If Rick Tocchet is going to make changes to his lineup in Game 5, The Vancouver Canucks coach should consider Vasily Podkolzin as an option.
If Rick Tocchet is going to make changes to his lineup in Game 5, The Vancouver Canucks coach should consider Vasily Podkolzin as an option.
After a Game 4 loss, Rick Tocchet is considering some lineup changes. While it was a close game, the Edmonton Oilers outplayed the Vancouver Canucks for most of the night, leading Tocchet to say postgame that he would be reviewing his lineup ahead of Game 5. If changes are to happen, one that the Canucks should consider is adding Vasily Podkolzin to the lineup.
One of the main issues for Vancouver in Game 4 was the forecheck. Some Canucks forwards did not seem interested in getting in on the forecheck, which allowed the Oilers to clear the puck up the ice easily. Not only is Podkozlin a player who constantly gets in on the forecheck, but understands how to win board battles or at least tie up defenders until other teammates can come in for support. Even though he may not come up with the puck, he often has done enough to disrupt the play, which can frequently lead to turnovers.
As for Podkolzin's puck carrying, that was another impressive part of his game. During his 19 games with Vancouver, he showed a willingness to carry the puck into the offensive zone rather than dump and lose possession. When forced to dump the puck in, Podkolzin showed good overall awareness, waiting until he was past center, avoiding an icing call. While these small details often go unnoticed, they are constantly brought up by Tocchet, showing just how important they are to overall team success.
The big question with putting Podkolin into the lineup is, can he produce in the offensive zone? While he didn't score during the regular season, his overall analytics and stats show that he was at least generating chances. During his 19 games, Podkolzin finished with 5.62 shots per 60 and 2.5 individual high-danger chances created per 60 at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. Ultimately, he has proven he can generate opportunities when put beside offensively gifted players and could be the exact player needed to get Elias Pettersson going in Game 5.
If Tocchet is looking to inject energy into his lineup, Podkolzin is a safe bet. He does have some experience playing in the playoffs at the AHL level, and with the Canucks at home, Tocchet can tailor his matchups at the start of the game just to help flush out any first-career Stanley Cup Playoff nerves. If a change is going to be made heading into Game 5, Podkolzin should be given the opportunity to try and add a spark to Vancouver's lineup.
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