Canucks Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=9971180 BY IAIN MACINTYRE, VANCOUVER SUN JUNE 24, 2014 VANCOUVER - A kid goes into a draft interview and the Florida Panthers ask: If you were in the military, would you pilot an attack helicopter, be a medic or a sniper? Interesting question. See, if youre the pilot, the inference is youre in command, comfortable with the responsibility for taking others into and out of danger. If youre the medic, you put others ahead of yourself and risk your life to save theirs. And if youre the sniper, well, you might score 50 goals and lead your army to the Stanley Cup and get medals on your chest and those gold, fringy things on the shoulders of your uniform. What in the world was Jake Virtanen to say? When they were asking the question, I was thinking about that, Virtanen says. But I just went with sniper because Im a goal-scorer and I love scoring. I said sniper and they thought it was pretty funny. It was all fun. It will be even more fun on Friday when the 17-year-old from Abbotsford should be called in the first 10 picks of the National Hockey League draft. Although they are trying to trade up, and could also trade down, the Vancouver Canucks pick sixth in Philadelphia. After last months NHL scouting combine, general manager Jim Benning was complimentary toward Virtanen, a winger who scored 45 goals and 71 points while amassing 100 penalty minutes for the Calgary Hitmen last winter. British Columbias NHL team has not chosen a B.C.-born player in the first round of the draft since Cam Neely heard the Canucks call his name in 1983. Heck, the Canucks went 23 rounds over three-plus drafts without choosing anyone from this province during previous manager Mike Gilliss administration. No wonder there was a major shakeup in the teams scouting department before the last draft. Virtanen would love to be picked by the Canucks. Or as his dad, Rainer Virtanen, reveals: What he says is: That would be so sick if the Canucks picked me, dad. Only in rare parts of speech does Jake sound like someone whose 18th birthday is still two months away. There is confidence and maturity when he speaks, as well as an adult tone. At 6-1 and 210 pounds, he also has a grown-up body. He skates like a full-grown NHLer, too. But, like any 17-year-old (and some 47-year-olds), he does say cool a lot. Watching the Canucks growing up was cool. Watching the Vancouver Giants was cool, and its really cool to draw comparisons to former Giant Evander Kane for the way Virtanen competes around the net and has bite in his game. It was cool to wear No. 19 throughout minor hockey in honour of Canuck Markus Naslund, and super cool to finally meet another idol, Canuck president Trevor Linden, when Virtanen interviewed with Vancouver at the combine in Toronto. It was awesome, Virtanen says. Meeting their scouts and Mr. Benning, they were all great people, nice to chat with. I told Trevor I was a fan of his when he was playing and he started laughing and said too bad I wasnt there in 1994. Virtanen was born two years after Linden led the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final 20 years ago. Virtanen comes by his own coolness naturally because his dad is an air traffic controller at YVR. And if you think its nervy in the final minute of a hockey game, down by one and the goalie out, imagine juggling six or eight or 10 planes on a radar screen at rush hour with thousands of passengers up in the air. Im pretty good under pressure, Jake says. But, obviously, its pretty intense up there (in the control tower). The last time I was up there was take-a-kid-to-work day when I was in Grade 10. There are thousands of planes, and theres only six or seven guys up there. But my dad and the other guys, they stay calm and work together. I think that transfers to hockey. Rainer Virtanen was born in Finland and moved to Canada and back before settling in Coquitlam with his family when he was 15. Jake was born in New Westminster and spent his first 12 years in Langley before the family moved to Abbotsford. With a surname like Virtanen, Jake was on the Finnish Ice Hockey Associations radar. There was an inquiry whether he might be coaxed to play for Finland, but the conversation was brief. Apart from residency rules to reduce cross-border shopping by national teams, Virtanen is a 15th-generation Canadian on his mother, Brigittes, side. Hes a Canadian through and through, his dad says. The host Finns got an idea what they were missing when Virtanen was Canadas co-leading scorer at the Under-18 World Championship in April. Having dual citizenship is pretty cool for me, Virtanen says. It was my first time going to Finland and I met a lot of people. I knew what the food was and the other (Canadian) guys didnt, which was pretty funny. A lot of people knew who I was, so it was pretty exciting. Not so exciting was the major shoulder surgery Virtanen had in May. Sixth on NHL Central Scoutings final draft list for North American skaters, three places higher than he was at mid-season, Virtanen will know Friday if the operation diminished his appeal to teams. Both the doctor and my physiotherapist have said its the fastest theyve ever seen a shoulder heal, so it looks really great, he says. It didnt bother me at all during the season, but the whole point of the surgery was to get it fully healthy so Ill be good to go for next season. This (draft) is pretty surreal for me. Its every kids dream to be drafted to the team they grew up watching, their hometown team. It would be amazing to play for the Canucks in front of my friends here, and my family, too. And Vancouver has great fans; Ive experienced that. Nobody really knows where theyre going in the draft and theres supposed to be a lot of trades. But if things fall into place and I get drafted by Vancouver, that would be a dream come true for me. It would be truly sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbox Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 He'd be my choice if we dont get Reinhart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canouver Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Thats great but i hope this doesn't happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Cool story and awesome kid. Still hoping for Ekblad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbox Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I know Michael Dal Colle really doesn't want to come here but always nice to read stories like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsiders Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 If we cant get Reinhart. Id love to get Virtanen. He wants to play for us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking mama Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 A Canadian viking! Gotta like that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tambellini's Wrist Shot Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I know Michael Dal Colle really doesn't want to come here but always nice to read stories like this. How do you know that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Both the doctor and my physiotherapist have said its the fastest they've ever seen a shoulder heal, so it looks really great, he says. It didnt bother me at all during the season, but the whole point of the surgery was to get it fully healthy so Ill be good to go for next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakyWalton Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I would take Ritchie at 6..not Jake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BananaMash Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Not a fan of Virtanen. It would be a nice story for him to come here, but I hope we don't take him unless it's with a later pick acquired in a Kesler deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I would take Ritchie at 6..not Jake. Virtanen's better than Ritchie in every area except size and passing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 He's a #9 or #10 pick, not a #6. One of the big top-5 are going to fall when someone goes off the board and picks Nylander, Ehlers or heck even Fleury which is when we pounce on a Draisaitl, Dal Colle or Bennett. I don't expect the top-5 picks to stay though, and if we have a chance to move up into it for say a later pick we should take it. If it comes down to New York's pick, Ekblad/Reinhart/Bennett and Draisaitl are gone and MDC is left I'd happily send the Islanders our 6th and maybe a 4th round pick for their 5th to draft MDC over someone in the middle of the pack like Ritchie, Virtanen and co. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakyWalton Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 How do you know that? I heard/read that as well..he doesnt like the Nux and doesnt want to be one.. from this forum but worthy of consideration...why bring in a discontent....but we dont know for sure... Lups Canucks Star Members 8,253 posts Joined:02-November 11 Posted 08 May 2014 - 08:01 PM I don't normally do this, but I know Michael Dal Colle. He's my buddies cousin. He hates Vancouver with a passion and really does not want to play here. Whether you believe me or not I don't care but take that for whats it's worth. I've stated how I've known him a few times in the past. Think about it from their prospective. Every player has teams they love and hate growing up. The hate teams just like you and I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakyWalton Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Virtanen's better than Ritchie in every area except size, fighting, hardest shot and passing Edited for you...Ill take Nik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monteeun Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I heard/read that as well..he doesnt like the Nux and doesnt want to be one.. from this forum but worthy of consideration...why bring in a discontent....but we dont know for sure... Lups Canucks Star Members 8,253 posts Joined:02-November 11 Posted 08 May 2014 - 08:01 PM I don't normally do this, but I know Michael Dal Colle. He's my buddies cousin. He hates Vancouver with a passion and really does not want to play here. Whether you believe me or not I don't care but take that for whats it's worth. I've stated how I've known him a few times in the past. Think about it from their prospective. Every player has teams they love and hate growing up. The hate teams just like you and I. Should we pick him just to see him explode? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyllenhaal Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 If we don't get Reinhart I have a feeling we will take Virtanen. I don't want him, would rather have Nylander, but after watching some highlights and interviews he seems like a good kid. Very confident and mature-ish, the only part of his game that worries me is his tunnel vision, his inability to see the ice and passing lanes. It seems like he always wants to carry the puck down the ice and score off the rush and if he can't he will take the puck around the net and shoot. He has some good qualities too. He is the second fastest skater in the draft, and he isn't afraid to get physical. With his mix of size, speed, and skill he could be a very good player one day. With that said I have no doubt he will be an NHL player, in what capacity i don't know, but if we draft him hopefully it's as a 30 goal scorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAZY_4_NAZZY Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 This fan base could really use someone to rally behind who is a hometown boy. If not Reinhart than Virtanen all the way for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tambellini's Wrist Shot Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 If we don't get Reinhart I have a feeling we will take Virtanen. I don't want him, would rather have Nylander, but after watching some highlights and interviews he seems like a good kid. Very confident and mature-ish, the only part of his game that worries me is his tunnel vision, his inability to see the ice and passing lanes. It seems like he always wants to carry the puck down the ice and score off the rush and if he can't he will take the puck around the net and shoot. He has some good qualities too. He is the second fastest skater in the draft, and he isn't afraid to get physical. With his mix of size, speed, and skill he could be a very good player one day. With that said I have no doubt he will be an NHL player, in what capacity i don't know, but if we draft him hopefully it's as a 30 goal scorer. I kinda see a lot of Booth in him. Lets hope he turns out to be the 30 goal scoring version of David Booth (if we draft him). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Edited for you...Ill take Nik He's better at hitting and fighting but the shot is very debatable. I think Virtanen takes the cake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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