When we last checked in on Vancouver Canucks’ blue-chip forward prospect Vasily Podkolzin, he had just finished captaining his band of Russia teenagers to an improbable Karjala Cup victory over the best available overseas european adult professional players from Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.
The tournament was hosted by Finland and with SKA scheduled to take on Jokerit in Helsinki two days after the conclusion of the tourney, it seemed like the perfect time for the young Russian bull to rejoin his KHL club and be rewarded with an insertion into their line-up in a prominent role.