Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


avelanch

Recommended Posts

5 hours ago, Phil_314 said:

Maybe we should dress him as a left wing more often.  That power forward move he pulled on the first goal was because Hughes caught him in stride with the pass then he put down his shoulder and drove to the net.  It's straightforward but effective, maybe moreso than having him carry in as a RW and try to cycle or snipe often (which isn't really his game).

Virtanen is a classic power forward who likes to drive to the net. You can’t do that effectively unless you are on your off wing. Bertuzzi was a master at it. Bure was as well. Virtanen looks more comfortable on left wing. They should play Pearson on the right in the offensive zone and Virtanen on the left. Once Podkolzin arrives a Virtanen  Horvat  Podkolzin line could be very effective. Let’s see what happens with Jake the rest of the year. At the very least Green needs to play him with BO. Playing him on the 4th line with Beagle is a waste of time. 

  • Upvote 1
  • Vintage 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, reyezone said:

It comes down to getting out of his own way. JV is ineffective when he over thinks his game. His decision making becomes slow and he appears confused by what he is meant to do. When he is in the moment and flowing (bjj terms) his skill comes forward... and luck has an easier time finding him too. 

This. Jake doesn't have the high hockey IQ to overcome bad games/stretches so he overthinks it which takes away from his natural instincts.

 

When he has his confidence, he's on.

 

Still, think it's best to trade him while he has value.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, MrCanuck94 said:

This. Jake doesn't have the high hockey IQ to overcome bad games/stretches so he overthinks it which takes away from his natural instincts.

 

When he has his confidence, he's on.

 

Still, think it's best to trade him while he has value.

He doesn't have a great hockey IQ, but he is an eager kid with great tools who is willing to learn, he just takes a while to do so.

 

Situations where a Petey, Huggy or Hogs might see immediately what to do, Jake needs to see and get his nose rubbed in quite a few times before he finally recognizes the pattern and doesn't need to think about it any more.

 

He has improved a little each year, and that is likely to continue, because the more experience Jake gets, the more effective he is going to be.

 

Because it takes this kind of player so long to learn, and because power forwards tend to accumulate damage over time, he is likely to have a relatively short window of peak effectiveness, probably starting at age 25 or 26. 

 

Fortunately, that window looks like it will coincide with those of our best young players who are a bit younger than he is but who learn more quickly. 

 

Imagine a Jake regularly playing like he did last night, when Petey, Brock, Hogs, Bo, Huggy, Podz etc, etc, etc,, are all a little older, stronger and more experienced.

 

Imo it would be a mistake to trade him now.

  • Cheers 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The size of this thread is 1400+ plus pages indicates how polarizing JV is, lots of people are waiting for the consistent JV that we saw against the Laffs last night were he was very engaged.   Is this the biggest thread ever in this forum (ever) - anybody knows ?

Edited by ShawnAntoski
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, ShawnAntoski said:

The size of this thread is 1400+ plus pages indicates how polarizing JV is, lots of people are waiting for the consistent JV that we saw against the Laffs last night were he was very engaged.   Is this the biggest thread ever in this forum (ever) - anybody knows ?

Off Topic threads get longer. The US Politics thread is about 3 times the length and has been around for two fewer years. The God thread back in the day was also incredibly long and I think longer than the Virtanen thread too. 

  • Cheers 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, ShawnAntoski said:

The size of this thread is 1400+ plus pages indicates how polarizing JV is, lots of people are waiting for the consistent JV that we saw against the Laffs last night were he was very engaged.   Is this the biggest thread ever in this forum (ever) - anybody knows ?

IMHO as much as Van fans talk a finesse game aka the Twins they really love a tough physical player. Jake was drafted because,in part, the fans were screaming for size and toughness up front. It is a fair request as the team has historical been undersized. When Jake cuts to the net and scores by knocking defenders aside the crowds scream. The fact that other Canucks don’t do this with regularity doesn’t seem to register. IMO Jake is judged by a different standard. 
 

I think Jake should play a more physical game just as I do for many of the other forwards who actually do less than he does. Until Van can play a heavy offensive game as well as their ‘run & gun’ game they will not be a serious CUP contender. Add Podz, Big Mac, Gadjovich, Lind and maybe Bailey. Even Motte who is smaller played the type of game needed. Move on from Roussel and Pearson.

  • Cheers 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Boudrias said:

IMHO as much as Van fans talk a finesse game aka the Twins they really love a tough physical player. Jake was drafted because,in part, the fans were screaming for size and toughness up front. It is a fair request as the team has historical been undersized. When Jake cuts to the net and scores by knocking defenders aside the crowds scream. The fact that other Canucks don’t do this with regularity doesn’t seem to register. IMO Jake is judged by a different standard. 
 

I think Jake should play a more physical game just as I do for many of the other forwards who actually do less than he does. Until Van can play a heavy offensive game as well as their ‘run & gun’ game they will not be a serious CUP contender. Add Podz, Big Mac, Gadjovich, Lind and maybe Bailey. Even Motte who is smaller played the type of game needed. Move on from Roussel and Pearson.

I agree look t Boston they have another big tough team, watched game last night against Washington last night..After Wilson hit on Carlos 2 Boston players had fights with Wilson...We have 1 guy that adds a real physical toughness MacEwen 6'3 and Green sits him?

I know you need balance and you can't have goons anymore but MacEwen can play...We need more of a mix, hope Gdjovich, 6'2, 215, keeps improving..

Myers, 6'7 ,215  when playing with edge helps, Tryamkin 6'7, 265 lbs #5 D man would  be a nice fit 1.3 X 2 years?

Roussel needs to sit more not as good after knee injury, Pearson is 3rd line winger,  lets put Gaudette wing on 2nd line..

Gaudette will add more offensive to the 2nd  line

Edited by wildcam
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wildcam said:

I agree look t Boston they have another big tough team, watched game last night against Washington last night..After Wilson hit on Carlos 2 Boston players had fights with Wilson...We have 1 guy that adds a real physical toughness MacEwen 6'3 and Green sits him?

I know you need balance and you can't have goons anymore but MacEwen can play...We need more of a mix, hope Gdjovich, 6'2, 215, keeps improving..

Myers, 6'7 ,215  when playing with edge helps, Tryamkin 6'7, 265 lbs #5 D man would  be a nice fit 1.3 X 2 years?

Roussel needs to sit more not as good after knee injury, Pearson is 3rd line winger,  lets put Gaudette wing on 2nd line..

Gaudette will add more offensive to the 2nd  line

If we want to be a serious contender we’re gonna have to get bigger and meaner. We need our team to be more assertive. One of those teams that even if we lose, the other team leave Rogers wishing they hadn’t played. 

  • Cheers 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Boudrias said:

IMHO as much as Van fans talk a finesse game aka the Twins they really love a tough physical player. Jake was drafted because,in part, the fans were screaming for size and toughness up front. It is a fair request as the team has historical been undersized. When Jake cuts to the net and scores by knocking defenders aside the crowds scream. The fact that other Canucks don’t do this with regularity doesn’t seem to register. IMO Jake is judged by a different standard. 
 

I think Jake should play a more physical game just as I do for many of the other forwards who actually do less than he does. Until Van can play a heavy offensive game as well as their ‘run & gun’ game they will not be a serious CUP contender. Add Podz, Big Mac, Gadjovich, Lind and maybe Bailey. Even Motte who is smaller played the type of game needed. Move on from Roussel and Pearson.

The roster with the prospects coming in, seems to be sorting a lot of roster issues moving forward.  Despite one physical attributes, you cannot force a player to play a certain if he can’t or does not understand how to be affective in that role; imo, the Canucks staff had been trying to put JV in a role that he doesn’t understand (?).  From my point of view he is more of a scoring winger that needs a center to drive the play and he just doesn’t have that edge that we would expect from someone with his skills & size.  Regardless, good points cause a JV that hits & scores consistently is also the Jake, I would like to see play.  

Edited by ShawnAntoski
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Kenny Blankenship said:

If we want to be a serious contender we’re gonna have to get bigger and meaner. We need our team to be more assertive. One of those teams that even if we lose, the other team leave Rogers wishing they hadn’t played. 

This^^^^.  I'm an old-timer who grew up watching and loving the type of game Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s and the New York Islanders of the early 80s played.  These were teams that could beat you with their skill and their fists at the same time.  The good Canucks teams in the Pat Quinn era were built like these teams.

  • Thanks 1
  • Cheers 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, MrCanuck94 said:

This. Jake doesn't have the high hockey IQ to overcome bad games/stretches so he overthinks it which takes away from his natural instincts.

 

When he has his confidence, he's on.

 

Still, think it's best to trade him while he has value.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Travis Green has laid out a simple expectation of the type of game Jake is supposed to play, and it's Jake who isn't getting it or questioning the role he's been assigned leading to his continuous brain melts.  IMO, Jake thinks he's a better or different player than what he really is, and that is what is causing him to "overthink" on the ice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Thought Jake had another solid game. 5 hits, a sweet one on Matthews in particular. Jake thru a couple of nice ozone passes which should have resulted in points. If Pearson moves on I would love to see Podz-Bo-Jake. A heavy line with speed.  

My problem with Pearson is that although he’s a good player he’s more suited for the 3rd line. A lot of the time he just skates in the zone and takes a non dangerous shot on net. What I like about JV now is that his confidence is back, he’s more physical, skating harder, chipping in offensively and has the potential to break games open with his speed alone on a line with bo and podz

  • Cheers 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Canucksince99 said:

My problem with Pearson is that although he’s a good player he’s more suited for the 3rd line. A lot of the time he just skates in the zone and takes a non dangerous shot on net. What I like about JV now is that his confidence is back, he’s more physical, skating harder, chipping in offensively and has the potential to break games open with his speed alone on a line with bo and podz

didn't Pearson have 45 points last year, yes he has dropped off this year but so has Jake, now Jake has just a couple of good games just recently , i think we should wait have a wait and see attitude and see if Jake can keep this up, i watched Jake last night , and i was happy he is showing some confidence especially in his hitting, but he needs to go to the net like he did the other night. that was awesome!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/7/2021 at 6:39 AM, Boudrias said:

Thought Jake had another solid game. 5 hits, a sweet one on Matthews in particular. Jake thru a couple of nice ozone passes which should have resulted in points. If Pearson moves on I would love to see Podz-Bo-Jake. A heavy line with speed.  

Jake has never been the same since Bobby Farnham beat the crap out of him, I recall Gudbranson tweeted Farnham and told him  congratulations you beat up a teenage

  • Cheers 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...