Training camps are hopefully just around the corner, so more questions are sure to be had as we get closer to the start of the 2020-21 season. So enjoy Podkolzin’s success overseas as you await the tweet from @FSTheCanuckWay for the next Canucks mailbag