Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[wildwood12]

Somebody please tell Jake, if you can score more goals and get more assists you make more money!

[Glug Datt]

On 9/28/2019 at 9:24 AM, shayster007 said:

I have been a huge JV supporter his entire career, and always felt the best was yet to come with him as a Canuck. while I still do, I can also say that I'm very disappointed in Virt this year. Was expecting him to at least look like he cared about making this team. 

I agree with you, but I do wonder how many more times this will be said.. 

[Nuck1991]

i think he gets traded this season. 

management had enuf of him.

[DeNiro]

2 minutes ago, Nuck1991 said:

i think he gets traded this season. 

management had enuf of him.

I think Green is tired of getting questions from the media about him. Kind of becomes a distraction when they’re focused on one player all the time.

[Crabcakes]

On 9/28/2019 at 10:10 AM, NUCKER67 said:

That's the conundrum for me. Jake had a good exit interview from what I've heard. Green was very clear about what he wanted Jake to work on, but then he comes to camp out of shape. This isn't his first rodeo, he should know better.

 

I wonder, does Jake hang out with team mates? I hear about Pettersson and Boeser going shopping, or Boeser going to Stecher's place to see his new dog, or Horvat hanging out with old Knights friends and Baertschi, etc. Jake could have some bad influences. I was a big Virtanen supporter before (I even have his jersey), but a change of scenery might be what it takes for Jake to wake up and be a professional. I just hope Benning gets a good return.  

Was it his fitness level?  All I have heard was that he didn't make one of his off season goals.  He checked in at 226 at camp, just 3 lbs lighter than last year.

 

I didn't watch the bag skate but bigger guys tend to do less well at things like that anyways.

 

Is there a source that I missed?  Not speculation.

[Nucker 67]

I'm not sure what Jake's issues were at camp, but Green wasn't happy. I suspect it was his fitness level. Jake really struggled with the bag skate. Beagle is bigger and 10 years older than Jake, yet he schooled everyone.   

[Blömqvist]

So much promise from Jake, especially in his first pro-season. I was at the game where he scored his first ever NHL goal against the Flyers. He came down the wing with so much speed, made a nice move to cut to the middle of the ice, and sent a backhand on goal that made it's way to the back of the net. That year Jake was destroying guys with his hits too. He didn't get a lot of points, but you could see why the Canucks drafted him -- the speed, the physicality, the nose for the net, and the shot.

 

Fast forward 5 years later, and he is a shell of his former self. The speed and shot are still there but what made him successful was his physicality and the nose for the net. Too often Jake just shoots from the outside. Too often he does fly-bys on guys that he could make a solid, legal check on. Too often he disappoints. 

 

Last year he showed promise with the increase in his offensive production and playing decent minutes. I was hoping he would build on it but it looks like he hasn't shown improvement over the offseason and during pre-season.

 

Bottom-Six wingers are a dime-a-dozen. As others have said, Jake will always be the player with potential -- where the best has yet to come. Maybe... maybe on another team... 

[aqua59]

41 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

I think Green is tired of getting questions from the media about him. Kind of becomes a distraction when they’re focused on one player all the time.

I think i agree with you. You were also good on CNN this morning while referencing Trump. You didn't have a problem saying ,"F#*& em twice", on on a public airway. Great interview. 

 

A positive about jakes situation is that there's enough depth pushing him to the point of expendable. Without that depth we'd be living with this ongoing story. The story will soon end either way. This is well beyond Green its just that Green has to deal with it. Whats a dog house for. A player whos on the pinnacle of getting it and executing what they get. Doesn't happen for everyone. 

 

Zach Kassian comes to mind. He was traded for Cody Hodgson. That's the kind of trade people can be expecting. The trade will be problem for problem. We've all seen this. A roll of the dice trade. Vancouver would be lucking out with a draft pick only in return trade at this point. 

 

note; I'm not saying Jake is a Zach. No way. Zach's not smart.

 

Jake is immature and not motivated, big difference.

 

Again you were stellar this morning on CNN

 

[Hairy Kneel]

Never thought I'd see Virtanen as a peripheral player.

[Pete M]

On 9/28/2019 at 12:53 AM, SILLY GOOSE said:

my 2 cents:

 

jake put himself behind the 8 ball not coming into camp in tip top shape.  The style of play Green wants to see out of JV requires it.  

 

That being said, I predict once Jake gets his conditioning up to speed, and I think the coaching staff WILL put him through the ringer to get there, we will see a more impactful Jake.

 

Im still rooting for the kid.  Dont let me or yourself down Jake

Jake came into camp thinking he will be F3 all the time...lol. I think TG has other plans though.

[Pete M]

On 9/28/2019 at 1:24 AM, Captain Canuck #12 said:

Jake is not a fighter, and in my opinion, this is why he doesn't want to throw too many big hits in the NHL.  You can't do that nowadays without being challenged to fight.

Ferland on the same line as Jake....with Ferland whispering in Jake's ear...."hey bro, I've got your back, start laying the muscle on these small fries".

[kloubek]

On 9/29/2019 at 12:16 PM, aqua59 said:

note; I'm not saying Jake is a Zach. No way. Zach's not smart.

 

Jake is immature and not motivated, big difference.

To this first point, I disagree. In fact, I would say his hockey IQ in regards to finding spots and reading the offensive play exceeds Jake's by a noticable margin.

 

Zach's problem (besides his well documented ones off-ice) is that he plays an all-out style that results in stupid looking plays where he takes bad penalties too often. But there is a reason why he is in discussions to play with McDavid, and it isn't because he is an idiot.

 

As to your second quoted point, I totally agree. Jake could be a force in this league but he is unfortunately bound to be kicked off the team if he refuses to play like he can. I honestly don't understand it one bit - this is his hockey career we are talking about and he just doesn't get it. There are only so many times he will be gifted a spot, and they are running out fast.

[aGENT]

 

Pushed another line closer to the edge of the roster. Get that sizable rear in gear Jake 

[Tre Mac]

I missed the Old Virtanen that used to lay people out, I cannot remember a single memorable hit from last year.  Now he's on the 4th line, any offense he'll have to generate it himself but he can still be physical.  

 

I've said this numerous times in this thread but I remember the best seats I ever had were 2nd row behind the visitors during a Coyotes/Canucks game.  A Coyote Dman(Murphy?) went to retrieve the puck in the corner and JV obliterated him with ease - why I bring this up is Shane Doan and about 4 others looked at each other and shook their heads in disbelief on the bench, Doan than said something along the lines 'watch out for 18 boys'(or go get him lol).  Now it seems that physicality is all but gone.  JV could go down as the most frustrating Canuck of all time.  

 

 

Edited October 2, 2019 by Tre Mac

[Chicken.]

29 minutes ago, Tre Mac said:

I missed the Old Virtanen that used to lay people out, I cannot remember a single memorable hit from last year.  Now he's on the 4th line, any offense he'll have to generate it himself but he can still be physical.  

 

I've said this numerous times in this thread but I remember the best seats I ever had were 2nd row behind the visitors during a Coyotes/Canucks game.  A Coyote Dman(Murphy?) went to retrieve the puck in the corner and JV obliterated him with ease - why I bring this up is Shane Doan and about 4 others looked at each other and shook their heads in disbelief on the bench, Doan than said something along the lines 'watch out for 18 boys'(or go get him lol).  Now it seems that physicality is all but gone.  JV could go down as the most frustrating Canuck of all time.  

 

 

I have to agree. Although I am and have been his biggest advocate in giving him time.  It could be that the shoulder injuries have caught up with him, causing him to hesitate, or he overthinks whether a "late" hit will get called with his suspension history.

 

I like to think he is holding himself back for the regular season (and play offs) but that could be overly optimistic, and isn't really a good strategy imo. Looking forward to watching him this year regardless.

[Phat Fingers]

Jake is heading towards making things work somewhere else or playing in Europe.  

 

That connection inside Tuna's melon isn't working.  Jake will get 40 games, if that, to work things out or he will be 86'd  

[Tre Mac]

I really think it was 50/50 blame on his development.  On his end he didn't put in the work conditioning wise and on the team side they should've let him develop on his off wing were he is clearly more effective.  The latter is pisses me off the most though, why hamper a players development just to appease some sort of notion that all players need play on their right side just for the sake of back checking?  I bet whatever team he goes to will put him in a position to succeed.  Like I said, I think 50/50 blame can go around but to me it's kind of the definition of putting a square peg in a round hole.  

[Get real canuck fans]

Seems like the Hitmen, Comets and Canucks all messed up his development? Or has it just been Jake has always been the problem.  

People keep referencing Bertuzzi and Neely as to what can happen for a “power forward” in their mid 20s but Bert and Neely were in a different era where was lots of hooking and holding and smurf defencemen were almost non existent. Both Tkachuks, Mathews,Dubois are all a couple years younger than Jake and are light years ahead of Jake. 

Sure he gets a lot of takeaways but he can’t do squat with it after he gets it. Motte,Eriksson and Jake were the highest on the plus side of giveaway/takeaways so not exactly elite company. 

[dpn1]

AG and Jake are the same age and everyone thinks he can still get better.  Isn't Jake able to get better too?  Jake is a better defensive player, Bigger and stronger and faster.  Jake was drafted in the first and Adam in the fifth but who expected Jake to be more than a middle 6 winger?  I have always thought people have expected that he would be more than what he is.

[Get real canuck fans]

31 minutes ago, dpn1 said:

AG and Jake are the same age and everyone thinks he can still get better.  Isn't Jake able to get better too?  Jake is a better defensive player, Bigger and stronger and faster.  Jake was drafted in the first and Adam in the fifth but who expected Jake to be more than a middle 6 winger?  I have always thought people have expected that he would be more than what he is.

AG is by all accounts doing anything and everything to improve his game.  

Jake on the other hand did not come into camp in NHL shape.  The 2 players in between the ears are vastly different and AG very nearly or may soon be sent to Utica.  If not for Jakes draft position after this camp he would have been demoted as well.  I think people should expect more than a 25 point guy in 70 games and if that’s anywhere near career highs that’s just isn’t good enough. 

Most just can’t forget about him being drafted 6th overall because at 6th you sure hope to get an excellent player.