Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[JeremyCuddles]

11 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Agreed that Jake is not Bert.  Like you say, Bert had ridiculously shoft hands for a big man.  Jake’s a much better skater, and (IMO) a heavier finisher on checks.  I don’t think Jake is a PWF.  I think he’s more of an energy guy, who makes big plays to change the game.  He’s a bigger, faster, more skilled, and meaner Janik Hansen.  

A lot of Jake's hitting power comes from that speed. If you are 205 pounds and you are flying like McDavid, it's gonna hurt like hell. I do think the Hansen comparison works pretty well. Somewhere between a Hansen and a Shane Doan.

[Alflives]

Just now, N7Nucks said:

A lot of Jake's hitting power comes from that speed. If you are 205 pounds and you are flying like McDavid, it's gonna hurt like hell. I do think the Hansen comparison works pretty well. Somewhere between a Hansen and a Shane Doan.

Yup.  Good comparisons.  We just need to be patient, and let Jake develop his game.  He will, when he’s mature, be a good player for us, who plays an important role.  

[samurai]

12 hours ago, Nancouver said:

Um he just turned 22..... he had 10 goals last year and was playing way better in the 2nd half of the season. It doesn’t take some wild stretch of the imagination to think he could become a 15-20 goal player. Anyone who’s already written off jake as a bust hasn’t been watching hockey very long IMO. Players mature at different rates.

Jake was better last year.  I would be wary about using the second half of the season for measuring what is to come.  Teams that are in playoff contention tend to not play as hard against teams that are not very good and are not going to make the show.  They safe themselves a bit and that in turn makes out team look better than it actually is.  

 

As you mention he is still young and it is not like we are any where close to contending.  As long as Jake takes another good step this season than people should be happy or at least not think all is lost.

 

He is still very much trying to figure out what kind of player he is.  Regardless of where he lands in the line up the most important issue is to be noticeable and impactful each shift.  

 

[Nancouver]

11 minutes ago, samurai said:

Jake was better last year.  I would be wary about using the second half of the season for measuring what is to come.  Teams that are in playoff contention tend to not play as hard against teams that are not very good and are not going to make the show.  They safe themselves a bit and that in turn makes out team look better than it actually is.  

 

As you mention he is still young and it is not like we are any where close to contending.  As long as Jake takes another good step this season than people should be happy or at least not think all is lost.

 

He is still very much trying to figure out what kind of player he is.  Regardless of where he lands in the line up the most important issue is to be noticeable and impactful each shift.  

 

As long as he’s progressing and getting noticeably better then I’m happy. I just find it ridiculous when people have this expectation that every top ten draft pick is going to be a super star and if not then they’re a bust. Like I said in my original post, if he can become a 15-20 goal type player who is intimidating and hard to play against then that’s fine with me. Is that unrealistic?

[wai_lai416]

46 minutes ago, Nancouver said:

As long as he’s progressing and getting noticeably better then I’m happy. I just find it ridiculous when people have this expectation that every top ten draft pick is going to be a super star and if not then they’re a bust. Like I said in my original post, if he can become a 15-20 goal type player who is intimidating and hard to play against then that’s fine with me. Is that unrealistic?

except he is not hard to play against and he is not intimidating. how hard is it to play against a perimeter player that refuses to drive to the net given his big frame. i don't need him to be a superstar. i need him to be useful and make the best use of the chances he's been given and so far he is neither

[Nancouver]

4 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

except he is not hard to play against and he is not intimidating. how hard is it to play against a perimeter player that refuses to drive to the net given his big frame. i don't need him to be a superstar. i need him to be useful and make the best use of the chances he's been given and so far he is neither

Notice I used the word become? Also I disagree that he refuses to drive the net, sure he could do it more often. Patience is key with all our young players and he’s slowly improving from what I see.

[Zhukini]

2 hours ago, Alflives said:

Agreed that Jake is not Bert.  Like you say, Bert had ridiculously shoft hands for a big man.  Jake’s a much better skater, and (IMO) a heavier finisher on checks.  I don’t think Jake is a PWF.  I think he’s more of an energy guy, who makes big plays to change the game.  He’s a bigger, faster, more skilled, and meaner Janik Hansen.  

Ray Ferraro said this before anyone wanted to hear it and got villified for it, funny how things change

[Glug Datt]

3 hours ago, Nancouver said:

And you guys think every top ten pick should be a star immediately or they’re automatically a bust. Like I said he started showing what he’s capable of at the end of last season and will likely continue to progress this year especially if he ever gets some ice time with quality line mates. To me anyone who thinks they can forecast exactly what a player is at such a young age is giving themselves too much credit. I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that green himself still isn’t sure just how good or bad  jake will be.

if he continues to develop and puts in a continuous solid effort, he could end up being somewhat like Hansen, which isn't super exciting for a 6th overall, but certainly a serviceable nhl player.. and Hansen could fill in on any line if necessary, and never really looked bad..

if Jake ends up there, that would be fine with me.. a bit disappointing, sure, but not every first rounder ends up a star.. either way, there's lots of time for him to end up a very functional player

[snacaracci]

Jake was broken by Willie I think.   The kid has some of the tools but i have always thought he struggles to think  and process the game at an elite level.  You even see it in the interviews.  He stumbles through them.  Build him up and let him loose and see what you have otherwise he may be a bust or career 3rd liner.  Unfortunate because he shows flashes of elite skill some times.  

[mll]

Quote

On any shift in any game, Jake Virtanen will do one or more of the following:

• Use a deceptive long and powerful stride to wheel around a defender.

• Use a thick torso to deliver a heavy bodycheck to an unsuspecting foe.

• Use an underrated release to beat a goalie from distance, deke or wraparound.

• Forget the above, lead the team in giveaways and drive the coach crazy.

 

“The thing with Jake is he’s effective on any line,” said Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green. “He helped the checking line at times last year and can bring energy to the fourth line.

 

“Has he shown that he’s a top-six guy yet? Probably not. And that would be the next step, the next evolution in his game. He doesn’t have to be anything more than his best. And I don’t think we’ve seen it yet and I’m anxious for us to get to that point.”

 

So is Virtanen.

 

Simply stated, this is go-time. A two-year, US$2.5-million bridge contract extension on July 25 should be motivation rather than security for the 22-year-old New Westminster native and Abbotsford-raised hockey product. He’s a better player than he was a year ago — especially in decisions with and without the puck — but for Virtanen it’s never really been about the tools. It’s been about the tool box.

 

Like his peers, Virtanen had a polarizing pre-season. He went pointless in five games, yet teased with a three-shot game and a six-hit outing. Is there more than the 20 points (10-10) he managed in 75 games last season? There had better be because the organization has given the sixth-overall pick in the 2014 draft more than enough rope to finally find his way.

 

Last season, Virtanen led the club in take-aways with 51, but his 32 giveaways were only exceeded upfront by Daniel Sedin with 37. He also led forwards in hits (156) and was fifth in shots (130). But his 7.7 shooting percentage was third-lowest behind Henrik Sedin (4.5) and Sam Gagner (6.1).

 

Virtanen also played on the fourth line and second line, and eventually got power-play time. He was even paired with Brandon Sutter in a shutdown role against top lines.

 

“I have to be able to play that 200-foot game, score and be a guy where teams hate me at the end of the night,” said Virtanen. “I’m smarter in the game. I used to run around a lot and I’m definitely a lot more patient with the puck. I make plays and feel like I hold on to the puck and protect it more.

 

“That was something that was really big for me. With my body and size, I can protect pucks and use my speed a lot. It’s getting on the forecheck, it’s getting chances and I’m getting the second chances.”

 

As the goal-starved Canucks limp into their regular-season opener Wednesday against the Calgary Flames amid more roster questions than answers, they’re trying to spin a poor 1-6 pre-season record as trivial. Win Game 1 and nobody will be talking about just five exhibition goals at even-strength and 10 overall.

 

To change the conversation, they need more than shot attempts. They need finish and that won’t be easily manufactured after placing 26th in goals per game last season and 29th at even-strength. Anything anybody can bring to the table will be vital and that makes Virtanen intriguing.

 

With speed and that big butt, a guy who had his way in the WHL and became a better pro in the AHL, should be a pain to play against in the NHL.

 

“When I was in The Dub (WHL), I hit a lot of big guys that people didn’t expect and that got around the league pretty quick,” recalled Virtanen. “A lot more guys gave me my space coming down the wing. And I love using my speed around D-men. That’s big for me.

 

“With the way I skate with long powerful strides — even though they’re not super-quick — it throws the D-man off because he thinks I’m going slower than I actually am. It’s a little tricky to stop.”

 

In a perfect world Virtanen will evolve into the top-six power forward that general manager Jim Benning envisioned when he passed on David Pastrnak and Dylan Larkin to select Virtanen sixth overall.

 

“I definitely want to be that guy, but I’ve got to earn it,” he stressed. “I have to show that I can score, but Travis also wants us to play better defensively to have less goals-against.”

 

If anything, a bottom-six existence with the Canucks has been the best development curve for Virtanen. On Saturday in Kelowna, he was on a grinding line with Gagner and Tim Schaller. Where he’ll be weeks or months from now is up to him. The key is awareness in all three zones.

 

“There are a lot of young guys who struggle with consistency,” said Green. “It’s learning the league and learning what they have to do to have individual success.”

 

Edited October 1, 2018 by mll

[SilentSam]

Virtannen will be fine, pre season is no indicator for Jake,. Jake needs regular line mates for his action to happen.. pre season dosent offer that, especially a team like ours were a number of positions are not spoken for and line juggling is the norm..

I don’t expect to see Jake as a tap dancing singular star standout in this league, but I do think he will be strong peice of some dynamic duo..  I’d pair him with 2 players like Schaller and Granlund.

Edited October 1, 2018 by SilentSam

[Boudrias]

14 hours ago, SilentSam said:

Virtannen will be fine, pre season is no indicator for Jake,. Jake needs regular line mates for his action to happen.. pre season dosent offer that, especially a team like ours were a number of positions are not spoken for and line juggling is the norm..

I don’t expect to see Jake as a tap dancing singular star standout in this league, but I do think he will be strong peice of some dynamic duo..  I’d pair him with 2 players like Schaller and Granlund.

I think Jake could carve out a 3rd line role but I still hold out that he could be top 6. Also realize that the odds are working against that. The fact that Gagner was waived is a opportunity for Virtanen, Leipsic, Goldy and even Granlund. 

[WeneedLumme]

15 hours ago, SilentSam said:

Virtannen will be fine, pre season is no indicator for Jake,. Jake needs regular line mates for his action to happen.. pre season dosent offer that, especially a team like ours were a number of positions are not spoken for and line juggling is the norm..

I don’t expect to see Jake as a tap dancing singular star standout in this league, but I do think he will be strong peice of some dynamic duo..  I’d pair him with 2 players like Schaller and Granlund.

Even regular season is not what Jake was drafted for. If all JB cared about was regular season, he would have drafted Ehlers or Nylander. Jake was drafted for the playoffs, where someone like Jake who can power through hooks and holds and can crush opponents is priceless.

[Ajax-]

4 hours ago, WeneedLumme said:

Even regular season is not what Jake was drafted for. If all JB cared about was regular season, he would have drafted Ehlers or Nylander. Jake was drafted for the playoffs, where someone like Jake who can power through hooks and holds and can crush opponents is priceless.

unless he gets traded today 

[PhillipBlunt]

On ‎9‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 12:51 PM, Dungass said:

Don't know if anybody should read too much into Burke's comment that after chatting with Benning, Virt's still on the team "for now".

What's this now?

[WeneedLumme]

1 hour ago, AbrasiveAjax said:

unless he gets traded today 

The chances of Jake being traded today are only slightly higher than the chances of him being struck by a meteorite today.

[Sugar baby watermelon]

I read somewhere back spasms, so he should be good to go tomorrow?  Tomorrow can't come fast enough, looking forward to some big timely hits, takeaways, and new and improved skills learned in the off-season from Jake

[Dixon Ward]

I would like to see Jake be put in a position to play like a top 6 player.  What I think he has been missing since he got here is a dynamic line with guys who have high hockey IQ's, vision, and great passing.  I think that he should be on a line with EP and Baertschi.  Give Goldobin a shot at the Horvat line, to bring some creativity to it.  Virtanen's speed and strength and shot, but lack of vision, needs to play with EP.  EP could take advatage of Jake's unique skill set.  I think they are doing a disservice to Jake and his long term growth putting out with Schaller and Beagle, or Sutter for that matter.

 

Goldobin Horvat Boeser

Baertschi EP Virtanen

Leipsic Sutter Eriksson

Schaller Beagle Granlund

Motte, Rousel

 

IMHO this is a better balanced top 6 which gives players a chance to succeed.  Hopefully, if Goldobin is slipping Dahlen is ready to come up and slot in the top 6 by then.

 

 

[Toews]

Tom Wilson developed just fine playing on the 4th line along side a guy like Beagle. Virtanen needs to become a more consistent player. There is still far too much variance from shift to shift. One shift he is out there being productive, the other he gives the puck away leading to a rush the other way.

 

Both Virtanen and Goldobin are inconsistent just in different ways, one of them is prone to losing focus and making mental errors and the other's compete level varies wildly. 

[Nuxfanabroad]

5 hours ago, Dixon Ward said:

 

Goldobin Horvat Boeser

Baertschi EP Virtanen

Leipsic Sutter Eriksson

Schaller Beagle Granlund

Motte, Rousel

 

IMHO this is a better balanced top 6 which gives players a chance to succeed.  Hopefully, if Goldobin is slipping Dahlen is ready to come up and slot in the top 6 by then.

 

 

Wouldn't mind some games with this lineup at all.