[Article] If Canucks pick 6th, Ehlers has a clear statistical edge over Virtanen

[Tangelos]

I am starting to think in the last 24 hours if we stay at 6 we are taking Ritchie. If we go the smaller skill route I think it is Nylander.

As long as we don't pick Virtanen it'll be a good draft

[MJDDawg]

Future Considerations latest mock draft has the Deutschland Dangler falling to us.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/fcs-2014-nhl-mock-draft/

1 Aaron Ekblad, D, Barrie (OHL) Florida Panthers

2 Sam Reinhart, C, Kootenay (WHL) Buffalo Sabres

3 Sam Bennett, C, Kingston (OHL) Edmonton Oilers

4 Michael Dal Colle, LW, Oshawa (OHL) Calgary Flames

5 Nick Ritchie, LW, Peterborough (OHL) New York Islanders

6 Leon Draisaitl, C, Prince Albert (WHL) Vancouver Canucks

7 Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Halifax (QMJHL) Carolina Hurricanes

8 Brendan Perlini, LW, Niagara (OHL) Toronto Maple Leafs

9 William Nylander, C, MODO (SHL) Winnipeg Jets

10 Jake Virtanen, RW, Calgary (WHL) Anaheim Ducks (OTT)

[JamesB]

I am starting to think in the last 24 hours if we stay at 6 we are taking Ritchie. If we go the smaller skill route I think it is Nylander.

Until I heard Trevor Linden on the TEAM 1040 yesterday I thought the Canucks would take Nylander at #6 on the grounds that he has emerged as a pretty clear top 6 after his dominating performance in the World U-18s. (And whoever said his scoring is not that great is being misled by looking at incomplete numbers for last year. His numbers are actually outstanding.)

But Trevor sounded reluctant to go for Nylander or Ehlers. It sounds like he and Benning want more size and toughness and more willingness to play a strong defensive game (i.e. another Horvat).

To me this means either move up into the top 3 and get Reinhart or Bennett, or move down and get one of Ritchie, Virtanen or Perlini at 9 or 10 or 11.

I would love to see the Canucks move up and get Reinhart at 1 or 2 but the asking price is probably too high.

Righnt now, my own preferred strategy is to take Ehlers at #6. He has moved slightly ahead of Nylander for me after I learned from the OP that his outstanding performance this year is NOT due primarily to playing with Drouin.

[canucklesmith]

Ehlers will be invisible when playing teams like LA, Boston, San Jose. Virtanen will be a physical leader, a defensive leader and still score a ton of goals

[JustABandwagoner]

As long as we don't pick Virtanen it'll be a good draft

THIS. I agree.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

Ehlers will be invisible when playing teams like LA, Boston, San Jose. Virtanen will be a physical leader, a defensive leader and still score a ton of goals

LOL

[docbrock]

if one of the top 5 falls and we don't grab them i will lose my mind

[Absent Canuck]

I am starting to think in the last 24 hours if we stay at 6 we are taking Ritchie. If we go the smaller skill route I think it is Nylander.

Actually you have been thinking it for a long time and HYPING it in every post you make. Unfortunately for you, the Canucks dont make their decisions based on what we write in here.

[Canuck Surfer]

Future Considerations latest mock draft has the Deutschland Dangler falling to us.

http://futureconsiderations.ca/fcs-2014-nhl-mock-draft/

1 Aaron Ekblad, D, Barrie (OHL) Florida Panthers

2 Sam Reinhart, C, Kootenay (WHL) Buffalo Sabres

3 Sam Bennett, C, Kingston (OHL) Edmonton Oilers

4 Michael Dal Colle, LW, Oshawa (OHL) Calgary Flames

5 Nick Ritchie, LW, Peterborough (OHL) New York Islanders

6 Leon Draisaitl, C, Prince Albert (WHL) Vancouver Canucks

7 Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Halifax (QMJHL) Carolina Hurricanes

8 Brendan Perlini, LW, Niagara (OHL) Toronto Maple Leafs

9 William Nylander, C, MODO (SHL) Winnipeg Jets

10 Jake Virtanen, RW, Calgary (WHL) Anaheim Ducks (OTT)

Awesome!

This would be the best case scenario! Get a true #1, big, future #1 centre. No cost for moving up!!!

[Tangelos]

Ehlers will be invisible when playing teams like LA, Boston, San Jose. Virtanen will be a physical leader, a defensive leader and still score a ton of goals

How can you say this with certainty? By the time Ehlers reaches his prime (24-26), all of LA's big fat players will be old farts. Who knows what the kings will look like in 6 years.

[asian player]

How can you say this with certainty? By the time Ehlers reaches his prime (24-26), all of LA's big fat players will be old farts. Who knows what the kings will look like in 6 years.

Size isn't a phase. The league is gradually getting bigger. When the current group of guys in LA, Boston, San Jose, St. Louis retire, they will be replaced with new hunks of meat.

[Mr.53]

I don't know why people keep saying, "Virtanen is good, but he's not worth 6th overall. Maybe if we dropped back to 8-9 or so, then I would take him." The ISS ranks him at 7. These people watch and analyze these propspects for a living. If anyone's word is good, it's theirs. They think Virtanen is the 6th best forward, and 7th best overall, so I don't think taking him at 6 is so bad. In fact, 6th overall is right around where he should be taken. I just don't understand why people. If you don't like him as a prospect, I understand, but please acknowledge that he is and should be in the conversation for 6th overall.

Virtanen is a special prospect if you ask me, and that's why I think we should take him. His combination of speed, strength, size, hands, shot, etc are hard to find. Virtanen is so versatile. At 6'1, 206 pounds, he can already play the muscle game well. To give you a reference to his size, Ryan Kesler is 6'2, 202 pounds. So as you can see about the same size, and the kid is only 17 years old. Who knows how big and strong he will be after some NHL level workouts. And his size still isn't even as impressive as his speed. A combination of that size and speed is very rare. Then add in his shot which is probably top 5 in the draft, with very impressive hands to boot. He already has the physical skills to be a good defender and the kid plays with heart and effort.

Benning said he wants a team that "can play the big physical game when it needs too, but can still play the speed skill game like we used too." (Of course, I'm paraphrasing) One of the youngest kids in the draft, and he such a complete toolset already. His only knock is that he doesn't use his teammates that well. I personally don't even see that as a serious problem, as he is a 17 year old kid with that kind of skill set. Yeah, he's got an ego and a I have to do it myself attitude. That will easily change when given good coaching. Teach him the system, and he will pass more. Willie Desjardins will bring the best out of this kid, given the chance. Besides, you need players with a shoot first mentality too. After Daniel stopped scoring, it drove me crazy how many times our top lines would pass pass pass without shooting. Sometimes, you need a guy that will just fire one. You just have to keep it in check. Virtanen is a finisher. You give him the puck and he will put it in the net. We need finishers on this team. Also, when it comes to his smarts and stuff, Benning actually sat down and interviewed the kid and had nothing but god to say. I trust his opinion.

Lastly, as you can tell, I'm all for Virtanen. I like really all the top 10 prospects, but Virtanen should not be passed up unless someone big drops to us. His skill set only needs a little refinement and he's still 17 years old. Plus him being a hometown kid, he is not someone that should be passed up. Other than if he turns into a complete bust, which I just don't really see happening with his already natural athletic skill set, worst case scenario, I see him turning into a good third liner about the impact of a Hansen or Booth putting up at least 15 goals a season or so. Probably around 20 but I'll say 15 to be safe. Doesn't seem so bad to me. He's a low risk, high reward prospect. At 6, this will be Benning's guy. But either way, I have faith in JB. He will make the right choice

[Tangelos]

Size isn't a phase. The league is gradually getting bigger. When the current group of guys in LA, Boston, San Jose, St. Louis retire, they will be replaced with new hunks of meat.

Not everyone who gets drafted is above 6 feet

[sirwilliam]

I'd love for Vancouver to select Ritchie at 6. Ehlers would be great too.

Virtanen is someone I'd love to select at 10, if we trade for that pick.

[BanTSN]

Why aim low to draft Virtanen at 10 when you can wish for Ekblad at 10?

I'd then like to draft Ehlers in the third round. Boom or bust skinny project players belong there.

[Canuck Surfer]

Why aim low to draft Virtanen at 10 when you can wish for Ekblad at 10?

I'd then like to draft Ehlers in the third round. Boom or bust skinny project players belong there.

Shinkaruk was the 6th overall ranked NA skater last year...

People fall for good reason sometimes. Top 3 should all have (1) Elite skills, (2) Elite athletic attributes (size can offset speed and vice versa, but need to project an absolute match up nightmare), (3) Elite results against top comp.

Picks 4-12, maybe 15 you are probably taking one of those and it is minimized or a deficiency. People will debate how Ritchie has a size advantage, but he also is not the explosive athlete Virtanen is. Virtanen is a great athlete and goal scorer, but cannot compare with some of the puck handling or passing skills some other guys have. Still great pro's, but in specific roles versus potential superstars. Thats why these guys rank in here.

Past 15 guys have to still develop skills or athleticism to be "NHL'ers." They just look like they will...

[VanIsleNuckFan]

Isn't gravity based on Mass?? Just sayin.. =)

[ForsbergTheGreat]

That explains why a team from the Q has won 3 of the past 4 Memorial Cups?

There are plenty of good teams in the QMJHL.

Total players selected in the first round in the last 10 years:

QMJHL - 31

WHL - 68

OHL - 79

[Cupless44]

I don't know why people keep saying, "Virtanen is good, but he's not worth 6th overall. Maybe if we dropped back to 8-9 or so, then I would take him." The ISS ranks him at 7. These people watch and analyze these propspects for a living. If anyone's word is good, it's theirs. They think Virtanen is the 6th best forward, and 7th best overall, so I don't think taking him at 6 is so bad. In fact, 6th overall is right around where he should be taken. I just don't understand why people. If you don't like him as a prospect, I understand, but please acknowledge that he is and should be in the conversation for 6th overall.

Virtanen is a special prospect if you ask me, and that's why I think we should take him. His combination of speed, strength, size, hands, shot, etc are hard to find. Virtanen is so versatile. At 6'1, 206 pounds, he can already play the muscle game well. To give you a reference to his size, Ryan Kesler is 6'2, 202 pounds. So as you can see about the same size, and the kid is only 17 years old. Who knows how big and strong he will be after some NHL level workouts. And his size still isn't even as impressive as his speed. A combination of that size and speed is very rare. Then add in his shot which is probably top 5 in the draft, with very impressive hands to boot. He already has the physical skills to be a good defender and the kid plays with heart and effort.

Benning said he wants a team that "can play the big physical game when it needs too, but can still play the speed skill game like we used too." (Of course, I'm paraphrasing) One of the youngest kids in the draft, and he such a complete toolset already. His only knock is that he doesn't use his teammates that well. I personally don't even see that as a serious problem, as he is a 17 year old kid with that kind of skill set. Yeah, he's got an ego and a I have to do it myself attitude. That will easily change when given good coaching. Teach him the system, and he will pass more. Willie Desjardins will bring the best out of this kid, given the chance. Besides, you need players with a shoot first mentality too. After Daniel stopped scoring, it drove me crazy how many times our top lines would pass pass pass without shooting. Sometimes, you need a guy that will just fire one. You just have to keep it in check. Virtanen is a finisher. You give him the puck and he will put it in the net. We need finishers on this team. Also, when it comes to his smarts and stuff, Benning actually sat down and interviewed the kid and had nothing but god to say. I trust his opinion.

Lastly, as you can tell, I'm all for Virtanen. I like really all the top 10 prospects, but Virtanen should not be passed up unless someone big drops to us. His skill set only needs a little refinement and he's still 17 years old. Plus him being a hometown kid, he is not someone that should be passed up. Other than if he turns into a complete bust, which I just don't really see happening with his already natural athletic skill set, worst case scenario, I see him turning into a good third liner about the impact of a Hansen or Booth putting up at least 15 goals a season or so. Probably around 20 but I'll say 15 to be safe. Doesn't seem so bad to me. He's a low risk, high reward prospect. At 6, this will be Benning's guy. But either way, I have faith in JB. He will make the right choice

Good post with some good points. Those posting on here that Virtanen doesn't belong in the top 10 are stating their preference not what NHL people think. Like everyone on here I don't know for certain who the Canucks take but I think Virtanen is definately under serious consideration.

[Spectacular]

A lot of good posts for both arguments. But the way I look at it, Virtanen is more likely to be available at 10 than Ehlers. With Virtanen's latest injury, Ritchie carrying his team on his back, Nylanders offensive ceiling as a center, Fleury being the best dman behind Ekblad and any sort of risers like Barbashev, Fabbri, Kapenen etc.

Draft Ehlers/Nylandee/Top5 faller and then select Virtanen. Everyone's happy.