Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, hlinkas wrister said:

100%. put Roussel on the other wing and let the chaos unfold.

If we didn't have so many freaking C injuries (injuries in general for that matter) I'd love to see Green experiment with Virtanen, Horvat, Gaudette as a line. For now though, Adam's likely needed at C. That line would be GIANT a PITA to play against, fast and very good defensively.

 

I wouldn't hate Eriksson there in the mean time though (Eriksson, Horvat, Virtanen). But I also don't hate keeping him on a '3rd line' role with some PP2 time...for now. 

 

On a side note, I hope Baer's back soon to try him out with EP40 and Boeser as a line if Goldobin continues to be just 'ok'.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2018 by aGENT

[Sergei Shirokov]

Jake's going to be a very important player for us. He'll provide that speed, edge, physicality, and occasional offense.  

[JeremyCuddles]

10 hours ago, -AJ- said:

I'm not sure Jake thinks the game at a high enough level to play with EP. He plays a simple, but effective game.

Nobody thought the game on the Sedins level and they still had success. Simple isn’t bad. In this case I’d say it’s really good. Don’t want too many players trying to do too many things. 

[WeneedLumme]

4 hours ago, N7Nucks said:

Nobody thought the game on the Sedins level and they still had success. Simple isn’t bad. In this case I’d say it’s really good. Don’t want too many players trying to do too many things. 

True. I think maybe the reason LE didn't work out that well with the Sedins was that he was trying to be a third Sedin, rather than a Burr replacement which is what they really needed. Wouldn't shock me if Jake fit in well on EP's line.

[BobbyClarke]

7 hours ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

 

That's huge from a Canuck hater like RM

[Boudrias]

6 hours ago, Hutton Wink said:

And yet, still getting only 12-13min and in the bottom-six.  What happens when he starts getting 13-15min regularly, more PP time, and into the middle-six?  For now, giving good evidence he is a sustainable 40-point player, which a lot of folks here would have scoffed at as recently as a year ago.

Well Hutt he started the year at around 10 minutes TOI. Green is slowly increasing his ice and I see a little PP action on the 2nd unit. I thought it was a nice gesture by Green to put Jake out on the empty net opp for his hattie. 

[BCNate]

Wasn’t his best game tonight.  Hope he bounces back next time out.  I’ve been stoked with his game so far this year.

[Gaudette Celly]

8 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Well Hutt he started the year at around 10 minutes TOI. Green is slowly increasing his ice and I see a little PP action on the 2nd unit. I thought it was a nice gesture by Green to put Jake out on the empty net opp for his hattie. 

Jake out late-game is starting become a very common thing.  Likewise he saw ice twice in OT tonight.  He's definitely got the trust of his coach and seems to be running with it.

[Dats hockey]

1 hour ago, BCNate said:

Wasn’t his best game tonight.  Hope he bounces back next time out.  I’ve been stoked with his game so far this year.

The only thing he didn’t do right was hit the scoresheet, solid game from Jakey

[Rob_Zepp]

Just watched the game and Virtanen was very good and used in a lot of key situations.   He is currently 8th in scoring in terms of his draft class.   If he can play his physical speed game and be anywhere near the top 10 for points relative to his draft class each year, he was a great pick at 6 for Vancouver as few of those ahead of him will be the playoff warrior this kid is likely to be.

 

To those still not sold on this kid haven’t been watching since about game 40 last year.   Over his last 50 or so games, he is playing like the first round pick the Canucks hoped he would become.   Give him more talented line mates (coming with this rebuild) and more minutes (coming as he earns them), he will even be more present on the scoresheet as his points per 60 already have him this season higher than his draft slot.

 

 

[Boudrias]

2 hours ago, Rob_Zepp said:

Just watched the game and Virtanen was very good and used in a lot of key situations.   He is currently 8th in scoring in terms of his draft class.   If he can play his physical speed game and be anywhere near the top 10 for points relative to his draft class each year, he was a great pick at 6 for Vancouver as few of those ahead of him will be the playoff warrior this kid is likely to be.

 

To those still not sold on this kid haven’t been watching since about game 40 last year.   Over his last 50 or so games, he is playing like the first round pick the Canucks hoped he would become.   Give him more talented line mates (coming with this rebuild) and more minutes (coming as he earns them), he will even be more present on the scoresheet as his points per 60 already have him this season higher than his draft slot.

 

 

We are happy with Jake's play now, how about January. Totally agree about last year. He continues to move forward quickly. 

[J-Dizzle]

On 2018-10-31 at 4:03 AM, guntrix said:

You have quite a low bar for "playing well." He's had more mediocre games than good ones so far this season. But much like last year, people stay quiet during Jake's usual mediocre string of 4-10 games, hence the last post being on October 15th. Talk about hipocrisy.  

You’ve been pretty quiet lately Gunner.... waiting for Jake to struggle for a game or two to pipe up?  Talk about hypocrisy 

[J-P]

Made a rough giveaway in the 3rd but played a solid game otherwise, especially on d with many really good backchecks. As long as Jake is still improving everything’s going to be real good...

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

I would like to actually Jake Virtanen as the fourth forward on the first PP unit instead of Eriksson.  

 

Instead of having Brock be the entry zone carrier with Bo, have it Bo and Virt be the carriers.  Their speed will really push back defenders which can open space up for Petey and Brock.

 

Idk just thought something they should try out.  Considering Jake and Bo are one of the better zone entry forwards we have.

[guntrix]

4 hours ago, J-Dizzle said:

You’ve been pretty quiet lately Gunner.... waiting for Jake to struggle for a game or two to pipe up?  Talk about hypocrisy 

That's exactly what I'm doing, because things in this thread always seem to come full circle. People wait for Jake's usual good string of games to say he's turning a corner and are left feeling stupid when everything reverts back to normal. 

 

Luckily, I have great material to pick from down the line from yourself and a couple other posters

[PhillipBlunt]

4 minutes ago, guntrix said:

That's exactly what I'm doing, because things in this thread always seem to come full circle. People wait for Jake's usual good string of games to say he's turning a corner and are left feeling stupid when everything reverts back to normal. 

 

Luckily, I have great material to pick from down the line from yourself and a couple other posters

I'm just amazed that you have such good WiFi from under that bridge. 

[Angry Goose]

1 hour ago, J-P said:

Made a rough giveaway in the 3rd but played a solid game otherwise, especially on d with many really good backchecks. As long as Jake is still improving everything’s going to be real good...

I recall him making a good check as well vs the McKinnon line.  One of them would have been off to the races had Virt not been able to stay with his man

[Sean Monahan]

7 minutes ago, SILLY GOOSE said:

I recall him making a good check as well vs the McKinnon line.  One of them would have been off to the races had Virt not been able to stay with his man

He was the last man back, covering a d man at the point. Lost control of the puck and it went out to the neutral zone (can’t remember if it was a bad pass or his own fumbling) and MacKinnon pursued. He just kinda casually held MacKinnon off with one arm while protecting the puck and then moved it to safety. 

[Blömqvist]

I'd like to see more of Virtanen with Horvat, especially while Sutter and Beagle are out. Green doesn't have anyone else to form a matchup line at the moment and, although the Avs trio of MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Landeskog got their share of points last night, Horvat and Virtanen had the speed and size to keep up with them stride for stride, pound for pound. They just need a defensively responsible playmaking left winger on that line to help generate scoring opportunities for them. 

 

I wonder if in the future Horvat and Virtanen become our top matchup line, freeing up Pettersson and Boeser to get prime offensive opportunities and Gaudette's line to outscore other team's third and fourth lines. 

[Rob_Zepp]

1 minute ago, Sean Monahan said:

He was the last man back, covering a d man at the point. Lost control of the puck and it went out to the neutral zone (can’t remember if it was a bad pass or his own fumbling) and MacKinnon pursued. He just kinda casually held MacKinnon off with one arm while protecting the puck and then moved it to safety. 

I find it curious that people scrutinize this player more than most.    As noted above, he is producing points in line with his draft cohort and position in that draft, he is playing responsible minutes, he is playing with lesser talent than most of those producing more, he is playing "big" and often has the hit of any given game AND he continues to bear the brunt of people just waiting for him to fail.   One of the best players in the game, Nathan MacKinnon, gives the puck to Horvat with less than a minute to go in a game where he, MacKinnon, had just given his team the lead and next thing that brutal giveaway is in the back of the net and the rest is history.   Go to the Avs board and look for a lambasting of MacKinnon.   Take some snacks with you as it will take you a while.   If Virtanen had given up that sort of gaffe in the same situation, every bridge in CDC land would be a troll short of a load and this thread would be on fire.

 

Jake Virtanen continues to develop into what anyone with a reasonable expectation for that type of player would become.    IF he continues to produce in the top 10 of his draft cohort whilst playing the other roles he plays, he will be one of the most important picks made by the Benning regime in the Canucks rebuild.   Bridge dwellers feel free to post this next and every time he slips up as he, like all players, will.