"They've been really trying hard with Podkolzin to de-systemize him, I guess is the best way to put it, because you watch him play, he does all the right things and then he realizes, what's the safe play. And it's not that they don't want him to do the safe play, they just know that he could also choose the exciting play, and they know he could do it. And so, it is a bit about finding the player's confidence, helping him rediscover what he can be because he spent so long trying to play it safe, trying not to screw up, trying to be the good soldier." Johnston said.
He added, "And it's a, this is obviously a massive season for him, because they need him to be the guy they drafted him to be, which is a solid middle of the lineup winger and a guy that potentially could be a penalty killer. You know, a guy that brings something more than just being on the roster."