Plum

I hope those aren't the lines in the game..

Yeah but the good thing is is that these things will get better with experience, I don't know alot of veteran centres who are that passive. That might be a problem right now though. I think he might be a little passive because he's not confident in his skating to get back and try to stop a scoring opportunity if a turnover occurs, I'd like him to work on his skating a little bit more just the acceleration.

They don't scratch players, I think the IIHF allows them to have 20 skaters on the bench, so that means no one in the pressbox. If a forward gets injured you'll have 12 forwards and be able to continue rolling 4 lines. Just something I like about the guys we have drafted lately is that they are good overall players, physical or atleast not soft and they can skate well. Sedins are great players that have magic that may not ever be seen again in hockey but I just never liked how we were known around the league as a "soft team" and the "sisters" were our best players. Sedins are sometimes pretty one-dimensional, I don't want to criticize too much but I like what guys like Virtanen, Horvat, Shinkaruk, McCann can bring to the line-up once they start hitting their primes and hopefully are in the NHL. They bring grit, speed, all-around, skilled game. That's one thing I'm looking forward to in the future and Virtanen brings speed, skill and alot of physicality. Something I like in players, exciting players, I'm jealous of big, physical teams like LA, ANA and BOS. They were always physically dominant.

Galchenyuk switched from wing to centre, he played wing earlier in the season and in his NHL career. I won't be surprised if he stays at centre but he might have to compete with other prospects for a centre spot when they all start getting some time in the NHL hopefully or in the AHL. If he can't beat them out well he can play on the wing and he's doing well so far on wing.

Gaunce has the best chance of making the NHL of any other prospect not in the NHL because of his mature game. Plays a very pro style of game, isn't flashy but he works hard, a smart player and is in position. Reads the play well, I think he'll be a solid bottom 6 player that you can rely out there on the PK, he's a big body aswell which always helps in puck battles and overall.

The only concern I have with Bo is that sometimes he's watching too much in the defensive zone and he's not "reading the play" but he's just standing in the slot not moving his feet and I guess all he's really doing is blocking a passing lane. I don't know why he does that, sometimes he's tired but sometimes I don't know what it is. He's similar to Toews in how he protects the puck, makes plays offensively and his vision. I think his skating can get to how Toews skates, not explosive skaters but can skate well. The 4th line needs more ice-time than guys like Burrows and Higgins. Dorsett, Hansen and Horvat are all going 100% and battling hard same with Matthias and Vey. These guys are putting in alot of effort in every shift and they are lately our best forwards getting the most chances.

Not anymore do we need him. I love the remaining parts of the 2011 core, they did alot to try and bring a Cup home but Burrows just looks so slow and weak out there. It's pretty sickening to see how he dropped off, he's one of our worst skaters, he's not dynamic enough to play on the 2nd line. He's really not doing much ever since he got demoted to the 2nd line when Vrbata came here. Bonino is the best player on that line by a pretty big margin. He's a big caphit for the next little while and he's not playing like a 2nd line guy. Everyone on our team brings more to the table than him IMO, Vey, Bonino, Kassian bring more skill, Matthias, Higgins, Hansen, Dorsett bring more energy and grit than him, Horvat is a centre, brings better playmaking and two-way game than him.

He seems like a pretty patriotic guy, went the US route aswell with his career.

Reminds of a one-way Jeff Carter except on the wing but Virtanen is 6'1, Jeff is 6'4.

It really depends if he makes the 15-16 season on alot of things, if Vrbata is still on the 1st line, if Higgins and Burrows are replaced or if they keep their game up. On the 3rd line if Burrows and Higgins do get replaced then they are likely going to the 3rd line which leaves no room for Virtanen. Also, Shinkaruk and Jensen will be fighting for jobs in the top 9. Alot of different situations possible, I'm going with no though.

Yeah you have a point. Virtanen doesn't really need a system to play in because he can skate and then use his size to power to the net or shoot. I haven't seen the games so I can't say if he's cycling with his linemates, trying to get open, etc or taking the puck and going to the net. There might not have been a system though because cuts have to be made, not all players are playing and I think this is just 2 games to evaluate the players individually. The coach, Benoit Groulx spoke good things about Virtanen and doesn't seem to have any concerns about his play. We're probably thinking to much into 2 games anyways, sure he's looking good but the whole team dominated the CIS All-Stars.

Yeah he's definitely playing as one of the best players for Canada at the camp. I think he'll play a big role for Canada at the World Juniors, that's a tournament where skill and speed is crucial. Fabbri and McDavid are terrific players who know how to get open, are very smart and great playmakers. He'll be playing with great players and his skill will really show. Virtanen type of players with alot of speed and skill can dominate tournaments like the World Juniors and he might just be a top 3 point getter for Canada.

1 goal and 1 assist for Hutton tonight against New Hampshire. 5-2 Maine.

A 6 game tournament won't. At the end of the career we'll be able to determine which would have been the best pick.

Josh Morrissey traded to Kelowna! http://www.raiderhockey.com/article/raiders-trade-morrissey Prince Albert, SK The Prince Albert Raiders have traded Josh Morrissey and Gage Quinney to the Kelowna Rockets for defenseman Jesse Lees, forward Austin Glover, and two WHL bantam draft picks - a 2nd round pick in 2016 and a 3rd round pick in 2017.

The "4th line" IMO needs more ice-time, you could see in the 3rd period they were the only line that played a good amount of time in the offensive zone. The cycling game is strong and they win alot of puck battles,

He's definitely picking it up and you'd have to think that getting his timing back after being out with a shoulder must have held him back earlier in the season or maybe just a slow starter. He's playing really well lately and hopefully he keeps it up. Virtanen is coming in hot to Canada's Selection Camp.

I agree, he's playing really well. He's getting involved physically by hitting, using his body and going to the net. He's a puck hounder, always wanting to attack to get the puck back instead of sitting back, he's fitting in really well. Hansen and Dorsett are finding him open alot of the time and he could have had 2-3 more goals if he just scored which tells me he's a pretty smart hockey player that knows how to get open. Reminds me alot of Bergeron but Bergeron is quicker.

His team just isn't very good, he's clearly one of the best if not the best player on the team and he's having the game I expected him to have. Very good offensively, creating chances, skating well and being physical defensively. He can still work on his defence game by getting more involved and staying in position.

Desjardins converted him.

Shinkaruk on the 4th line? I can agree with Gaunce but Shinkaruk needs skilled players to play with or in a scoring role in the NHL. Shinkaruk with Vey and Higgins could work but then too many young players and I don't think that will work especially with the inexperience, just going to be hell for Desjardins.

The only real concern I have about Virtanen is his decision making with the puck on his stick, sometimes he tries to deke around a player and the defenceman will just poke the puck off his stick. He doesn't have the best hands on a 1 on 1, he does use his body well on the offence when protecting the puck and taking it to the net.

Calgary is a pretty crappy team, not alot of skill in the line-up. Virtanen is their best player but he's not surronded with a whole lot of talent on that team, Tambellini is an overager, Fazleev is pretty raw as a prospect. That's really most of the talent, hopefully Malenstyn can come along next year and become a top draft eligible player in the WHL next season if Virtanen is still around. I hope Virtanen somehow gets traded or players are added to support Virtanen.