Brick Tamland Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 JV usage is in question, which is a coaching concern. Good team and organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesB Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I have no problem with the organization and the decision to retain overagers and use them in critical minutes. Those OA guys have been terrific. My issue is that, although I've definitely not watched more than 10 Hitmen games, the games I have watched make me wonder if hockey is what I am watching. Five guys just running around the ice. The problem is coaching and systems. I wish Virtanen got more icetime, but hard to argue that he deserves it when older players who seem more responsible defensively have earned that time. Maybe Virtanen would become more defensively responsible if the coach clarified how he wanted his team to play. This is coming from someone who, initially, didn't understand the criticism directed at Mark French (head coach). Then, after a few games, the criticism became pretty clear. This comment gets at something that has been bothering me. Based on on-ice tests, Virtanen should be one of the most talented guys in the WHL -- at least as far as basic skills are concerned -- shaking, shooting, strength. So why does he not get more favorable ice time. Is the problem the coaches or is the problem Virtanen? I worry that maybe be lacks a) discipline hockey IQ, c) defensive effort or ability or d) is there is some personality issue. I hope that is all wrong, but I would like to see him playing more and scoring more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horvat Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) This comment gets at something that has been bothering me. Based on on-ice tests, Virtanen should be one of the most talented guys in the WHL -- at least as far as basic skills are concerned -- shaking, shooting, strength. So why does he not get more favorable ice time. Is the problem the coaches or is the problem Virtanen? I worry that maybe be lacks a) discipline hockey IQ, c) defensive effort or ability or d) is there is some personality issue. I hope that is all wrong, but I would like to see him playing more and scoring more. disipline Edited February 17, 2015 by Horvat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-Hearted Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Something I don't understand. Horvat was drafted for his two-way play. He wasn't drafted to score goals and isn't expected to score goals. Not regularly. Virtanen, on the other hand, was drafted for his respective attributes which includes goalscoring. Why is he expected to be something that he's not? Not saying that he shouldn't work on backchecking but he doesn't have to be molded into a future Selke winner. That's a trophy I see Horvat winning in the future. Virtanen should continue to work on his goalscoring skills so that one day, he can compete for a future Richard Trophy. He's a guy who will outscore his defensive deficiencies. Especially if he plays with a strong two-way centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ihatetomatoes Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Something I don't understand. Horvat was drafted for his two-way play. He wasn't drafted to score goals and isn't expected to score goals. Not regularly. Virtanen, on the other hand, was drafted for his respective attributes which includes goalscoring. Why is he expected to be something that he's not? Not saying that he shouldn't work on backchecking but he doesn't have to be molded into a future Selke winner. That's a trophy I see Horvat winning in the future. Virtanen should continue to work on his goalscoring skills so that one day, he can compete for a future Richard Trophy. He's a guy who will outscore his defensive deficiencies. Especially if he plays with a strong two-way centre. Problem is that in today's nhl you won't get playing time if you don't play a structured reliable game unless you start putting up points as soon as you come into the league. There's no guarantee Virtanen will be an elite point producer, if he can be relied on in a 3rd line role he can slowly learn the NHL game and become a great scorer. Otherwise he has to be good enough right away to play in a scoring role or he won't get playing time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-Hearted Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Problem is that in today's nhl you won't get playing time if you don't play a structured reliable game unless you start putting up points as soon as you come into the league. There's no guarantee Virtanen will be an elite point producer, if he can be relied on in a 3rd line role he can slowly learn the NHL game and become a great scorer. Otherwise he has to be good enough right away to play in a scoring role or he won't get playing time The problem with today's NHL is that the game is over-coached and there's too much of an obsession with trying to turn players into Selke Trophy candidates, no thanks to Jacques Lemaire. Almost every goalie in hockey is as big as hulking stay-at-home defencemen with oversized equipment, making scoring even more difficult. Just for the record, the Canucks, as "an Original 21" franchise, have one of the lowest point totals in the league for a highest scoring rookie on a club - 60 points and that total belongs to Bure and 32-year old Ivan Hlinka. I would love nothing more than to see that record broken. I would love to see the Canucks have their first non-Russian to score 50 goals. Wasn't it fun to see Naslund take a run at 50 when he scored 48?? Could have scored 50 had he not broken his leg in Buffalo that one year and missed 8 games. Wasn't it fun to see the Sedins score back-to-back Art Ross Trophies? One of the best things that could happen to this franchise is if Virtanen and McCann play together after next season and develop great chemistry, which I believe they can. Like the Sedins. Like Linden and Ronning. Like Tanti and Sundstrom. Like Vaive and Derlago(in Toronto ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 The Hitmen play the Tigers on Tuesday @6pm on Shaw, channel 4 in Vancouver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dasein Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) Sedins backcheck Go cheer for Phil Kessel and the Maple Leafs for a week and you will understand why Jake needs to learn to backcheck and play defense Edited February 17, 2015 by Dasein 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackcanuck Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Jake Virtanen and the Hitmen take on the #Canucks other farm team, the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight on @WHLonShawTV (in HD on ch. 303) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Crosby Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Jake Virtanen and the Hitmen take on the #Canucks other farm team, the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight on @WHLonShawTV (in HD on ch. 303) I see what you did there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analyst Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 (edited) nasty puck in the face, took it right in the nose... staying on the bench edit 1 - FYI - even the play by play guy pointed out that virtanen needs to be smarter in the offensive zone. I noticed in the WJ as well as in this game, he will burst with speed wide down RW and circle behind the net, only to blindly throw it out front hoping someone is there. edit 2 Hitmen 1 - Tigers 0, scored on a 4 on 1 rush, virtanen not on ice Edited February 18, 2015 by The Analyst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossi Vaananen Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Bout 6 minutes of play and hasn't returned. Concerning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossi Vaananen Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Wow Bean is legit. Short shift for Virt right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 (edited) edit 1 - FYI - even the play by play guy pointed out that virtanen needs to be smarter in the offensive zone. I noticed in the WJ as well as in this game, he will burst with speed wide down RW and circle behind the net, only to blindly throw it out front hoping someone is there. That wasn't a blind pass at all, it was meant for the right point guy but it hit a stick. Virtanen had his head up and he was looking at his target the whole time. edit. that's not to say he hasn't done that in the past though Edited February 18, 2015 by Amish Rake Fighter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BanTSN Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 nasty puck in the face, took it right in the nose... staying on the bench edit 1 - FYI - even the play by play guy pointed out that virtanen needs to be smarter in the offensive zone. I noticed in the WJ as well as in this game, he will burst with speed wide down RW and circle behind the net, only to blindly throw it out front hoping someone is there. And the other day he scored a highlight wraparound on the same play. Smart choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd. Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Hope Virtanen is alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two drink minimum Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 People saying the Hitmen are a questionable organization know absolutely nothing about the WHL. Are they as good as other years this season? No, but they are a very highly regarded CHL club.I recognise you now. You're the Hitmen PR guy aren't you? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Virtanen took a puck in the face and missed one shift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Yeah....haven't they win 14 of 15 games or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger-Hearted Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Wonder if Virtanen is playing with an undisclosed injury. The Hitmen are doing well and JV only has one goal this month. Last year, his production was far more consistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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