Alflives Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 2 minutes ago, CANUCK-EXPRESS said: He needs to get sent down to Utica. I think he's too comfortable here. He needs to work on his game. It doesn't seem like he worked on his game this summer. What if we sent him to Alaska? Then he would really learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonberries Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Nick Ritchie put the stamp on a couple of guys tonight. Scored the winning goal too. Of course he's had some AHL seasoning... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonberries Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) 8 minutes ago, CANUCK-EXPRESS said: He needs to get sent down to Utica. I think he's too comfortable here. He needs to work on his game. It doesn't seem like he worked on his game this summer. He is completely invisible out there. I can't find him on the ice for the life of me, yet apparently he's been receiving regular ice time? It's a very peculiar thing. Edited October 24, 2016 by Salmonberries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANUCK-EXPRESS Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 9 minutes ago, Salmonberries said: He is completely invisible out there. I can't find him on the ice for the life of me, yet apparently he's been receiving regular ice time? It's a very peculiar thing. He's not invisible.. I notice him a lot... in a bad way that is. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jägermeister Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 The kid is just not NHL ready, plain and simple. He shouldn't have been on the team last year, and he definitely shouldn't be on the team this year now that the AHL is an option. I've never been very high on Jake's ability to become a legit offensive threat in the NHL (I think he could be a consistent ~40 point contributor), but the longer he stays up in the NHL looking like a fish out of water the more likely it is that he doesn't even reach that. Send the kid down and let him gain some confidence and hone his talents in a league more suited to his current ability level. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saucypass Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 After all the criticism Jake has gotten, I want to be fair and balance it out with praise. That's why I've been genuinely trying to find positives about his game tonight against Anaheim. All I have to say is let Jake go to Utica to develop his game there. Green really does a great job teaching structure to a player's game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice orca Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 As some poster's have said he looks lost out there, barely gets a 20 second shift in before he goes to the bench. That shot he had in junior has literally disappeared, and apparently his hitting as well. If he is a bit dinged up get him down to Utica. The problem tho is Dorsett and Burrows being banged up and we need forwards, this is exactly the perfect thing for Virtanen and so far in these 2 games he has dropped a turd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBoGo53 Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) Please send him down, he is being ruined up here. Not NHL ready at all. Edited October 24, 2016 by GoBoGo53 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhippy Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 For those STILL advocating his staying in the NHL Remind us exactly what he brings at 11 or less minutes a night that grenier couldn't? He needs time and he needs top minutes. We drafted the next Raffi Torres at this rate at 6th overall if we keep going this route. he's more than a 3rd or 4th line grinder. At least he could be if we let him be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) 47 minutes ago, Warhippy said: For those STILL advocating his staying in the NHL Remind us exactly what he brings at 11 or less minutes a night that grenier couldn't? He needs time and he needs top minutes. We drafted the next Raffi Torres at this rate at 6th overall if we keep going this route. he's more than a 3rd or 4th line grinder. At least he could be if we let him be He's way faster, and shoots the puck A LOT harder (with a quicker release). Plus, he intimidates the other teams' d-men on the fore check. He's also much better on back pressure and staying on the D-side of the puck. He's a FAR BETTER player than Grenier away from the puck. All this being said, I think he should go down. Edited October 24, 2016 by Alflives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhippy Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 12 minutes ago, Alflives said: He's way faster, and shoots the puck A LOT harder (with a quicker release). Plus, he intimidates the other teams' d-men on the fore check. He's also much better on back pressure and staying on the D-side of the puck. He's a FAR BETTER player than Grenier away from the puck. All this being said, I think he should go down. Ok. But what does he bring that Grenier can't at 11 minutes a night that is going to win games. I say send him down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANUCK-EXPRESS Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 1 hour ago, Alflives said: He's way faster, and shoots the puck A LOT harder (with a quicker release). Plus, he intimidates the other teams' d-men on the fore check. He's also much better on back pressure and staying on the D-side of the puck. He's a FAR BETTER player than Grenier away from the puck. All this being said, I think he should go down. Cmon Alf.. I'm a big Virtanen fan but he's not intimidating on the forecheck.. he's not even hitting at all. He's fast and has a quick release but that's it. He looks lost and does nothing and goes off on a change right away. I'd rather have Labate right now. He needs a lot of minutes and play under Travis Green. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I still think JV should be with the Canucks... only if he's going to get at least 12+ minutes per night and allowed to make mistakes. He's going out there trying to make the safe plays and to be defensively reliable. Not bad.... but he's supposed to a crasher/banger, net front presence with a slick shot.... and so far, he's not really playing to his strength. The Canucks may say they're trying to groom prospects, but considering that WD has already shortened things to just 3 lines this early in the season, I doubt Virtanen will be getting any meaningful minutes. Vancouver lucked out with Bo Horvat and Baertschi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saucypass Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Another thing to note is that the Canucks have already stated that this season they are there to win as opposed to last season where they are trying to groom the young guns. If this is so, they're going to play Jake in a bottom 6 role because that's the only suitable role for him right now. If we continue treating him like this we may never even see him hitting 30 points, and I really want to see Jake succeed. A player who would be perfect for this would be someone like Joe Labate. Although he is a little reckless, I think he'd be better for the role here than Jake. Not to mention, we can always teach him to dial it back a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonald Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 One thing with Jake that I've noticed is his compete level. More often than not after losing posession of the puck he opts to go for a line change rather than trying to retrieve the puck. Maybe hes out of shape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoomBoomBoeser Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 My first post here but a few observations and potential reasons for what's going on with Virtanen (and my take on it) A. He's a bit banged up and thus has been playing a bit timid My take: if so he wouldn't be in the lineup prior to Dorsett getting hurt so my guess is while he may have some bruises its not impeding his play B. He knows the 'spot he thought was his' is going to Rodin once he returns given how well Rodin has played and earned that spot My take: As a result he's lacking the motivation to push as he knows he's going to utica (this is concerning and I will expand on below) C. Willie is on him My take: I haven't seen what others were mentioning about Willie being in his ear but if that's the case he's truly not playing hard and that is an issue. To me, Virtanen was gifted a spot last year due to a lack of size up front and a desire to see what we had, and give some youth a chance to speed up the rebuild. Clearly, he was not ready and this year he has regressed. My concern is not that he can't develop in Utica, but his play reeks to me of 'sulking'. Ie if he knows he's going down and not giving it his all since he feels he can't stick this is worrysome because its childish and shows a view of entitlement in his mind vs taking advantage of his chance right now to really show he belongs, and if not now at least in the near future. As one other mentioned, he's playing with Bo, who you see every shift trying to make something happen. Even Baer, who hasn't had a great start points wise is trying, you can see it. Most here can agree, Virt doesnt seem to be 'giving' it. His attitude appears to need an adjustment, the talks in the offseason, the training etc were all good but his immaturity in my view, is showing. Having to earn the spot and not doing it, then sulking is the sign of a child, not a pro. It seems he is upset that perhaps his Biebs hangouts and actress girlfriends may disappear if he can't parlay the pro hockey angle - perhaps that's his issue. Getzlaf, Perry, Kesler, Burr, Schnider, Bieksa, on and on spent time in the minors, he is not 'too good' not to go there I certainly hope my view on him is incorrect but having coached and developed athletes and professionals, the signs certainly point to such an attitude. Can he grow out of it, of course, but that's up to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blömqvist Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Virtanen's development reminds me of Nino Niederreiter's development. After being drafted both spend another year in the WHL, then in their Draft+2 year they were up in the NHL. Like Jake, Neiderreiter was a big goal scorer in junior, and was expected to produce a fair amount in his first season in the NHL -- nothing too crazy. But in his first year in the NHL in his draft+2 year Niederreiter scored just 1 goal (his only point) in 55 games and was a minus 29. He spent the next year (Draft+3) entirely in the minors and put up 50 points in 74 games. He made it back to the NHL in his draft+4 season and since then has been averaging 20 goals and 40 points. In my opinion, Jake Virtanen needs to be in the AHL and follow a path similar to Nino Niederreiter. Under Utica Coach Travis Green, I'm confident that Virtanen can develop his game and figure out what he needs to do in order to play a consistent powerforward game in the professional leagues. Then next year, his Draft+4 year, have him in the NHL. Jake's potential has always been a top-6 winger capable of scoring 40-60 points, and when he isn't scoring, he should be dominating the game with either his speed and power moves, his physicality, or his strength along the boards and in front of the net. All three of which, and the scoring, I do not see. He needs the AHL. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Burrows Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 Canucks are going to ruin him if they dont send him to Utica soon. He needs a full season with big minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 3 minutes ago, Captain_Burrows said: Canucks are going to ruin him if they dont send him to Utica soon. He needs a full season with big minutes. He should be playing with elite skill though. He's not a set up guy. He's a bopper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripplereh Posted October 25, 2016 Share Posted October 25, 2016 why would they ruin him?? as stated before power forwards take longer to develop seems most on here want our young guys to be big time goal scorers right off the bat,the NHL and young players do not work that way geeeez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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