Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[Canorth]

Nice little dance there Jake

[Spotted Zebra]

Gread period from Jake,  hope they keep this line together for the rest of the tournament

[Scorevat]

"Jake virtanen's best period of the tournament" -Ray Ferraro

[McCannon]

Just now, Gooseberries said:

Experience in what field exactly? Creating a account and making a fool of myself in less than 50 posts? Yeah you definitely have experience in that subject.  

Good luck in life kid. You're going to need it with your attitude.

[Gstank29]

Glad to see Virtanen taking good shots and waiting for shooting lanes

[Sean Monahan]

7 minutes ago, Edlerberry said:

ya. or the motion changes slightly and now his muscle memory is off. its definitely a matter of shooting as many pucks a day as he can all summer

Definitely. Had shoulder surgery myself (probably the same as jake) and my range of motion, stability, etc was never the same. Then again I didn't put nearly the effort into rehab I'd expect jake has.

[CANUCK-EXPRESS]

Terrible first and second period but probably played his best period in the third. 

[Fanuck]

1 minute ago, CANUCK-EXPRESS said:

Terrible first and second period but probably played his best period in the third. 

Was basically being used as a pylon in front of opposing net for 2 periods,  then was apparently given the green light in 3rd.

[Scorevat]

I'm impressed by jake in the third. He really showed his stuff especially that one where he put the puck between the dman's legs n got a shot off.

[DeNiro]

As long as he can show up when it counts in the elimination games.

[JamesB]

41 minutes ago, McCannon said:

Lol - yes looks like you can correctly evaluate the career projection of a kid at 19. Some of the people on here are just UNBELIEVABLE.

FYI - Sedins were supposed busts at 19

Kesler was never going to be more than an third liner

Burrows wasn't supposed to make the AHL (yes AHL)

on and on...you people have so little hockey intelligence it makes my eyes bleed.

LMAO!!!!

I would think it is hard to laugh when your eyes are bleeding.

As for player projections: Scouts, GMs, coaches, media guys, and fans are constantly making projections about players. That is true for 17-year-olds, 18-year-olds, 19-year-olds, etc. That is what the draft is all about. And that comprises a big part of what gets discussed in the prospect section of CDC. No one says those projections are necessarily right but, at any given time, it is possible to make "best guess" assessments or to talk about how players "appear to be developing".

And, having looked at the data closely, I can say for sure that there is a high correlation between performance at age 18 or 19 and later NHL performance. This is illustrated by data on how draft position translates into NHL performance.  (See, for example,  http://donttellmeaboutheart.blogspot.ca/2014/11/nhl-draft-pick-value-chart.html).

Furthermore, it is a very good sign if players outperform their draft position over the next couple of years (like 19 year-old Dylan Larkin) and a bad sign if they underperform their draft position (like 19 year-old Michael Dal Colle). They are both 19 but there is not a GM, scout, or fan anywhere who would not predict that Larkin will have a better career than Dal Colle. 

Yes there are outliers. Burrows is a big outlier. But outliers are, by definition, different from the general pattern. Assessments at age 19 still have value even if they are sometimes off the mark.

At this stage, given the general pattern, Jake is underperforming his draft position -- not by a lot but definitely underperforming. McCann, on the other hand, is overperforming his draft position, which is a good sign.

Also, while the Sedins have always had their detractors, well-informed opinion never had them as "busts" -- at age 19 or any other age.

[McCannon]

2 minutes ago, JamesB said:

I would think it is hard to laugh when your eyes are bleeding.

As for player projections: Scouts, GMs, coaches, media guys, and fans are constantly making projections about players. That is true for 17-year-olds, 18-year-olds, 19-year-olds, etc. That is what the draft is all about. And that comprises a big part of what gets discussed in the prospect section of CDC. No one says those projections are necessarily right but, at any given time, it is possible to make "best guess" assessments or to talk about how players "appear to be developing".

And, having looked at the data closely, I can say for sure that there is a high correlation between performance at age 18 or 19 and later NHL performance. This is illustrated by data on how draft position translates into NHL performance.  (See, for example,  http://donttellmeaboutheart.blogspot.ca/2014/11/nhl-draft-pick-value-chart.html).

Furthermore, it is a very good sign if players outperform their draft position over the next couple of years (like 19 year-old Dylan Larkin) and a bad sign if they underperform their draft position (like 19 year-old Michael Dal Colle). They are both 19 but there is not a GM, scout, or fan anywhere who would not predict that Larkin will have a better career than Dal Colle. 

Yes there are outliers. Burrows is a big outlier. But outliers are, by definition, different from the general pattern. Assessments at age 19 still have value even if they are sometimes off the mark.

At this stage, given the general pattern, Jake is underperforming his draft position -- not by a lot but definitely underperforming. McCann, on the other hand, is overperforming his draft position, which is a good sign.

Also, while the Sedins have always had their detractors, well-informed opinion never had them as "busts" -- at age 19 or any other age.

They are both 19 but there is not a GM, scout, or fan anywhere who would not predict that Larkin will have a better career than Dal Colle. 

Try not arguing against yourself

[desiboynux4lifee*******]

I liked Jake's game in the third. He showed what he can be, eg a power forward, started driving the play and started becoming a threat. Also showed some stick handling with his hands, something I never seen him do on the Canucks' 

I remember when McCann first came on the Canucks' he would dangle with stick and try risky plays but the more Willie and coaching staff has got on to them it seems he has gotten away from his dangling. Same thing with Virtanen, in order to be successfull in the NHL he needs to play with more skill and not like a clown like PRUST or Dorsett. We need him to be a skilled guy not a future Dorsett, so todays game in the 3rd he started showing me something special with his drive and speed and I hope if he does come back to Canucks' he sticks to that style not the Dorsett and Prust garbage style. I liked his 3rd period lots lets see if he can keep up that momentum. Even Gord Miller started to say "Virtanen, Virtanen with the puck" that was nice finally something now keep it up Virt. 

Edited December 29, 2015 by desiboynux4lifee*******

[Gstank29]

6 minutes ago, McCannon said:

 

Try not arguing against yourself

He does it all the time

[higgyfan]

19 minutes ago, Fanuck said:

Was basically being used as a pylon in front of opposing net for 2 periods,  then was apparently given the green light in 3rd.

Noticed that too.  It also seems like Virt is not allowed to drop guys with his famous hits.  Hopefully this close call will wake up the team and especially, the coach.

[CANUCK-EXPRESS]

It's quite worrisome for me anyways that he's not hitting guys, like everyone knows, his strength is his physicality. Especially since it was a physical game today. I want to see more of it.

Edited December 29, 2015 by CANUCK-EXPRESS

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, Wild Sean Monahan said:

Wouldn't write that off just yet but that might be the case. He had a laser of a shot pre-surgery

Pretty sure his shots fine. Didn't he blow it through the net or something, I think it was during a preseason practice. 

[Sean Monahan]

4 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Pretty sure his shots fine. Didn't he blow it through the net or something, I think it was during a preseason practice. 

Yeah at times he looks like his old self but at others his shot just doesn't look the same. I'm sure it'll come back before too long, it can take a couple years to fully recover from a surgery like that.

[guntrix]

2 hours ago, McCannon said:

They are both 19 but there is not a GM, scout, or fan anywhere who would not predict that Larkin will have a better career than Dal Colle. 

Try not arguing against yourself

He responded with a well-informed and educated post and then you retaliate with more useless drivel. 

Are you Jake's dad? Because your posts seem more emotional than anything. 

[Caknuckle Puck]

On 12/26/2015 at 8:45 AM, Odd. said:

I'm done. 

I cannot stand these know it all's. Virtanen didn't have a great game. But didn't have a bad one as well. What about Marner? He was soft as butter and gave up the puck a few times. Perlini? Lost the puck too many times, felt a little slow, and couldn't pass. It wasn't only Virtanen who had a bad game. Nobody played spectacular today. Nobody stood out other than energy line and the Marner line occasionally. 

I can't stand this no more. Many cant stand this bs. It was just one damn game. Calm your balls. Hold it tight. We've still got a game against Denmark. We've still got other teams to play and everyone's already jumping up and down about how bad Virtanen is yadda yadda yaddasdasdassdksjgfhdg.

So before you know it all's suggest Virtanen is a crappy player, a bad player, isn't a good role model because he's the only effing NHL player on that squad in which he didn't get a meaningless, stupid stitched up letter on his left side, whatever tf, sit the hell up and realize this kid is still 19 and has ways to go. He won't be a Crosby, he won't be a Malkin, he won't be a Stamkos, he won't be Seguin, nor a Benn, so please re-examine your expectations and chill the hell out.