6th Pick: 2014 NHL Entry Draft

[Junkyard Dog]

what was the end result?

I like sandwiches.

[thad]

what was the end result?

Got smashed by a team with more Nick Ritchie's lol

[thad]

We even hurt their Virtanen and they still nick Ritchied us hahaha

[missioncanucksfan]

I personally think you have to have a combination of alot of things, like the Hawks did last year, they had alot of skill, played offensive puck possession, puck also had some bigger guys & a good defense with good goaltending.

I think we have good defense, good goaltending, and some big guys, but lack the high end skill that can create offense for the shooters & the big guys (those are also the guys that run the PP) which to me is why Kapanen is the perfect fit for our team. He addresses the areas this team lacks.

Our window closed because we didn't have the offensive talent, we started going to the bigger/tougher team after the finals, then in 2012 we lost because our best player was injured (along with some other key guys playing injured) and we didn't have the depth offensively to overcome that. The issues in 11 & 12 were the same, we couldn't score, its not that we weren't tough enough or big enough.

Now we have added size & toughness, and these last 2 years its been painfully obvious we can't score, and our offensive difficulties are the reason we have this pick, so why not use it to address our biggest need?

Virtanen doesn't do that to me, because he is like what we already have (and what hasn't worked) Kesler & Booth.

Which again leads me to Kapanen, or Ehlers or maybe Nylander, guys who can create offense and help other players offensively (Kesler, Booth, Higgins, exc) and can help the PP.

Ya I think he could be a good passer, and could put up more assists, he just always tries to put himself in a position to shoot rather than trying to create something with his linemates.

Ehlers, Nylander & Ritchie I agree on.

Kapanen isn't high risk. He's probably one of the safer picks, but he's got high upside aswell.

To me he's low risk/high reward.

I agree with you here.

Times have been tough for Schroeder, last year he was doing good things with the puck, creating offense for his teammates, he really had a tough time with injures & wasn't doing that (could be due partially to the difference in Torts system), he's got to get back to what he showed last season.

you make a crap load of great points. Drafting a guy to play with Sedins and one to play with Kesler are 2 different players. Sedins need a finisher to set up in the slot (much like Bertuzzi, Carter, Burrows etc). Virtanen fits that bill, but who knows...by the time Jake is ready, The twins could be done by then

[Plum]

what was the end result?

Aw jeez, if we had a PWF we would have won, because 1 player wins the Stanley Cup!

[Smashian Kassian]

you make a crap load of great points. Drafting a guy to play with Sedins and one to play with Kesler are 2 different players. Sedins need a finisher to set up in the slot (much like Bertuzzi, Carter, Burrows etc). Virtanen fits that bill, but who knows...by the time Jake is ready, The twins could be done by then

We have Burr for the Twins, aswell as Kassian, and even Jensen showed some promise with Henrik, after the Twins we have nothing really, I think a winger for Kesler is more important, but thats just me.

[Smashian Kassian]

Got smashed by a team with more Nick Ritchie's lol

Aside from Lucic who would u say was a Nick Ritchie type on that 2011 team. Aside from Lucic there offense consistented of Krejci, Marchand, Recchi, Bergeron & Ryder, then depth guys like Peverly, Seguin. exc.

None of those guys scream big mean PWF or Nick Ritchie type player to me.

They beat us cause they had great goaltending that we couldn't overcome.

[Ossi Vaananen]

Well at least people have stopped talking up Ehlers or Nylander.

I think this U18 tournie is going to show who the real stars are. Virtanen already with 2 goals off sick shots. Factor in the combine and it should further rule out undersized forwards at the 6th spot. Between these two factors you have to think the list comes down to one of Virtanen or Ritchie, and you can't go wrong with either.

To those making the argument that it's size vs. skill, well what if the size is the skill. I mean Virtanen's 45 goals is right at the top of this years draft (Ehlers with 49). You're not losing any comparative skill set in drafting Virtanen, and the criticisms surrounding his defence can be worked on.

Fitting in this year's draftees with our current team is illogical, as it could well take 3-4 years before these players are ready to make an impact. At that point it's a matter of where they fit in with our current prospects coming up.

Jensen - Kesler - Kassian

Shinkaruk - Horvat - Virtanen

Gaunce - Cassels - Fox

Archibald - Lain - Grenier

Deyamm, everyone of those guys has bite. No more non-response to a flying elbow to D.Sedin's head. More sack, less Yak,

[missioncanucksfan]

Aside from Lucic who would u say was a Nick Ritchie type on that 2011 team. Aside from Lucic there offense consistented of Krejci, Marchand, Recchi, Bergeron & Ryder, then depth guys like Peverly, Seguin. exc.

None of those guys scream big mean PWF or Nick Ritchie type player to me.

They beat us cause they had great goaltending that we couldn't overcome.

ya but that Dustin Brown guy sure hammers the snot out of us whilst scoring timely goals.....who on the Canucks is doing that? Virtanen isnt the biggest player. Roughly the same size as Brown but both play much bigger than they are.

Burrows looked like a shadow of his former self this year, even with the twins but everyone crapped the bed this year and Im hoping Burr and Daniel can both bounce back. If not them we have serious problems.

Kassian looked lost in his cameo appearances on that line but Im intrigued to see what he is like now that he has seemingly found his spark.

Jensen looked uncomfortable being Torts' whipping boy but IMO he looked awesome in his stint with Burr and Hank. Hopefully that changes for the better in the fall as well.

Those are 2 HUGE key points for me next year.

[MJDDawg]

im not buying into that. I think alot of our scoring issues has to do with the fact that we are the slowest team out there. santorelli looked great this year. because hes the only guy who used speed.

but Schroeder has speed amd he sucked.

I dont know anymore.

Agreed about the lack of team speed being maybe the single biggest issue with this team. We need a lot more of it.

Having said that, Virtanen at the 6th pick seems to be a rare combination of power, size and speed. So we really could have our cake, and eat it too.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/04/12/2014-nhl-draft-profile-11-jake-virtanen/

Jake Virtanen is a power forward prospect who never hesitates to get involved physically. He loves to hit, and be involved in battles along the boards. Virtanen takes the puck to the net at every opportunity. He has the creative stickhandling and good agility to beat a defender with slick moves, but is also willing to go right through them if necessary to get to the net. Virtanen is a pure goal scorer who can score in tight with soft hands, and also has an excellent shot with big time power, great accuracy and a tremendously quick release that fools goaltenders. Virtanen has taken his game to another level of late, and has shown flashes of true dominance in the WHL. He also has good hockey sense and the ability to get open and elude defenders. Virtanen is more of a goal scorer than a playmaker, but he does have decent passing skills and vision as well.

An outstanding skater, with impressive speed on the wing, Virtanen has the ability to take a defender wide before cutting back to the net. He was the fastest skater at the CHL top prospects game skills competition in both forwards and backwards skating. He has great acceleration, and his long and powerful stride gives him good balance and allows him to fight through hooks, holds, and other checks.

Virtanen has decent defensive skills, he back checks hard, and is willing to be physical in all three zones. He is also willing to block shots and generally do whatever is necessary to help his team win games. He could stand to improve on his discipline though, as he can sometimes get out of position as he is looking for the big hit. Virtanen is not afraid to drop the gloves and is a good fighter. He is willing to defend teammates, or himself, against all comers.

In terms of style, Virtanen is reminiscent of Jarome Iginla in his prime. This isn’t to say he has that level of talent, just that the style is similar. In terms of potential, the sky is the limit. If developed properly, Jake Virtanen has the skills necessary to be a top six power forward at the NHL level. He’s the total package, and the combination of size, skill, and speed is extremely intriguing.

[Smashian Kassian]

ya but that Dustin Brown guy sure hammers the snot out of us whilst scoring timely goals.....who on the Canucks is doing that? Virtanen isnt the biggest player. Roughly the same size as Brown but both play much bigger than they are.

Burrows looked like a shadow of his former self this year, even with the twins but everyone crapped the bed this year and Im hoping Burr and Daniel can both bounce back. If not them we have serious problems.

Kassian looked lost in his cameo appearances on that line but Im intrigued to see what he is like now that he has seemingly found his spark.

Jensen looked uncomfortable being Torts' whipping boy but IMO he looked awesome in his stint with Burr and Hank. Hopefully that changes for the better in the fall as well.

Those are 2 HUGE key points for me next year.

Alright (solid comparison) well then Dustin Brown/One dimensional Ryan Kesler type player, or a Patrick Sharp type player (with a bit more natural talent IMO).

With where our team is, with the offense it lacks, I'm taking the Patrick Sharp type myself.

Brown is a good player, but he's no offensive star, thats why in 2012 & this year LA has gone out and got great offensive players. You need that offense to be successful, thats why teams like Boston/LA/St.Louis/SJ/Chicago/exc have been successful. They have a good mix of great offensive ability & the other components like big guys & Two-way guys.

[missioncanucksfan]

Alright (solid comparison) well then Dustin Brown/One dimensional Ryan Kesler type player, or a Patrick Sharp type player (with a bit more natural talent IMO).

With where our team is, with the offense it lacks, I'm taking the Patrick Sharp type myself.

Brown is a good player, but he's no offensive star, thats why in 2012 & this year LA has gone out and got great offensive players. You need that offense to be successful, thats why teams like Boston/LA/St.Louis/SJ/Chicago/exc have been successful. They have a good mix of great offensive ability & the other components like big guys & Two-way guys.

well Dustin Brown has avg 20+ goals since he came into the league. Another comparison to Virtanen I see is Perry....that guy skates thru us and everyone whilst protecting the puck whilst driving it to the net.

[Gstank29]

I think that virtanen is probably one of the safest pick the canucks can take at 6. His combination of shot, speed, and physicality should allow him to become a 3rd liner no problem. But that being said the only problem i have with him at 6 is that he's more of a second line prospect, than a top end all-star caliber player, which is what you hope to get with a top 10 pick

[Warhippy]

Alright (solid comparison) well then Dustin Brown/One dimensional Ryan Kesler type player, or a Patrick Sharp type player (with a bit more natural talent IMO).

With where our team is, with the offense it lacks, I'm taking the Patrick Sharp type myself.

Brown is a good player, but he's no offensive star, thats why in 2012 & this year LA has gone out and got great offensive players. You need that offense to be successful, thats why teams like Boston/LA/St.Louis/SJ/Chicago/exc have been successful. They have a good mix of great offensive ability & the other components like big guys & Two-way guys.

The thing about Virtanen is his age though.

he is one of the youngest in the draft at barely 17.

Just think of his upward trend. At 18 years 90+ points in the WHL is not out of the question. And remember we are all high on a smaller Shinkaruk with roughly the same kind of forward scoring with a smaller overall size.

Knowing Virtanen is so young and has such a long way to go to reach his potential ceiling. And the canucks ability to actually allow their draft picks to develop for a few seasons before needing to slot them in to the lineup

I would be comfortabale indeed with Virtanen at 6 or in the event of the rumoured Anaheim trade at 10th. His potential and our overall need for elite scoring RW's in the system with our glut of 2 way LW's and C/LWs make him incredibly attractive to draft.

Coupled with so many smart and awesome looking LWs and C/LWs next year in the first 20 picks i'd be ok with picking Virtanen for RW, even if we ended up with Eichel or Vacha (sp) after a terrible year

[TOMapleLaughs]

I think that virtanen is probably one of the safest pick the canucks can take at 6. His combination of shot, speed, and physicality should allow him to become a 3rd liner no problem. But that being said the only problem i have with him at 6 is that he's more of a second line prospect, than a top end all-star caliber player, which is what you hope to get with a top 10 pick

He reminds me of Oshie. I think he's a 1st liner.

Forget this year for your all-star and just tank for McDavid or Eichel next year. Rebuild complete.

[Smashian Kassian]

The thing about Virtanen is his age though.

he is one of the youngest in the draft at barely 17.

Just think of his upward trend. At 18 years 90+ points in the WHL is not out of the question. And remember we are all high on a smaller Shinkaruk with roughly the same kind of forward scoring with a smaller overall size.

Knowing Virtanen is so young and has such a long way to go to reach his potential ceiling. And the canucks ability to actually allow their draft picks to develop for a few seasons before needing to slot them in to the lineup

I would be comfortabale indeed with Virtanen at 6 or in the event of the rumoured Anaheim trade at 10th. His potential and our overall need for elite scoring RW's in the system with our glut of 2 way LW's and C/LWs make him incredibly attractive to draft.

Coupled with so many smart and awesome looking LWs and C/LWs next year in the first 20 picks i'd be ok with picking Virtanen for RW, even if we ended up with Eichel or Vacha (sp) after a terrible year

Whos the Shinkaruk comparison too? Virtanen?

I don't see Virtanen as an elite scoring RW, that's my problem with him, with the 6th pick we should take someone with really high potential, I don't see that in Virtanen. I do see him as a solid NHLer, but someone who should go around 9 or later.

What I see is a Dustin Brown, or one dimensional Ryan Kesler (the Kesler we saw this year) type of player.

I get he's young, but so are other players. Kapanen isn't even a month older than him (and he has a higher floor & ceiling IMO) and he's also a winger, he can score, he can be a playmaker and he can run a PP (those last 2 things we desperately need). He's a pretty safe pick and he has more elite upside IMO.

[Smashian Kassian]

well Dustin Brown has avg 20+ goals since he came into the league. Another comparison to Virtanen I see is Perry....that guy skates thru us and everyone whilst protecting the puck whilst driving it to the net.

I don't think his hockey sense is at the level of Perry, nor his playmaking ability or two-way play. And I don't think he has Perry upside, but I do think he will become a faster straight ahead skater than Perry.

Brown is a good player, not a high end offensive player or anything though, its not really an issue I have with Virtanen, the issue I have is taking him at 6 over some of the other players available.

[Plum]

Kapanen has the defensive abilities to be a 3rd line forward like Hansen at worst and at best he can be a Marian Hossa with great two-way abilites and offensive instincts.

Virtanen doesn't have defensive abilities to rely on, he can be a good energy guy at worst and at best I could see him as a Dustin Brown, 2nd line RW PWF.

[missioncanucksfan]

I don't think his hockey sense is at the level of Perry, nor his playmaking ability or two-way play. And I don't think he has Perry upside, but I do think he will become a faster straight ahead skater than Perry.

Brown is a good player, not a high end offensive player or anything though, its not really an issue I have with Virtanen, the issue I have is taking him at 6 over some of the other players available.

Virtanen has been a +25 in his 2 seasons.....can hardly call him a defensive liability

[L. Stanley]

Virtanen has been a +25 in his 2 seasons.....can hardly call him a defensive liability

plus he is really young, 8 months younger than reinhart, and he is bigger and just as good a goal scorer