Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[Boudrias 7,590]

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.

[wildcam 1,370]

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 March 6 by wildcam

[Kenny Blankenship 475]

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. 

[ShawnAntoski 1,672]

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 March 6 by ShawnAntoski

[bigbadcanucks 3,055]

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.

[bigbadcanucks 3,055]

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. 

[KirkSave 431]

11 hours ago, -AJ- said:

The God thread back in the day was also incredibly long and I think longer than the Virtanen thread too. 

Woner if Gaud will ever challenge God\s thread length?

[Canucksince99 291]

How was he in the game today? 

[Boudrias 7,590]

7 hours ago, Canucksince99 said:

How was he in the game today? 

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.  

[Canucksince99 291]

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

[bree2 3,099]

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!!!

[Fred65 1,468]

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

[dpn1 1,413]

I went back to check in on that fight and I wouldn't say he beat the crap out of him.  He lost the fight but not that badly.

[mll 8,266]

16 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

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

Was Prust. Gudbranson was only acquired the season after.

[Kootenay Gold 1,893]

On 3/6/2021 at 3:40 AM, -AJ- said:

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. 

Not surprised that the US politics thread was so long. There was this humongous pile of total BS to dissect and discuss ad nauseum. 

[Fred65 1,468]

1 hour ago, dpn1 said:

I went back to check in on that fight and I wouldn't say he beat the crap out of him.  He lost the fight but not that badly.

You're probably right, it should never have happened, the consequences was not good

[Kenny Blankenship 475]

2 hours ago, Fred65 said:

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

I seem to remember Jake tuning Forsberg and Zucker after that as well so I don’t think it changed him that much. 

[Fred65 1,468]

24 minutes ago, Kenny Blankenship said:

I seem to remember Jake tuning Forsberg and Zucker after that as well so I don’t think it changed him that much. 

Forsberg or Zucker are not "heavies" in fact Virtanen to his credit apologised to Forsberg later, he didn't realize who it was. It's like having a fight with Petersson

[BarnBurner 1,523]

On 3/6/2021 at 5:13 PM, bigbadcanucks said:

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.

That's why Smyl was my favorite captain ever. He played the game right. He would be like a dog on a bone, forecheck, backcheck, hit, fight, set up plays and score. He was tenacious, to say the least. That is the kind of player you build a winning team with. Even in that era, as much as Gradin was a skilled player, he was tough as nails.

[dpn1 1,413]

1 hour ago, Fred65 said:

Forsberg or Zucker are not "heavies" in fact Virtanen to his credit apologised to Forsberg later, he didn't realize who it was. It's like having a fight with Petersson

Jake at 6'1" 215 lb. isn't exactly a heavy weight either.