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Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


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8 hours ago, Fred65 said:

Fans for what ever reason have been inclined to listen to the hype and media and that's OK. Too many simply don't believe what their own eyes are telling them and that's OK, we're fans. The greatest problem is management has taken way, way, to long to man up and make the chnages that are needed. Now we have a player worth very little, few other GM's have an apatite for JV. He's not only unable to live up to expectations but we've compounded the problem by management falling into the ostrich syndrome, a wasted asset

Actually...it is not that. I think the problem is people still expect him to be the no.6 pick level type of player. For me, I think it is understanding he won't be that player but a serviceable player going forward that can play up and down your lineup and does not negatively affect your team. Yes, he may be pushed out by rookies coming in (i.e. Hogs) but he is decent priced for the fact that he can give some offence and not be a defensive liability. I think everyone is still hating on him because they keep on thinking what he could become but I think as long as you get over that, you will be fine with what he is now.

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I think the Virtanen experiment has reached its conclusion.  Playing in the NHL is 90% mental.  There are lots of great players coming out of junior who couldn't make it in the NHL.  Even 1st overall picks.  Mentally you have to be really strong to play at your best all the time with all the pressure of being a pro.  You don't get that in junior hockey or in the AHL.  Lots of guys with great talent have busted in the NHL or turned into 3rd and 4th line players after being drafted in the top 10. 

 

Jake is going to be one of those guys who was drafted real high but ends up as a 3rd line role player.  Unfortunately, with our team we need our 3rd line to be a shutdown line, so we need someone on that line more responsible defensively than Jake.  He's not a real energy guy either who can play on the 4th line.  He would be best served on a team that lacks scoring up front and maybe he can squeeze himself into a top 6 role on another team.  If so he could become a 20 goal scorer.  In Vancouver with Hoglander and Podkolzin there is no room for Jake.  We even have Kole Lind coming up who can play both wing and centre and has a good two way game who will be able to take a spot on the 3rd line.

 

 

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3 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

I think the Virtanen experiment has reached its conclusion.  Playing in the NHL is 90% mental.  There are lots of great players coming out of junior who couldn't make it in the NHL.  Even 1st overall picks.  Mentally you have to be really strong to play at your best all the time with all the pressure of being a pro.  You don't get that in junior hockey or in the AHL.  Lots of guys with great talent have busted in the NHL or turned into 3rd and 4th line players after being drafted in the top 10. 

 

Jake is going to be one of those guys who was drafted real high but ends up as a 3rd line role player.  Unfortunately, with our team we need our 3rd line to be a shutdown line, so we need someone on that line more responsible defensively than Jake.  He's not a real energy guy either who can play on the 4th line.  He would be best served on a team that lacks scoring up front and maybe he can squeeze himself into a top 6 role on another team.  If so he could become a 20 goal scorer.  In Vancouver with Hoglander and Podkolzin there is no room for Jake.  We even have Kole Lind coming up who can play both wing and centre and has a good two way game who will be able to take a spot on the 3rd line.

 

 

Yeah, seems like Jake's time in blue and green may be coming to an end. Who knows. 

 

But your right in that there are prospects that have either taken advantage - like Höglander - or prospects coming and by the sounds of it, could push Virtanen further down the roster (like Podkolzin). His time is running out. I'm not sure if he realizes that. Maybe he just thinks that another team will pick him up, and he'll get another opportunity. 

 

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13 hours ago, Fred65 said:

Fans for what ever reason have been inclined to listen to the hype and media and that's OK. Too many simply don't believe what their own eyes are telling them and that's OK, we're fans. The greatest problem is management has taken way, way, to long to man up and make the chnages that are needed. Now we have a player worth very little, few other GM's have an apatite for JV. He's not only unable to live up to expectations but we've compounded the problem by management falling into the ostrich syndrome, a wasted asset

If he does remain a Canuck, he's going to be an underwhelming Canuck. Middle six if he can learn to play well defensively, or a bottom six player. Worse case scenario is that he becomes an NHL depth player. Too good to be in the AHL, but not quite good enough to be on a good NHL roster. I wonder if a team like Ottawa would be interested in him. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, N4ZZY said:

If he does remain a Canuck, he's going to be an underwhelming Canuck. Middle six if he can learn to play well defensively, or a bottom six player. Worse case scenario is that he becomes an NHL depth player. Too good to be in the AHL, but not quite good enough to be on a good NHL roster. I wonder if a team like Ottawa would be interested in him. 

 

 

"Too good to be in the AHL"

 

Are you sure about that? 

This was his last AHL season. I don't recall ever hearing anything like that or see it with my own eyes ever.

Stats sure don't back it up either...

Sure like to see him sent down there to see if he could even prove your point now? What are our options? Apparently his trade value is next to none. So trading him for nothing to possibly see him wake up there. We gain nothing from this.

Maybe knowing this being his last chance to get back to the show actually wakes Jake up? 

But Maybe he can work his butt off like he should've earned it in the 1st place the good old way instead of handing it to him like a silver spoon, and we finally get the Jake we all dreamed about. 

Or do I need to wake up again.   :bored:

 

 

  Regular Season Playoffs Vitals
# Player Name Pos. GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM Birthplace Age
  Darren Archibald R 76 23 24 47 58 -8 -- -- -- -- -- ONT: Newmarket 26
  Curtis Valk C 75 16 30 46 49 -3 -- -- -- -- -- ALTA: Medicine Hat 23
  Alexandre Grenier R 69 17 28 45 52 -15 -- -- -- -- -- PQ: Laval 24
  Cody Kunyk F 61 15 22 37 16 -6 -- -- -- -- -- ALTA: Sherwood Park 26
  Jordan Subban D 65 16 20 36 36 -12 -- -- -- -- -- ONT: Rexdale 21
  Pascal Pelletier C 52 10 18 28 20 2 -- -- -- -- -- NFLD: Labrador City 33
  Colby Robak 1 D 64 3 25 28 54 3 -- -- -- -- -- MAN: Dauphin 26
  Borna Rendulic R 69 12 11 23 30 3 -- -- -- -- -- Croatia: Zagreb 24
  Evan McEneny D 64 8 15 23 20 -6 -- -- -- -- -- ONT: Hamilton 22
  Carter Bancks L 69 10 12 22 27 -3 -- -- -- -- -- BC: Marysville 27
  Chad Billins D 72 3 17 20 16 4 -- -- -- -- -- MI: Port Huron 27
  Jake Virtanen R 65 9 10 19 48 -11 -- -- -- -- -- BC: Langley 20
  Wacey Hamilton F 67 9 10 19 93 -1 -- -- -- -- -- ALTA: Cochrane 25
  Mike Zalewski L 54 5 13 18 36 11 -- -- -- -- -- NY: New Hartford 24
  Michael Carcone L 61 5 13 18 31 4           ONT: Ajax 20
  Joseph LaBate L 38 6 10 16 80 -6 -- -- -- -- -- MN: Eagan 23
  Michael Chaput C 10 2 11 13 10 -1           PQ: Ile-Bizard 24
  Cole Cassels C 66 6 5 11 33 -5 -- -- -- -- -- CT: Hartford 21
  Andrey Pedan D 52 5 5 10 100 -4 -- -- -- -- -- Lithuania: Kaunas 23
  David Shields D 48 0 10 10 8 -9 -- -- -- -- -- NY: Rochester 25
  Marco Roy C 23 1 5 6 6 1 -- -- -- -- -- PQ: Boisbriand

 

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His one shift when he got nailed by Romanov and then finally woke up and threw a few huge hits is how he needs to play all the time. He was a different player after that. I think Green should tell Jake to shadow one of the opposing teams stars like he did with Malkin that one game and had one of his best games ever. It would keep him engaged and he has the speed and power to keep up with anyone in the league. 

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9 minutes ago, Elias_Pettersson said:

His one shift when he got nailed by Romanov and then finally woke up and threw a few huge hits is how he needs to play all the time. He was a different player after that. I think Green should tell Jake to shadow one of the opposing teams stars like he did with Malkin that one game and had one of his best games ever. It would keep him engaged and he has the speed and power to keep up with anyone in the league. 

the hits were great, but he needs to do more than that

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1 hour ago, Elias_Pettersson said:

His one shift when he got nailed by Romanov and then finally woke up and threw a few huge hits is how he needs to play all the time. He was a different player after that. I think Green should tell Jake to shadow one of the opposing teams stars like he did with Malkin that one game and had one of his best games ever. It would keep him engaged and he has the speed and power to keep up with anyone in the league. 

That's all most realistic fans want.  

He's never going to be a Bertuzzi or a poor man's Ovechkin.  

Fans just want him to be a Tom Wilson or Raffi Torres type player.  Chips in 40 points, but physicality being his main attribute.  

 

The main problem is that Virtanen is a nice kid.  He's just a faster version of Taylor Pyatt currently.  A big guy... but kind of a friendly giant.  

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47 minutes ago, Lancaster said:

That's all most realistic fans want.  

He's never going to be a Bertuzzi or a poor man's Ovechkin.  

Fans just want him to be a Tom Wilson or Raffi Torres type player.  Chips in 40 points, but physicality being his main attribute.  

 

The main problem is that Virtanen is a nice kid.  He's just a faster version of Taylor Pyatt currently.  A big guy... but kind of a friendly giant.  

He reminds me of a poor mans version of Clarke Gillies. Similar draft positions, similar in size but big difference in willingness to be a force to recon with on the ice. If something set Gillies off, he went into full beast mode whereas nothing seems to set Virtanen off. He could be one heck of a player if he just had a bit of that mean streak.

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I think it might be lack of confidence and fear that rules Jake's game. For 6 years he's been coddled, a lot of coaches over the years trying to teach him the finer points of the game, like defense. But he might be scared to try something new, like will his way to the crease and battle until that puck goes in. Maybe he's scared to make a mistake and then hear about it from Green. He tends to play a safe game, doesn't do anything exceptional, but tries his darndest not to make a mistake. I really wish he'd just throw it all out the window and play hockey by instinct. Use your speed, use your shot, use your size. 

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What has kept Virtanen in the spot light is A) the media ( shotgun Jake )  & B ) the numerous, numerous fans who kept listening to the media rather than use their own eyes. Fans fantasized over his future, he's young, he's fast, what ever. Most failed to recognize he was not a smart hockey player. To b ehonest Virtanen loved the spotlight and played along. How can the many many fans/posters reconcile their love for this  guy now it's become apparent/popular he's the Emperor with no clothes. You gotta laugh :lol:

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The mob wants an easy excuse for the trouble this Canuck team is going thru. Jake Virtanen is the easy out. Does anyone seriously think that moving JV out will turn this team around? He hasn’t even been a regular and frankly has not hurt the team when he played. Does that mean Jake is a misplayed talent waiting to break out? Many of the criticisms are fair enough and if the Canucks could get something in return JB might even deal him. If nothing comes back then why deal him?

 

Whatever is going on inside this group is serious. They looked confused and disheartened last night. It is not the young guys who are the most concerning. The vets need to settle this group down and show some leadership. 

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On 2/4/2021 at 10:01 AM, Elias_Pettersson said:

His one shift when he got nailed by Romanov and then finally woke up and threw a few huge hits is how he needs to play all the time. He was a different player after that. I think Green should tell Jake to shadow one of the opposing teams stars like he did with Malkin that one game and had one of his best games ever. It would keep him engaged and he has the speed and power to keep up with anyone in the league. 

One game Taylor Pyatt got punched in the face early on.

He was a wrecking ball for the rest of the game and just brushed off any opposition like he was playing against kids.  He showed that he could be a dominant power forward.
 

Then the next game he was Taylor Pyatt again.

 

Hard work and consistent physical play is a talent.  Not everyone has that, and Jake is one of those guys that doesn’t.  He is going to be one of those guys that shows up every dozen games or so and disappears between.

 

If we waived him today it is iffy whether anyone would put in a claim.  If we trade him, we almost certainly are going to be taking money back in a deal.  Trading him for a 3rd round pick and not taking back money would be a success.

 

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Jake had a solid season last year. He always starts slow. 

 

If I was the Oilers I would see what we could get done. He could b a good fit on one of their top lines. He has the quickness to keep up and is solid defensively.  With the right line mates he will score twenty a year. It just isn't working here.

 

Jim will not get more than a second or a prospect.

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12 minutes ago, appleboy said:

Jake had a solid season last year. He always starts slow. 

 

If I was the Oilers I would see what we could get done. He could b a good fit on one of their top lines. He has the quickness to keep up and is solid defensively.  With the right line mates he will score twenty a year. It just isn't working here.

 

Jim will not get more than a second or a prospect.

I was thinking maybe a swap for Puljujarvi but Puljujarvi is actually playing better now so that' out the window.

I was also thinking maybe Nick Ritchie but he has 9 points in 11 games so that's not happening.

 

I think the reality whatever return Virtanen gets it's either going to be an under performing veteran or a reclamation project like a Joshua Ho-Sang. 

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4 hours ago, chilliwiggins said:

Don’t forget Benning not wanting to admit his first rounder is a bust by giving up on him.  His last good season was his second to last year for the hitmen

Here's the final insult Jake was bumped by Ericksson, this shows not only Jake but the other "prospects" in a different light. So many drool all over this page about Jake in particular but other prospects too, the fact is may fantazise rather than deal with facts. 

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