When Leon Draisaitl goes to bat for you, as a fellow teammate, you’ve doubtless bought it made. Such may be the case for Vasily Podkolzin, who in a brief run with the Edmonton Oilers has earned the belief of his coach, and extra importantly the respect of his linemate.
Draisaitl was raving about Podkolzin just lately. After Podkolzin scored his first aim of the season, Draisaitl emphasised that followers and the media utterly underrate the Oilers’ beginner’s sport. Saying he beloved enjoying with him and is happy about his first aim probably opening up the floodgates for him.
He labeled Podkolzin a really perfect assist participant, which is able to undoubtedly carry a whole lot of clout with group administration.
“In case you’re not placing them in or capitalizing in your seems then analytics aren’t any good. Hopefully this opens the floodgates a bit bit extra constantly for us.”
Leon Draisaitl on the #Oilers having robust underlying numbers this season.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/HEQ35ubSy9
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 24, 2024
“He’s a very, actually good hockey participant. He’s actually underrated. He does a whole lot of issues that go unnoticed, that lots of people that don’t perceive hockey, they don’t decide up on it He’s actually sensible and he passes the puck rather well. He makes the correct performs nearly each single time.”
Draisaitl praised him as very enjoyable to play with, a praise he as soon as gave Kailer Yamamoto. That reward undoubtedly influenced Yamamoto’s contract extension earlier than his eventual commerce and fade from the NHL.
Ought to the Oilers Be Listening to Draisaitl’s Evaluation?
Draisaitl doesn’t signal gamers to contracts. That’s the job of GM Stan Bowman. However, with Podkolzin being a pending UFA on the finish of subsequent season, you possibly can wager, that so long as Podkolzin doesn’t out of the blue cease making an attempt, he’ll be getting one other supply on July 1.
The truth that Draisaitl was so complimentary and cited a number of examples of the sorts of issues Podkolzin does is one thing the Oilers must be being attentive to.
Podkolzin has another season after this for $1 million; an incredible deal for a participant who has proven he can cling with the likes of Draisaitl on the Oilers’ second line. And, because the NHL wage cap jumps, Bowman may be sensible to take Draisaitl’s phrase. Locking the 23-year-old right into a team-friendly deal will probably be a clever funding and make certainly one of his stars glad.
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