saucypass

Don't worry about it, people on here rag on Eriksson and Gagner too. It's all part of the business, Jake is a big boy, I'm sure he can handle it. Ultimately everyone, even the pessimistic bunch, would like Jake to succeed.

This is absolutely insane... since when was the last time a rookie of his age step into the SHL and challenge for league MVP?

Happy to be wrong, and proud to have changed my mind briefly after.

Yes I agree, he had a few decent games with the Canucks- I hope he will have 82 of those every season. I'm glad you brought up positioning, makes a huge difference and goes along with what I said about a more mature game. Used to try and drive it from down the wing every time. I second that, hope he will get better as the season progresses. 12G-14A would be great!

He did, but he also didn't. When he was in Utica last year, he was rebuilding his game and try to play the right way. During that process he showed flashes and glimpses of what we see now in preseason. Just because he played well from time to time, doesn't change the fact that he didn't show nearly the same amount of consistency as what he's doing now. While he was discovering his game, there were moments where he'd bull around. Skating fast, hitting, shooting a lot, which are all great qualities, but not particularly effective when you don't make the right plays with the puck. Great qualities in perhaps a developing bottom six player- but that's not who we want him to be. What you see now is a more polished version where he has better awareness, and plays a much more mature game. That is where the biggest difference lies and is not something to overlook. Not to mention, he is more fit and much more focused than he was before preseason. Either way, I'm tired of speaking about how he was before, and I just want to give praise and support Jake. I hope he keeps it up and becomes the goal-scorer we all hope him to be.

I watched him on the Hitmen, the Canucks, and the Comets. Not just a stat watcher... not the same Jake...

I've been pretty critical of Virtanen in the past, and I wanted nothing more than for him to prove me wrong. This training camp his performance made critics eat their words, and I could not be happier. Really played like he had a chip on his shoulder and I can't wait to see more from him this season. Hope he keeps it up and becomes that elusive powerforward Vancouver has been starving for. I also like how his on-ice awareness seems to have gotten better too. Great stuff from Jake overall.

Nope. Recently got out. Resides in Florida now.

That makes more sense, thanks! There are always players who come out of nowhere when things look bleak and surprise you. I hope he is one of them.

Yep, that's great. But I'm not really sure camp invites are a good metric. Also I'm not sure if your point about playing junior based solely on age makes sense as the cutoff is based solely on age. But I agree he is young for his draft year and he's got a year or two to show us something.

I agree with trying to take it a little easier on the kid, and hoping that Jake becomes a good NHL-er, but those 13 invites are older than all of our other drafted prospects. So I'm not really sure what this means.

That is actually not a bad idea at all. For a CHL team to receive 875K for one player already meets more than 3 times ticket revenues for most teams. From a financial standpoint, I can't imagine the CHL saying no. I believe with the limits this proposal puts on promoting a player and the financial compensation given to both the player and the CHL team, it's definitely fair to all parties and keeps the CHL more than financially sustainable. Honestly, this extra capital can go towards better compensating junior players in food, clothing, equipment, and really allow any talented players who can barely afford to play to continue pursuing their dreams. A kid like Cody Glass drafted top 6 almost didn't make it because of financial reasons, and I highly doubt he's the only one. Wow, actually though... this should be considered. Haha

Definitely, for sure. Everybody, please vote for me as the next commissioner of the NHL. I vow to make the National Hockey League great again. I will bring more CHL jobs to the AHL.

Hahaha same. Yeah I agree on the age barrier deal too. Again, I really think the best way to go about it is to just give every NHL team the opportunity to allow a CHL prospect go straight to the AHL upon being drafted in the 1st round only IF that NHL team sees fit, AND under the condition that the NHL team has not already used this grant on another prospect one or two years prior. As for financial compensation, the richest teams in the CHL only makes about 500k a year, so I believe even 200k as compensation should be enough. Maybe even install an additional rule on top of that, one where no CHL team can lose more than 1 or 2 players to the AHL in 2 years. If there are more than one NHL teams trying to buy out a player from the same team, that CHL team can decide which one to snub.

Well if he can get a purchase in quick, then I'd recommend Frolunda HC and get Dahlin on our team Gretzky-Oilers style.

Good thing we're starting to stock up on them. Love the new skill, speed, and size blend Benning is trying to create. I think we were so skilled in 2011 that people forget we had a great supporting cast with grit and toughness that can play all throughout our lineup too.

My guess would be concerns over his skating, whether he's playing well because of his size, and whether his numbers are inflated with Suzuki and Palmu. I really think we have the next PWF here. Could've easily gone late first round, let alone late second. You wanna talk about character guy who can make a difference in the playoffs? Here's a guy with that potential.

Watching him and Suzuki play really reminds me of Keller and Greenway. Anybody else see it too?

Seems like this guy is a really hard worker and is completely aware of the level of his skating ability. I can honestly see him being one of those top powerforwards in the future that make everybody scratch their heads and wonder how he wasn't picked earlier.

Michael DiPietro 2016-17 Team: Windsor Spitfires (#64) Date of Birth: June 9, 1999 Place of Birth: Amherstburg, Ontario Ht: 6’0” Wt: 193 lbs Catches: Left Position: Goaltender CAREER STATISTICS Use/Embed statistics SEASON TEAM LEAGUE GP GAA SVS% POSTSEASON GP GAA SVS% 2014-15 Sun County Panthers Mn Mdgt AAA AHMMPL 21 2.12 .916 | Playoffs 9 1.89 .933 Leamington Flyers GOJHL 1 2.00 .905 | 2015-16 Windsor Spitfires OHL 29 2.45 .912 | Playoffs 3 3.48 .869 Canada Red U17 WHC-17 5 1.75 .929 | Canada U18 WJC-18 0 - - | 2016-17 Windsor Spitfires OHL 51 2.35 .917 | Playoffs 7 2.48 .917

LW | 6'2" | 201 lbs Shoots | Left Born | 1998-10-12 Birthplace | Whitby, ON, CAN Draft | 2017 Round 2 #55 Overall by Vancouver Canucks Strengths Excellent size and strength. Drives the net. Good shot. Reads plays well. Under Construction (Improvements to Make) Skating Consistency NHL Potential Gadjovich has the upside of a top-six power forward. He already has the frame and can only get stronger. I believe he is a little dependent on his linemates. He enjoyed a great deal of success playing on one of the OHL’s best lines with Nick Suzuki and Kevin Hancock. The situation Gadjovich lands in is worth watching. His floor is a bit lower as well given his hot and cold streaks. He has boom or bust potential. Risk-Reward Analysis Risk – 5/5, Reward – 4.5/5 Fantasy Hockey Potential Offence – 8/10, Defense – 7/10 Awards/Achievements Jonah Gadjovich won an OHL Gold Cup Championship in 2013-14. He also won an OMHA Gold Medal in the same season. He was originally drafted 39th overall in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

Born: October 16, 1998 . Age: 18 Hometown: Shaunavon, SK Height: 6-1 Weight: 178 Position: RW Team: Kelowna (WHL) CSS Rank: 23rd among North American Skaters CAREER STATISTICS Use/Embed statistics SEASON TEAM LEAGUE GP G A TP PIM +/- POST GP G A TP PIM +/- 2011-12 Swift Current Raiders Bantam AA SBAAHL 24 14 18 32 22 | Playoffs 2 0 1 1 2 2012-13 Swift Current Raiders Bantam AA SBAAHL 20 22 24 46 30 | Playoffs 5 9 2 11 2 Swift Current Legionnaires SMHL 4 3 0 3 4 | 2013-14 Saskatoon Contacts SMHL 44 21 16 37 38 | Playoffs 3 0 2 2 2 2014-15 Saskatoon Contacts SMHL 44 45 34 79 54 | Playoffs 5 4 2 6 14 Kelowna Rockets WHL 6 0 1 1 4 0 | Playoffs 7 0 3 3 4 1 2015-16 Kelowna Rockets WHL 70 14 27 41 54 14 | Playoffs 16 0 0 0 12 1 2016-17 Kelowna Rockets WHL 70 30 57 87 79 36 | Playoffs 17 6 6 12 10 -5 TOURNAMENT STATISTICS 2013-14 Team Saskatchewan WCCC-16 4 0 0 0 4 | Canucks Army: https://canucksarmy.com/2017/06/01/nation-network-2017-prospect-profile-37-kole-lind/

And if he can sustain that peak for another 4 seasons or more I would be pretty ecstatic.

Seems like a tall order. I am personally not in any rush to see him in the lineup soon. I know when he is promoted he will do well for us whenever that may be.

Totally agree with you on this. Mete is a fine prospect, but he has a lot to prove with most of it being at higher levels of hockey due to his size. We're lucky to have Juolevi.