Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[Alflives]

9 minutes ago, D-Money said:

 

I know you don't like Nylander and Ehlers, but there's still Larkin, Vrana, Sanheim, Tuch...

And Pastrnak.  

[D-Money]

8 hours ago, janisahockeynut said:

The game is evolving ……...I hate to say it! It is far less physical

I think some of that came with the infusion of the Europeans

and some of it came from society, which has complained about it.

(Blame it on our mothers, who did not like seeing their kids come home

with bloody noses and missing teeth......or having bullies see it on the TV

Or maybe, blame it on the fact that medical research has discovered that CTE can seriously affect an athlete's quality of life, for the rest of their life? To the point where some have chosen to end it?

 

[The Lock]

14 minutes ago, D-Money said:

 

I know you don't like Nylander and Ehlers, but there's still Larkin, Vrana, Sanheim, Tuch...

To be fair, I still don't think Virtanen was a bad pick at the very least, but I also tend to try and look at what we knew at the time and try and avoid hindsight.

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with seeing a big body with lots of speed that can mow own defense and saying "I want", especially given how unique that can be in a player. It's unfortunate he hasn't developed as hoped, but he is still in the NHL at least and probably will have a reasonable career, if not as a top 6 then it could be more of a "Kassian" sort of role.

[D-Money]

1 minute ago, The Lock said:

To be fair, I still don't think Virtanen was a bad pick at the very least, but I also tend to try and look at what we knew at the time and try and avoid hindsight.

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with seeing a big body with lots of speed that can mow own defense and saying "I want", especially given how unique that can be in a player. It's unfortunate he hasn't developed as hoped, but he is still in the NHL at least and probably will have a reasonable career, if not as a top 6 then it could be more of a "Kassian" sort of role.

I remember wanting Ehlers.

 

There was a lot of published reports/opinions/etc. that showed that Virtanen had never dominated at any level. He was never the best player on his team, at any level. Kind of a red flag. That said, not many of the "experts" had him going much later than 10th, and a few had him around 6th, so it wasn't off the board or anything.

 

But even if you were mad at the Virtanen and Juolevi picks, Pettersson completely made up for them. (Hughes too, but he was the obvious faller, credit for EP is completely to Benning & Co.).

 

[Alflives]

Just now, D-Money said:

I remember wanting Ehlers.

 

There was a lot of published reports/opinions/etc. that showed that Virtanen had never dominated at any level. He was never the best player on his team, at any level. Kind of a red flag. That said, not many of the "experts" had him going much later than 10th, and a few had him around 6th, so it wasn't off the board or anything.

 

But even if you were mad at the Virtanen and Juolevi picks, Pettersson completely made up for them. (Hughes too, but he was the obvious faller, credit for EP is completely to Benning & Co.).

 

Exactly!  Every team, during their rebuilding phase, has some picks they'd like to do over.  Jake and OJ will be support players, and that's fine.  JB has drafted his young core in Petey, Bess, Quinn, Demko, and Bo (Bo was already here, of course.)  The rest of our guys will come and go, but that young core will be the key to our three cups coming this decade.

[J.I.A.H.N]

8 hours ago, The 5th Line said:

My rants haven't been solely about Jake fighting, so let's stop nitpicking that part of the equation.  

Look

The Canucks could have picked a better player....they didn't

They could have picked a worse player....they didn't

Jake's progression has been slow....no doubt

Is he a NHL player? ….Yes

He is what he is...…...as you are who you are

Acceptance is good for your sole

and your heart...…..

Just don't be so angry, about a young player that has not developed as you would want

I don't get the rest?????

 

PS...……..He has not turned out the way I want either...…

                 But then again, I still see him improving a little each year

                 I just think he is immature, as a hockey player

                 His 15 goals last year wasn't bad

[Alflives]

13 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

Again you are talking about garbage that I never even brought up.  Stop it

 

He needs to start showing up with a consistent effort, not a good 3 game stretch once every 20 games.  He's being gifted opportunities and still shows up with piss poor efforts 90% of the time.

 

I don't care when he was drafted, who he was drafted by, who was drafted after or before.  Man up, put your boots on and get to work.  It's not about quality of the player, it's about effort and intensity 

 

Stop putting words in my mouth.  

Jake has played really well, especially this last few games.  He is playing in a power forward role on Bo's line, and doing great!  Why the criticism if Jake is actually playing like we want.  He's scoring goals now too.  He's laying out guys with physical play.  He's intimidating of the forecheck.  He's responsible defensively.  He's performing now, like a top 10 pick.  Perhaps some fans need to admit that Jake is playing very well now in a top six role?   

[J.I.A.H.N]

35 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

Again you are talking about garbage that I never even brought up.  Stop it

 

He needs to start showing up with a consistent effort, not a good 3 game stretch once every 20 games.  He's being gifted opportunities and still shows up with piss poor efforts 90% of the time.

 

I don't care when he was drafted, who he was drafted by, who was drafted after or before.  Man up, put your boots on and get to work.  It's not about quality of the player, it's about effort and intensity 

 

Stop putting words in my mouth.  

OK, 

This is where we sort of diverge

As I think Jake has played decently this year

Good enough to get some playing time on the 2nd line

That is a positive sign

The fact that he is not playing exactly to his perceived potential

is arbitrary at best

You see it as failure, I see it as a small advancement

Would I like more....hell yes

But as I said further up in the last post....I think he is slow developing

and a tad immature as a hockey player

Personally, I am not entirely sure, he is getting "Gifted" a spot

I don't think Green would do that

 

as for my other comments

I am just saying, IMO, you have a little tunnel vision 

with your comments towards Jake

You might be right, but IMO, I don't think you are seeing

him any clearer than anyone else

And as I said, Green has been the guy giving him the minutes

In saying all that, Jake needs to make the best of all his oppertunities

[reyezone]

11 hours ago, janisahockeynut said:

I read the last 2 or 3 pages, what a silly conversation...…..

I have played 50+ years of hockey

coached house and rep, and I see no reason a guy has to fight

especially after a great hit...….matter of fact, the best way to answer that

is with another great hit...……….

But the game has changed so much at the pro level

The days of gooning are gone, and soon you will not see

the guys dropping the gloves at all

The game is evolving ……...I hate to say it! It is far less physical

I think some of that came with the infusion of the Europeans

and some of it came from society, which has complained about it.

(Blame it on our mothers, who did not like seeing their kids come home

with bloody noses and missing teeth......or having bullies see it on the TV

But the fact is, some players, are just not wired that way.....

IMO.....get over it. It is in fact why there was goons in the first place.

Jake is not a goon, in any way, shape or form.

He has never played that way......not ever

The fact that he gets into the scrums, is good enough

But every body is entitled to their own opinion. on that one....

Me, sure I would like to see Jake a little more Physical

but I don't care if he actually fights....I could care less

Great post here but I would add I thing regarding why goon culture has vannished, the players themselves (nhlpa I suspect) have weeded it out. 

[The Lock]

2 hours ago, D-Money said:

I remember wanting Ehlers.

 

There was a lot of published reports/opinions/etc. that showed that Virtanen had never dominated at any level. He was never the best player on his team, at any level. Kind of a red flag. That said, not many of the "experts" had him going much later than 10th, and a few had him around 6th, so it wasn't off the board or anything.

 

But even if you were mad at the Virtanen and Juolevi picks, Pettersson completely made up for them. (Hughes too, but he was the obvious faller, credit for EP is completely to Benning & Co.).

 

Yeah, I do tend to think anyone who thinks we should be winning all of the 1st round picks are simply not thinking realistically about it. There's just way too much luck in the end to expect everything to be perfect.

[J.I.A.H.N]

16 minutes ago, reyezone said:

Great post here but I would add I thing regarding why goon culture has vannished, the players themselves (nhlpa I suspect) have weeded it out. 

Well, I am sure, it is a topic, and one that most support.....good point

[Googlie]

13 hours ago, hlinkas wrister said:

You haven't been watching very closely then. He went after Martel for hitting Stecher high and he also was the first guy who asked Matheson to go after the Pettersson hit (both within the last year). Jake wasn't drafted to be a fighter and quite frankly I don't think he has the stones to be one but he's still sticks up for team mates when needed. 

I thought that was Horvat. - in his post game interview he claimed to have invited the fight but got declined.

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, Googlie said:

I thought that was Horvat. - in his post game interview he claimed to have invited the fight but got declined.

The league has become a league of taking retribution on the other team's top players as a form of vigilante justice.  Guys don't fight, so the retribution is taken out by a cheap shot on the star players.  I was watching a game on the weekend, and a star player got ran with a big hit.  One of the teammates immediately, and after the whistle, went to a star on the hitting team, and roughed him up.  Then, when going off the ice, he yelled at the opponent's bench something about "go for our guys, and we will go for yours."  That's the way of the league now.  The star players are the targets.  The league needs to protect those players, like the NFL tries to do with its QB's.  

[hlinkas wrister]

15 minutes ago, Googlie said:

I thought that was Horvat. - in his post game interview he claimed to have invited the fight but got declined.

It was in the rematch. Both Jake and Roussel asked Matheson to go in the first period and he turned them both down. 

[Borvat]

Jake is not and will not be a fighter.  Does that mean he shouldn't hit?  Tons of guys throw hits in this league and don't fight.  If he throws a dirty or illegal hit then sure stand up for it.  Motte had the most hits on the team last year.  How many fights did Motte have? Zero from my memory.  Should Jake have to fight because his hits are sometimes bigger?  I say to the other team grow a pair.  It is  a contact sport.  One of the reasons we are seeing less hitting is because if you throw a good one guess what you gotta fight.  I for one want more clean hitting. Fighting should be reserved for players policing the dirty crap.

 

Jake is being groomed - if some want to call that being gifted opportunities then that's your view.  TG has invested a lot of time on Jake on and off the ice.  I think he see's what we all see and as a coach he is trying to help him get there. TG doesn't seem like the kind of coach who will waste his time if he didn't see progress or hope.

 

I think this is the make or break year for Jake.  

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Borvat

[N4ZZY]

On 10/27/2019 at 11:50 AM, Alflives said:

Jake is showing he’s matured into a top six winger.  I’m glad JB picked a tough, heavy player and not a Smurf.  

#Leafs miss playoffs. 

Alf. I'm a huge fan of Jake. Always have been and am still rooting for him to break out offensively. Let's not put the cart before the horse here. 

 

Jake has been playing well recently, but I still want a larger sample size to see if his play is the real deal or not. 

 

I think people have kind of just 'settled' with Jake, not really having any heavy or huge expectations anymore. And so any indication of a breakthrough is garners a huge response from the fanbase. 

 

With that being said, I hope he plays well tonight against Florida. 

 

[Sandro17]

16 minutes ago, N4ZZY said:

Alf. I'm a huge fan of Jake. Always have been and am still rooting for him to break out offensively. Let's not put the cart before the horse here. 

 

Jake has been playing well recently, but I still want a larger sample size to see if his play is the real deal or not. 

 

I think people have kind of just 'settled' with Jake, not really having any heavy or huge expectations anymore. And so any indication of a breakthrough is garners a huge response from the fanbase. 

 

With that being said, I hope he plays well tonight against Florida. 

 

Agreed. 

Its entirely possible that these are only flashes of brilliance from a man who has lots of potential but still hasn't shown enough consistency to be a top 6 winger.  

[Alflives]

4 hours ago, Sandro17 said:

Agreed. 

Its entirely possible that these are only flashes of brilliance from a man who has lots of potential but still hasn't shown enough consistency to be a top 6 winger.  

Looking great again tonight.  Doubters need to accept Jake is now a top six power forward on a winning team.  If you’re truly Canuck’s fans shouldn’t you be happy to be wrong about Jake.  @The 5th Line

[Alflives]

22 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

Alf you're just a circus act around here.  Take your meds

80’s puppet!  you’re wrong about Alf and Jake! 

Edited October 29, 2019 by Alflives

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, The 5th Line said:

Well that was fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I was wrong about Jake.  JB was right, and picked the best player (not a Smurf) in that spot.

id rather be wrong about Jake and have a top six power forward, wouldn’t you? 

You need to accept Jake is a top six power forward on a top team.  It will feel good.