riffraff Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Sedin, Sedin, Burrows Higgins, Sutter, Vrbata/Hansen Baertschi, Horvat, Hansen/Vrbata Prust, Vey, Dorsett Those are the locks. We have room for two more forwards. We all want Virtanen to be one of them. Time will tell if he is physically ready. I think the 14th forward will probably be a center. Ouch that second line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWMc1 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Ouch that second line. Benning said that he brought Sutter in to be a matchup center. It makes most sense to play him with other good matchup guys. This should take pressure off of Horvat and even the Sedins. My main point was that these players are pretty much locks which leaves two spots for forwards. Virtanen will get a look, but is not a lock. Edited September 17, 2015 by RWMc1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Virtanen's only negative is his consistency in bringing his big game...some nights playing for the hitmen, he was invisible...in fact, Tambellini and Rankin showed up more than Virtanen I have to say, he was noticeable in every game at the young stars tourney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabcakes Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I don't think we can understate the importance of JV playing 10 games in Utica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Weasel Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) i seriously can't wait until he starts crushing some players in the nhl. if he can get his shot back to draft year we will be in good shape. i really hope he can do that. He still needs to work on his passing though. A lot of the time he'll circle around the net and then just fling the puck to no one. Edited September 17, 2015 by The Weasel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanSeanBean Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I don't think we can understate the importance of JV playing 10 games in Utica Utica? How does that work? Forgive my ignorance but the whole thing confuses me. I thought he could have 9 games in the big leagues and if he stay up he had to go back to juniors. Does he also get 10 in the A? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Utica? How does that work? Forgive my ignorance but the whole thing confuses me. I thought he could have 9 games in the big leagues and if he stay up he had to go back to juniors. Does he also get 10 in the A? he's talking about the 10 games Jake played with Utica in last year's playoffs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messier's_elbow Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 he's talking about the 10 games Jake played with Utica in last year's playoffsHe played well for Utica. He's played well in young Stars. Nailed mcdavid and nurse. Had some good chances and rushes. Scored a big goal showing speed. But nah I think I'd still go with the runt Ehlers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice orca Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 There is no chance in hell he goes back to Calgary and this is my theory why: Both the Hitmen and the Flames are under the same ownership. I know this is very subjective and I don't have a lot of credibility behind me, but I rented a car to the Hitmen's GM this summer and he used the Flames corporate rate and stated he works for the Flames. I don't know if he just said that to use their corporate account or if he actually identifies as a part of their organisation somehow. Regardless, Wouldn't that be perfect if you, as an NHL team, could tamper with the development of a rival prospect without repercussions? It's a far reaching conspiracy, but it's possible that Benning will have Virtanen with the team this year just to avoid any possible mishandling of Jake's development. It would take too many resources and be a PR nightmare if Benning or Linden accuse Calgary of tampering. the other part of my theory is that, in my opinion, he is NHL ready.Might be a bit of tinfoil in that theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Might be a bit of tinfoil in that theory. I didn't see a lot of Virtanen's games last year but was not impressed by how he was used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugor Hill Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 You know what we are gonna do with him... he is gonna get the Horvat treatment. He'll sit for a few games, then play a game, then sit a few more, then play another, etc... until 5 or 6 games in he gets an 'injury'. 2 weeks later he gets sent to Utica for conditioning. After a handful of games there he gets back to Vancouver with the same routine. By the time he's done his 10 games it would be mid-December. THEN they will decide whether he stays or go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stawns Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 You know what we are gonna do with him... he is gonna get the Horvat treatment. He'll sit for a few games, then play a game, then sit a few more, then play another, etc... until 5 or 6 games in he gets an 'injury'. 2 weeks later he gets sent to Utica for conditioning. After a handful of games there he gets back to Vancouver with the same routine. By the time he's done his 10 games it would be mid-December. THEN they will decide whether he stays or go. I dont remember Horvat being a healthy scratch......he was injured for a period of time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seven pounds soft Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I just deleted the TSN app off my phone. In the " 10 prospects to watch" article they did not have Jake mentioned. Too add insult to injury both Crylaner and Smehlers were highlighted. Bunch of eastern hacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uselessstats Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 You know what we are gonna do with him... he is gonna get the Horvat treatment. He'll sit for a few games, then play a game, then sit a few more, then play another, etc... until 5 or 6 games in he gets an 'injury'. 2 weeks later he gets sent to Utica for conditioning. After a handful of games there he gets back to Vancouver with the same routine. By the time he's done his 10 games it would be mid-December. THEN they will decide whether he stays or go. Why would they do that? Play him or send him back to junior to play. Playing 10 games in 2 1/2 months is not how to develop a player but it sure can help ruin one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyCuddles Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I just made a separate post regarding this.. although you make a good point about Nylander, the ice can easily tilt in the hits section rather than the score sheet for exactly that reason. When he's not scoring he's hitting. Its a slippery slope is all I'm saying. I'd but rather him refine his hitting game later in his career than try to re-learn how to put the put in the net. Yeah I can see your point. I think hitting is just part of his game. I think the coaches are trying to utilize it as much as possible. Hopefully they are still trying to bring out his offensive game or we may just see him top out as a 3rd liner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWMc1 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I dont remember Horvat being a healthy scratch......he was injured for a period of time. He sat for games early in the season. The 9 games only count for games played apparently. By sitting Virtanen sometimes, we could stretch his nine game look and give him plenty of practice time. Then, if he rounds into form, the decision on whether or not to keep will easier to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckledraggin Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Why would they do that? Play him or send him back to junior to play. Playing 10 games in 2 1/2 months is not how to develop a player but it sure can help ruin one. I can understand the argument that 'we just want him to play' but in this case, for this player, I just don't feel the same way as I would if he was softer, slower and lacking in confidence. I just don't see how you're going to "ruin" him if he doesn't play every game. I just finished watching the media day interviews and it was Prust with JV as the final pair. Why do you think JV would be given that spot if he wasn't already being given a spot on the team? There are victims of circumstance and there are fortunes of circumstance, and in this case Jake is fortunate that he is a 19 year old in a man's body and he plays the game well enough not be sent back to junior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIBdaQUIB Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Sedin, Sedin, BurrowsHiggins, Sutter, Vrbata/HansenBaertschi, Horvat, Hansen/VrbataPrust, Vey, Dorsett Those are the locks. We have room for two more forwards. We all want Virtanen to be one of them. Time will tell if he is physically ready. I think the 14th forward will probably be a center.OUch! If Higgins is the best we can do for the second line, our prospects suck. I like Chris but he is a third liner at best who can fill in for short periods on the 2nd line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khay Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Sedin, Sedin, Burrows Higgins, Sutter, Vrbata/Hansen Baertschi, Horvat, Hansen/Vrbata Prust, Vey, Dorsett Those are the locks. We have room for two more forwards. We all want Virtanen to be one of them. Time will tell if he is physically ready. I think the 14th forward will probably be a center. I think putting Vrbata with Sutter would be a waste of Vrbata's talent as Sutter's line will be used as a matchup line against the opponent's top line. I hope to see Baertschi-Horvat-Vrbata Higgins-Sutter-Hansen Horvat will be given every opportunity to hit 40-50 points this season. And I think he will if he is playing with Baertschi and Vrbata. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Surfer Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I'm just looking forward to the next decade of Virtanen and Nurse going at each other. Jake is already enemy #1 in Edmonchuck and he's yet to play his first NHL game. Awesome call! And Nurse is no violet. He absolutely rag dolled Rasmus Anderson in the Calgary / Edmonton young stars game. Complete domination. Anderson isn't a fighter, saw an interview quoting it as his first hockey fight, but he's a big dude. Not sure how good a fighter is Jake? But I hear he's plenty willing to mix it up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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