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Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


avelanch

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I have watched Virtanen these past few games. His skating ability as well as his shot is truly impressive. We really don't have players with shoot-first mentality.

Only problem last few games was that he made a few sloppy plays in his own zone which led to a goal. I think that game was in Medicine Hat. Still, he's used on the PK and is very reliable.

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What I'm trying to say is simply this: our needs in the future aren't another scoring winger. We will need a top-end center to replace Henrik Sedin when he's on the down-swing.

Sedins will probably retire around the same time Johansen is set to turn UFA...Just saying ::D

Come home RJ!!! :wub:

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Just watching the way Virtanen moves around the ice is exciting. The shot, speed, size, power are all top notch. I can't believe people are calling him a bust already. Yeah he might not have extrasensory passing abilities but he's not a stupid player. Hockey sense is a lot easier to coach than the things he already has.

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I never said Virtanen wasn't a good prospect - he'll probably be our best forward in about 5 years time. He's a #6 pick for a reason and if we hadn't taken him, he would have gone in the top-10 anyway.

What I'm trying to say is simply this: our needs in the future aren't another scoring winger. We will need a top-end center to replace Henrik Sedin when he's on the down-swing. Nylander was our best shot at that. Now unless Virtanen can learn to play center, Benning better start the hunt for a future top center because that's the sort of player you build a team around.

I know he's a smart GM, and he was clearly going for Reinhart in his Shinkaruk + 1st + Higgins trade proposal for the first overall which is why I have faith in him to get us that center, but it just seems like a missed opportunity letting Nylander slip. Obviously he's got a bit of risk, being such a skilled, smaller forward, but the Sedins would have turned him into a true professional.

As for McCann and Cassels, it'd be great if they turned out to be our future top line center but there's much less probability of that happening than Nylander becoming a first line center. They're both talented forwards who are playing well as overagers, but Nylander would have fit the bill to perfection.

Not sure why you keep repeating this bull. The Sedins aren't just gonna magically turn Nylander into a #1 center. Nylander is gonna have to do that himself.

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Virtanen wasn't on the board when it was time for the leafs to pick so what's your point? Virtanen's shot is not that much better than Ritchie's and Ritchie's hockey sense is quite a bit better than Virtanen's. He is the kind of player the Leafs need

Virtanen has a better shot, better hands, much better skating, more physical. Ritchie is bigger, a better passer, and slightly smarter.

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Craig Button rated his IQ as 3/5....

But thats just him

Craig Button?

He's the dude that rated and projected Virtanen to go to the 40th something pick in 2014 draft. If anything I think Craig Button's IQ of projecting prospects is 2/5.

Edited by BeefGormley
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Craig Button?

He's the dude that rated and projected Virtanen to go to the 40th something pick in 2014 draft. If anything I think Craig Button's IQ of projecting prospects is 2/5.

Craig Button hasn't had a GM Job since 2003 and boy is that ever evident when he evaluates prospects.

You have to take his /5 ratings with a grain of salt because a 1-5 scale is definitely not accurate enough in the first place.

He rated Jake Virtanen a 5/5 for his shot (well deserved) and he averaged 0.63 Goals per Game last year

He rated #4 overall Sam Bennett a 3/5 for his shot but Sam scored at the same 0.63 Goals per Game as Virtanen.

I get that your shot is not the be all end all to goal scoring but these ratings are nothing more than a quick synopsis into a player's game.

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