Draft Virtanen!

[Light Bearer]

I think its disingenuous to suggest Virtanen and Ritchie will fill out even more on their already overstocked frames but Ehlers wont.

By the time Ehlers is filled out he will be 6ft 190 pounds.He wont need anyone to 'look after him' .

How can you know what Ehlers will weigh or how tall he will grow to. Are you from the future? Do you know John Connors?

[Mr.53]

Honestly, I like both, but I don't even think it's a competition. Virtanen is better in almost every category.

Virtanen

• better shot (arguably the best shot int he draft, if not probably top 3)
• better hands
• Faster skater (some have said the fastest in the draft, people forget you need speed to actually connect hits)
• More swagger
• Local BC boy (more likely to stay his whole career if wanted?)
• 17 years old
• Can move to Center if need be

Ritchie

• Bigger player
• Tougher? (Virtanen still had more fights this year)
• Can play both wings
• (edit: better vision)
• (edit: better hockey IQ)

The way I see it, Virtanen already has the tools to be a solid third liner, but could still become a top line player. Virtanen has all the tools to be a top line player, he just needs to be taught how to fully unleash it. Worst case scenario we still get a speedy, we get a third line winger who can snipe and hit. 30-40 points a season easy. But he still has the potential to be a top line game changer. All he needs is some good teaching over the next few years.

Oh and people say when Virtanen gets to the NHL he's going to have problems with his physical game. I don't see why. 6 foot 200-205 pounds, and has the amazing foot speed needed to actually connect with hits. To give you guys a reference on his size, Ryan Kesler is about the same weight (NHL lists him at about 202lbs) but 2 inches taller and seems to use his speed to hit people just fine. Again, Virtanen is still 17, he's most likely going to bulk up for the NHL.

In Virtanen, I see another version of Evander Kane but without the attitude problems we hear from WPG.

[Merci]

^ That's funny because a main issue from Virtanen is attitude.

[asian player]

Honestly, I like both, but I don't even think it's a competition. Virtanen is better in almost every category.

Virtanen

• better shot (arguably the best shot int he draft, if not probably top 3)
• better hands
• Faster skater (some have said the fastest in the draft, people forget you need speed to actually connect hits)
• More swagger
• Local BC boy (more likely to stay his whole career if wanted?)
• 17 years old
• Can move to Center if need be

Ritchie

• Bigger player
• Tougher? (Virtanen still had more fights this year)
• Can play both wings

The way I see it, Virtanen already has the tools to be a solid third liner, but could still become a top line player. Virtanen has all the tools to be a top line player, he just needs to be taught how to fully unleash it. Worst case scenario we still get a speedy, we get a third line winger who can snipe and hit. 30-40 points a season easy. But he still has the potential to be a top line game changer. All he needs is some good teaching over the next few years.

Oh and people say when Virtanen gets to the NHL he's going to have problems with his physical game. I don't see why. 6 foot 200-205 pounds, and has the amazing foot speed needed to actually connect with hits. To give you guys a reference on his size, Ryan Kesler is about the same weight but 2 inches taller and seems to use his speed to hit people just fine. Again, Virtanen is still 17, he's most likely going to bulk up for the NHL.

In Virtanen, I see another version of Evander Kane but without the attitude problems we hear from WPG.

Ritchie is a better shooter. Virtanen's "swagger" is marginally cocky. You forgot to add that Ritchie has much better vision. He passes and shoots better than Virtanen. Are Virtanen's hands really that much better?

[Junkyard Dog]

How can you know what Ehlers will weigh or how tall he will grow to. Are you from the future? Do you know John Connors?

Anyone can grow in weight, including Ehlers. Nobody actually knows Ehlers true height, I have checked numerous sites and they are almost all different they range from 5'10'' to 6'. With that said you can still grow until your early twenties so it is a safe guess to predict he will grow about one more inch when he's done growing in height.

[Absent Canuck]

How can you know what Ehlers will weigh or how tall he will grow to. Are you from the future? Do you know John Connors?

There is no John Connors. There was a Jimmy Connors.

[Robongo]

Virtanen is Booth but with an A+ shot. Imagine if Booth could shoot, he'd be one hell of a player.

[BOHORVAT53]

Some good points in this thread, as well as some dumb ones

Nylander doesnt play as fragile as people say.. I say he's already a bit more aggressive then Henrik Sedin or Nicklas Backstrom... As for skill, the 3 of them were all equally talented at this age.. He played the year with grown men so obviously he didnt overpower anyone... Playing for Sweden last month, regarding aggression/toughness I thought he handled himself very well against kids his own age... Offensively, I think he was the most dominant player in the tournament.. With a solid training camp, he can play between 9-82 games in the NHL next year

Virtanen understandably gets mixed reviews.. His style of play is very exciting and fun to watch and I think his game would transition very well into the NHL.. I never thought of Booth as a comparison before but it's actually a pretty good one.. Great speed, and strength, but poor vision and IQ .. Booth doesnt have his shot, Virtanen doesnt have his hustle.. Booth uses speed and strength to go around the dman and drive to the net... Virtanen prefers to go through the dmen.. His speed is used up n down the wing...

*He is almost a full year younger then the other #6th overall candidates

April 2013: 62gms 16-18-34pts

April 2014: 71gms 45-26-71pts

April 2015: 71gms 60-35-95pts in WHL... 65-40-105pts in OHL... 70-45-115pts in QMJHL

April 2016: Virtanen would be 19 like Mantha, whos 23 months older.. How many goals and points could Virtanen have in the Q?

If this was April 2015 and Virtanen played for the Oshawa Generals with Cassels or Laughton, I say he gets more goals and points then Dal Colle does... If he played in Halifax in place of Ehlers on a line with Drouin, I can only imagine how many goals he would have

[BanTSN]

^ That's funny because a main issue from Virtanen is attitude.

What's really funny is that the 'attitude issues' for both are 100% horsecrap.

Having a career being micromanaged by your father, like Coho, er, Nylander, is more of an issue, imho.

[6string]

you mentioned that virtanen is " light years ahead of evander kane ", the kid has yet to play in the nhl ( can he take it to the next level like kane has ) to make an outrageous statement like that. i've seen far too many flops with credentials coming in to the bigs that were can't miss.

but i have to admit i am tired of the canucks organization not drafting or positioning themselves to draft locals who have shined or shown nhl potential right under their noses, we'll see what transpires on draft day 2014.

[6string]

What's really funny is that the 'attitude issues' for both are 100% horsecrap.

Having a career being micromanaged by your father, like Coho, er, Nylander, is more of an issue, imho.

@ban tsn love your photo, the cbc tsn bash....all toronto all the time and when their done all montreal all the time, the vancouver reports or coverage are like well an after thought or time filling....

[Tangelos]

This thread's a joke. We're not drafting Virtanen At 6th, our highest draft pick in over a decade, because he's a precious "BC boy". That's just ridiculous

[BanTSN]

This thread's a joke. We're not drafting Virtanen At 6th, our highest draft pick in over a decade, because he's a precious "BC boy". That's just ridiculous

No we'd draft him because he's ranked 6th.

[FlyLow_]

I really wish I didn't see the 2nd coming in Gilbert Brule in this kid.

[BanTSN]

I really wish I didn't see the 2nd coming in Gilbert Brule in this kid.

Brule the small forward who had no regard for self-preservation? That sounds like Ehlers.

[Mr.53]

Ritchie is a better shooter. Virtanen's "swagger" is marginally cocky. You forgot to add that Ritchie has much better vision. He passes and shoots better than Virtanen. Are Virtanen's hands really that much better?

fair enough. I'll edit the list, but I think we can agree to disagree on shot. Virtanen's shot is so powerful, yet still super accurate forehand or backhand. The kid picks his point and hits it. But I'll give you the vision point and overall IQ

[saucypass]

I'd be happy to draft Virtanen only if we trade down a couple slots or so. This kid has sick speed.

[DeltaSwede]

I think the players that have been discussed the most on these boards (Virtanen, Ehlers, Ritchie, Nylander) have a lot of question marks about them. Either way I hope that one of Draisaitl, Bennett, or Dal Colle drop to our position at #6 instead because I think all three are more complete as players.

I just hope the Canucks stay away from Nylander at the 6th spot. He is the riskiest pick out of those 4 players that will likely be left on the board once its Vancouvers turn to pick.

I think a real possibility in this draft is that William Nylander is picked by Calgary if Ekblad, Reinhart and Draisaitl are gone. His father Michael spent his longest tenure playing for an NHL team in Calgary. Could be a neat story for them but I guess that doesn't really matter for them seeing that they passed on Shinkaruk in last years draft.

1. FLA - Ekblad
2. BUF - Reinhart
3. EDM - Draisaitl

4. CGY - Nylander

5. NYI - Bennett/Dal Colle

6. VAN - Bennett/Dal Colle

[Angry Goose]

I'd be happy to draft Virtanen only if we trade down a couple slots or so. This kid has sick speed.

and good size and skill- pretty much an excellent foundation for a solid hockey player. I would be really excited if the the Canucks scouts and management viewed him as the BPA at #6 but who knows.

[Tangelos]

No we'd draft him because he's ranked 6th.

In what way is he batter than Ehlers and Ritchie? Please elaborate. From what I heard he's a pretty dumb hockey player