Edmonton Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin that his captain Connor McDavid will eventually surpass the 2000-point mark in his NHL career.
The Russian winger did a one-on-one interview with RG Media’s Daria Tuboltseva on Friday, where he discussed how his time with the Oilers has gone so far. Among the things Podkolzin touched on was what it is like to be around McDavid daily and he noted that Edmonton’s captain takes pride in his off-ice regimen.
“I wouldn’t say he has a super-strict diet; he can eat sushi. I was surprised that one time he ordered tea for dinner. We just sat there drinking tea,” he said. “We went to Dallas for dinner, and in the restaurant, the guys ordered tea with jasmine and other herbs. They bring small teapots, you could try several types. I don’t remember drinking tea before this evening.”
Podkolzin later mentioned that McDavid likes to swim in the pool inside Rogers Place to train during non-game days, which is in stark contrast to his method of simply taking cold baths.
While his diet and off-ice routine are one thing, the way McDavid conducts himself to the team is another. Amazon’s documentary series “Face-Off: Inside the NHL” included an infamous scene where the captain ripped into his teammates after losing Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, demanding his players dig in and fight their way back into the series.
It was a side of McDavid that Oilers fans had never seen before, and it made them wonder if he is always like this when the stakes are not as high. Podkolzin feels that the captain is a lot more laid-back than Edmonton’s other superstar forward.
“Maybe, but I haven’t heard. He does not lose his temper at all, very calm. Draisaitl is more emotional,” he said. “Connor is either so confident in himself that he keeps it together, or he’s simply learned to manage his emotions. He can get angry on the ice, hit with a stick, but the next shift will come out and score. Maybe from such confidence, he does not freak out.”
As far as how the transition has gone to life in Edmonton, Podkolzin feels a lot more at home with his new team. He arrived in the city having only known Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Troy Stetcher since both spend time in the Vancouver area, but he now feels settled in with his wife and enjoying all that comes with being an Oiler.
Podkolzin quickly learned just how seriously both McDavid and Draisaitl take their crafts and their professionalism towards the game. It also didn’t take him long to realize how he needs to play alongside the latter to continue to have success in the NHL.
“I’m comfortable. Why wouldn’t I be comfortable? It’s more a question of him being comfortable. But since we’re still playing together, it means he’s fine, too,” he said. “It’s clear that he plays more with the puck. My role was clear to me almost immediately: fight back, win the puck for him, make room. But the opponents, and we play against top lines, think that I’m going to play only for Leon. And when you take and do something on your own, they don’t expect it. At first I was looking for Leon to pass to him. Now I realize that in some moments you can hold the puck. I like that Leon is not afraid to make mistakes. As a young player, I get a lot of experience from playing with him.”
It is clear that Podkolzin is enjoying his time donning the Blue and Orange feels right at home in his new digs. If his playstyle, determination, and sense of humour have not won Oilers fans over, it is what he predicted will happen to McDavid that almost certainly will.
“I think he’s gonna score 2,000 points,” he said, “Now he will sign a contract for eight years, and then another eight.”