Edmonton’s unsung hero Vasily Podkolzin has been promoted to the top line, part of a trio for tonight’s game with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

My take

1. It’s great to see hard work rewarded. Podkolzin fought his way up from the fourth line to the second line with Leon Draisaitl as his centre last season. Now he’s on the top line, all due to his dogged work ethic, to him embracing that old hockey saying: forecheck, backcheck, paycheque.

Some fans don’t like to see a gritty grinder on one of the top two lines, but I’m good with it so long as that player can deftly take and make passes. Podkolzin can do so, along with everything else he brings to the game.

No, Podkolzin isn’t a sniper or a deker, but McDavid and Draisailt have plenty of that in their games, while Podkolzin bring

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