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Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


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1 hour ago, Harvey Spector said:

If a punk like Hendricks hits your best player and gives him a concussion what would you expect Gudbranson to do?  Isn't that his role?  If Hendricks is too small then he shouldn't be running around concussing superstars.  If he expects to do that then he should also be expected to "drop them" with the other team's toughest players.  That's how it works in the NHL.  I don't see Dorsett backing down from fighting 6"5" goons. 

What E Kane did for Matt Cooke...

 

 

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Virtanen is the player I'm most excited about progress wise.  If he is ready mentally the coaches need to unleash him into some offensive opportunities.  PP time and playing on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd lines with veteran scorers.  Virtanen should be placed on a line that he doesn't have to carry offensively, but has an opportunity to compliment skilled guys and maybe he will begin to flourish offensively.  I'm pretty sure he won't gain confidence or add offence playing on the 4th line with Dorsett or Burrows.  Utica is the other option to give him an offensive opportunity.  This camp is huge for him!

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On 9/10/2016 at 1:04 PM, Sedintwinpowersactivate said:

Virtanen is the player I'm most excited about progress wise.  If he is ready mentally the coaches need to unleash him into some offensive opportunities.  PP time and playing on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd lines with veteran scorers.  Virtanen should be placed on a line that he doesn't have to carry offensively, but has an opportunity to compliment skilled guys and maybe he will begin to flourish offensively.  I'm pretty sure he won't gain confidence or add offence playing on the 4th line with Dorsett or Burrows.  Utica is the other option to give him an offensive opportunity.  This camp is huge for him!

I agree to the bulk of what you are saying.  Virtanen has potential to be a real cornerstone player, but needs to be developed to become that important piece.  Will playing 4th line minutes accomplish this goal?  Perhaps, but it's not ideal.  I think he's a better roster player than Dorsett, but I suspect he'd be best off with one season in Utica developing while playing bigger minutes.  Then hopefully he can jump up in a 2nd/3rd line role the next year.  Who knows, though, perhaps with a strong off season and time to digest everything that could be learned from last season he'll make a big jump in readiness for those bigger minutes in the big league.  I sure hope so.

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6 hours ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

Virtanen has his mindset focused on cracking the Canucks lineup.

 

 

Do we have the coaching for that?To coach Jake on joining the rush, passing options, finding sweet spots in the slot and shooting? To be creative offensively seems way harder to coach than it is coaching defensive responsibilty.

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44 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

Do we have the coaching for that?To coach Jake on joining the rush, passing options, finding sweet spots in the slot and shooting? To be creative offensively seems way harder to coach than it is coaching defensive responsibilty.

I agree that Jake needs experience and coaching for his offensive game.  I'm not sure that can happen for him playing on the current Canuck roster.  I'm concerned that he will be given mostly bottom 6 experience, where he will be more of a grinder; checker.  Really don't want to see him turn into Torres.

 

If he was in Utica (even for just half a season) he would have top 6 opportunities in every game and become more confident in his offensive game.  Luckily his speed allows him to correct his defensive mistakes, but I suspect Greene would get on him if his play is sloppy.

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21 minutes ago, higgyfan said:

I agree that Jake needs experience and coaching for his offensive game.  I'm not sure that can happen for him playing on the current Canuck roster.  I'm concerned that he will be given mostly bottom 6 experience, where he will be more of a grinder; checker.  Really don't want to see him turn into Torres.

 

If he was in Utica (even for just half a season) he would have top 6 opportunities in every game and become more confident in his offensive game.  Luckily his speed allows him to correct his defensive mistakes, but I suspect Greene would get on him if his play is sloppy.

I agree with your concerns about bottom six placement but the 3rd line is likely centered by Horvat which equates to offensive opportunity. That assumes Virtanen at 3RW. His skating ability allows him to excel on the back check. His weakness last year IMO was in the d-zone and battles on puck recovery. His play in the o-zone was often dynamic. It is possible Virtanen is moved up and down because of his waiver status. Benning and WD have to make decisions on other players who can not be waived.

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6 hours ago, higgyfan said:

I agree that Jake needs experience and coaching for his offensive game.  I'm not sure that can happen for him playing on the current Canuck roster.  I'm concerned that he will be given mostly bottom 6 experience, where he will be more of a grinder; checker.  Really don't want to see him turn into Torres.

 

If he was in Utica (even for just half a season) he would have top 6 opportunities in every game and become more confident in his offensive game.  Luckily his speed allows him to correct his defensive mistakes, but I suspect Greene would get on him if his play is sloppy.

I like in the one highlight tape mid action Coach Green is barking out about getting to the front of the net and get a greasy one.Who was the best offensive coach, Scotty Bowman?

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20 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

A 6th overall pick shouldn't need to be taught that stuff.  He will learn and get better offensively but his offensive skill-set is very limited.  He is gifted, physically, not offensively.  

By instinct, yes it is expected a highly touted prospect like Jake should have those things somewhat intact.

 

However, Hockey is a game that evolves and changes frequently.  No matter the age of the player, they are all students of the game.  Virtanen has a good group of mentors in the staff and on roster that would gladly take him along to show him the finer details of the game.

 

Its the mindset though of him being humble enough to submit himself to that.  And he does seem to be willing.  Jake's awareness in general needs work, but isn't a lost cause.  Take Burrows for example.  Perfect person to use as an example how that even though a good junior scorer, had to learn the game to be where he is at.

 

We as fans need to also be patient.  The kid is fresh off of his first NHL season.  Give him time...he is only soon to be 20 years old.

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2 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

Yes I wouldn't mind him getting 20 games with Coach Green then come back up. Sometimes I think for offense is to take the bridle off and let him open up his game. That might be safer to do in Utica to start.

Oh, I thought you meant Green would be here coaching. B)

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7 hours ago, The 5th Line said:

Bertuzzi could play an east-west game with great play making ability. 

I'm of the opinion that Bertuzzi added that into his game as time went on, and that it actually made him a less effective player. 

On his way to stardom, his game was much more north-south, and playing to his strengths...and he was very effective as a bowling ball to the net type of player. As he tried to become more of a finesse and playmaker, I thought he lost some of his edge (hard to argue against a 17g, 43a season in 03-04, but that's about when I'm referring to).

 

The Bertuzzi prior to that could be likened very much to Virtanen I think; that is to say, a lot of potential that slowly forms to become an excellent power forward. Everyone remembers the Bertuzzi of his heyday but forget about how maddening it was to watch him prior to that - absolutely dominating one game when he woke up, but then stay asleep for the following three games...

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Virtanen better be in top shape come training camp or preseason, Willie and Benning both said there are no exceptions this year you work to earn a spot. Putting on more weight is fine but it was his cardio that concerns me, he was gassed after 20 seconds into most shifts last year. Lot's of pto forwards were brought in so the competition is going to be tough. The local boy/hero thing is not going to work this year unless he earns a spot.

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