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Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


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Listen, I wanted us to draft Nylander and I still think he will be the better player. Having said that, Virtanen is a perfectly fine prospect and I hope he turns out great for us.

But I really want to address the idea that Virtanen was a better pick because of our "needs." Drafting a player based on the deficiencies of your team in the previous season is straight up INSANE. A player's peak is between 25-28. That's 7-10 years from now for Virtanen. We have absolutely no idea what the Canucks will look like in 7 years, and no idea what that team will need. This is why drafting best player available is the right call 99% of the time.

The same goes for the argument that we needed to draft Virtanen because we need to get bigger to deal with the team's in our division. Again, who knows what the Sharks, Ducks and Kings will look like in a decade? Heck, there could easily be expansion and realignment in the next 5 years. And then of course there's the fact that there's no proof whatsoever that smaller, skill teams can't beat "big" teams.

Again, I hope Virtanen turns out great for us (I think his best case scenario is something like Evander Kane, which I would be ecstatic about). But I also really, really hope that Benning realizes how crazy it is to draft based on team need, and that drafting for skill over size is typically a much more successful strategy.

Well it at least helps that Benning has an idea what hes doing. Id rather we be a team like the blackhawks and kings(yes ones big and defensive and ones skilled and offensive) but they were hidden for a while but their GMs knew the model they wanted and they built. Some teams just try to replicate the trend of the league so when the hwaks won they tried to get skill and when the kings won they wanted size. I dont care if there is no big teams at that time cause at least he had an idea and a model of what he wants, not what the league is
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If anybody watched last nights game against LA you would know why Benning drafted Virtanen over Nylander/Ehlers. Cali triangle is death to small soft teams.

Not to mention JB might of had a hand in Boston's success story.

Gotta be able to win puck battles to win in the playoffs. Virtanen will be our faster D.Brown. One more piece in a contender going forward.

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If anybody watched last nights game against LA you would know why Benning drafted Virtanen over Nylander/Ehlers. Cali triangle is death to small soft teams.

I do like the Virtanen pick more now than at the draft, but to pick based on your division is just as crazy as to pick because of team needs.

Who knows what the Pacific will look like when JV is in his prime, it probably won't be the same death-triangle it is today.

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I do like the Virtanen pick more now than at the draft, but to pick based on your division is just as crazy as to pick because of team needs.

Who knows what the Pacific will look like when JV is in his prime, it probably won't be the same death-triangle it is today.

you raise a good point. I was talking with a wings fan the other day and he thought our rebuild will come at the perfect time. Thr rise of the canucks will come in sync with the fall of California.
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I do like the Virtanen pick more now than at the draft, but to pick based on your division is just as crazy as to pick because of team needs.

Who knows what the Pacific will look like when JV is in his prime, it probably won't be the same death-triangle it is today.

It's not really about division it's about being able to compete against the best teams.

Even the Pens with two generational talents can't get back to the finals because their supporting cast is substandard.

Dean Lombardi gets it. Benning and Linden get it.

I disagree with the notion of just draft BPA. If there's a drop off after your pick sure....otherwise i think its essential to fill your team with components of need. In a cap world it's imperative you have ELC contributors. Toffoli and Pearson were huge for LA.

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I do like the Virtanen pick more now than at the draft, but to pick based on your division is just as crazy as to pick because of team needs.

Who knows what the Pacific will look like when JV is in his prime, it probably won't be the same death-triangle it is today.

Okay. How about Virtanen was always the better pick?

Could you imagine watching the Canucks, with their long history of drafting heartless imps and trading Cam Neely, passing on a higher-rated, more NHL-ready speedy sniper big body local kid to draft some perimeter-playing prettyboy wuss? Okay, I can. But how about changing that pattern?

I'm glad Benning made the obviously correct decision. Not sure why people are still on Nylander's jock, but at least the Ehlers talk has subsided a bit. Neither are going to be good enough or strong enough to be top liners in either conference.

Ehlers, btw, is doing worse without Drouin there. Gee, really?

And look, Virtanen is turning into a playmaker now. 2g 7a. Wow, it's like... He's a legit hockey player and not a no-vision hack.

Edited by BanTSN
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I do like the Virtanen pick more now than at the draft, but to pick based on your division is just as crazy as to pick because of team needs.

Who knows what the Pacific will look like when JV is in his prime, it probably won't be the same death-triangle it is today.

You have to get out of your own division to get anywhere in the playoffs, most of the pacific teams drafted size and grit in the last draft. Look at the way the Cali teams are constructed all thier youth are big and fast.

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Ehlers, btw, is doing worse without Drouin there. Gee, really?

see your opinion of virtanen being the best pick is fine.

but then you make stupid points like that one that aren't true at all. that's a common misconception that was proved wrong last year.

there's literally no correlation between ehlers doing worse without drouin being there since they never really played together, and they faced equal competition all season long.

and no, i didn't want ehlers.

Edited by Tom Sestito
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Okay. How about Virtanen was always the better pick?

Could you imagine watching the Canucks, with their long history of drafting heartless imps and trading Cam Neely, passing on a higher-rated, more NHL-ready speedy sniper big body local kid to draft some perimeter-playing prettyboy wuss? Okay, I can. But how about changing that pattern?

I'm glad Benning made the obviously correct decision. Not sure why people are still on Nylander's jock, but at least the Ehlers talk has subsided a bit. Neither are going to be good enough or strong enough to be top liners in either conference.

Ehlers, btw, is doing worse without Drouin there. Gee, really?

And look, Virtanen is turning into a playmaker now. 2g 7a. Wow, it's like... He's a legit hockey player and not a no-vision hack.

This guy fricken gets it

You sir, stole the words from my brain and put them down here. Thank you.

Edited by Seven pounds soft
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see your opinion of virtanen being the best pick is fine.

but then you make stupid points like that one that aren't true at all. that's a common misconception that was proved wrong last year.

there's literally no correlation between ehlers doing worse without drouin being there since they never really played together, and they faced equal competition all season long.

and no, i didn't want ehlers.

Actually, Ehlers and Drouin played together when Ehlers really started lighting it up early in the playoffs last season and people got raging boners for him. Look it up.

Regardless, glad we didn't go with him for sure. He was actually picked above where he was ranked by Winnipeg. Ritchie, although a bit of a chug himself, is probably better.

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I do like the Virtanen pick more now than at the draft, but to pick based on your division is just as crazy as to pick because of team needs.

Who knows what the Pacific will look like when JV is in his prime, it probably won't be the same death-triangle it is today.

Doesn't matter if it's gone fast and skilled or big and physical -- Jake does all :)

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